Abstract:
Apparatus and methods are provided for treating female urinary incontinence by applying a form of energy to tissue in the vicinity of the urethra and/or bladder outlet to change tissue compliance without substantially narrowing the urethral and/or bladder outlet lumen. The apparatus comprises an elongated shaft having a means for treating urethral tissue and an expandable member deployable distal of the means for treating. The expandable member is configured to be anchored against the bladder outlet to dispose the means for treating at a desired treatment site in the urethra using only tactile feedback. The means for treating may include a needleless RF electrode, an ultrasound transducer, or a cryogenic probe configured to be advanced through a hollow needle, each of which are designed to reduce or eliminate symptoms associated with urinary incontinence.
Abstract:
A sphincter treatment apparatus has an introducer means including a distal portion means. An expandable device means includes a plurality of arm means. Each arm means of the plurality has a distal section means and a proximal section means. Each of distal sections means of the arm means are coupled and each of the proximal sections means of the arm means are coupled to the introducer means distal portion means. The expandable device means is configured to at least partially dilate a sphincter in a deployed state. An energy delivery device means is introduceable from the introducer means into a selected site of the sphincter. The energy delivery device means is configured to deliver sufficient energy to reduce a frequency of relaxation of the sphincter.
Abstract:
Systems for treating a mucosal surface of an alimentary canal tissue region are provided. The systems can include an elongate support structure, an expandable member positionable at a distal portion of the support structure and one or more radio frequency (RF) ablation electrodes carried by the expandable member. The elongate support structure and the expandable member can be adapted to place the one or more electrodes in contact with a mucosal surface of an alimentary canal tissue region. The system can further include an RF energy source connected to the one or more electrodes.
Abstract:
A method for treating a sphincter provides a polymer material having a liquid state. The method also provides a catheter having a distal end, a tissue piercing device carried by the distal end, and an energy delivery device coupled to the tissue piercing device. The tissue piercing device has a lumen. The method introduces the catheter into an esophagus and pierces an exterior sphincter tissue surface within with the tissue piercing device. The method advances the tissue piercing device into an interior sphincter tissue site and conveys the polymer material while in a liquid state through the lumen into the interior sphincter tissue site. The method delivers energy to the tissue piercing device to transform the polymer material into a less liquid state within the interior sphincter tissue site, to thereby remodel the sphincter.
Abstract:
The invention provides a method and system for treating disorders in parts of the body. A particular treatment can include on or more of, or some combination of: ablation, nerve modulation, three-dimensional tissue shaping, drug delivery, mapping stimulating, shrinking and reducing strain on structures by altering the geometry thereof and providing bulk to particularly defined regions. The particular body structures or tissues can include one or more of or some combination of region, including: the bladder, esophagus, vagina, penis, larynx, pharynx, aortic arch, abdominal aorta, thoracic, aorta, large intestine, sinus, auditory canal, uterus, vas deferens, trachea, and all associated sphincters. Types of energy that can be applied include radiofrequency, laser, microwave, infrared waves, ultrasound, or some combination thereof. Types of substances that can be applied include pharmaceutical agents such as analgesics, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory drugs, bulking agents such as biologically non-reactive particles, cooling fluids, or dessicants such as liquid nitrogen for use in cryo-based treatments.
Abstract:
A medical treatment device comprising an elongate probe member having proximal and distal extremities. The elongate probe member has a longitudinal axis and at least one passageway extending from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity. A guide is mounted in the at least one passage of the elongate probe member and has proximal and distal extremities with the distal extremity of the guide being in the vicinity of the distal extremity of the elongate probe member. The guide has an opening in the distal extremity and a lumen extending from the proximal extremity to the opening in the distal extremity. A needle is slidably disposed in the lumen of the guide. The needle is in the form of a tube having an axial lumen extending therethrough. A control mechanism is coupled to the proximal extremity of the elongate probe member and is secured to the needle for advancing and retracting the needle relative to the guide.
Abstract:
An RF treatment apparatus includes a catheter with a catheter lumen. A removable needle electrode is positioned in the catheter lumen in a fixed relationship to the catheter. The needle electrode includes a needle lumen and a needle electrode distal end. A removable introducer is slidably positioned in the needle lumen. The introducer includes an introducer distal end. A first sensor is positioned on a surface of the needle electrode or the insulator. An RF power source is coupled to the needle electrode and a return electrode. An insulator sleeve is slidably positioned around the electrode and includes a second sensor. Resources are associated with the electrodes, sensors as well as the RF power source for maintaining a selected power at the electrode independent of changes in current or voltage.
Abstract:
A device and method are provided for sealing a puncture in a body vessel. The device has an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end sized to be positioned within a lumen of the body vessel; at least one closure composition precursor lumen within the elongated body having a entrance port adjacent the proximal end of the elongated body through which one or more fluent closure composition precursors can be delivered into the closure composition precursor lumen and an exit port adjacent the distal end of the elongated body through which the one or more fluent closure composition precursors can be delivered outside the vessel adjacent the vessel puncture; and a microwave antenna for delivering microwave energy adjacent the distal end of the elongated body to the fluent closure compound precursor. The microwave antenna according to this embodiment is preferably incorporated onto the elongated body adjacent the body distal end. Alternatively, the device can include a guidewire lumen and a guidewire which includes a microwave antenna.
Abstract:
An implantable electrode is provided for treating tissue in a patient with energy. In one variation of this embodiment, the implantable electrode includes a shaft having a length sufficient to extend from outside a body of the patient to adjacent a tissue site to be treated, an electrode core attached to a distal end of the shaft capable of delivering a form of energy to the tissue site, one or more wires which extend from a proximal end of the shaft to the electrode core such that an energy source external to the patient can be coupled to the wire for delivering energy to the electrode core, and a head formed at least in part of a soluble and porous material which at least partially surrounds the electrode core and becomes conductive when contacted with an energy conducting liquid. According to this variation, the shaft also includes a lumen for delivering energy conducting liquid from outside the body to the head.
Abstract:
A cell necrosis apparatus includes an introducer with a tissue piercing distal end. An RF electrode device includes a first RF electrode with a tissue piercing distal end, a second RF electrode with a tissue piercing distal end, and a third RF electrode with a tissue piercing distal end. The first and second electrodes each have an exterior non-insulated energy delivery surface and an exterior opposing insulated surface. The first, second and third RF electrodes are deployable from the introducer with the first and second RF electrodes exterior non-insulated energy delivery surfaces facing and surrounding the third RF electrode.