| US 7,462,179 B2 | ||
| GERD treatment apparatus and method | ||
| Stuart D Edwards, Salinas, Calif. (US); and David Utley, Redwood City, Calif. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Respiratory Diagnostic, Inc., Hercules, Calif. (US) | ||
| Filed on Nov. 12, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/986,687. | ||
| Application 10/986687 is a division of application No. 09/911874, filed on Jul. 24, 2001, abandoned. | ||
| Application 09/911874 is a continuation of application No. 09/007237, filed on Jan. 14, 1998, abandoned. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0009758 A1, Jan. 12, 2006 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. A61B 18/18 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 606—41 [607/133; 128/898] | 5 Claims |
| 1. A method of treating a lower esophageal sphincter, comprising:
providing an expandable member sized to be positionable at or near a lower esophageal sphincter in a compacted condition and
being sized and configured to expand to an expanded condition to non-permanently dilate the lower esophageal sphincter, and
an energy delivery device coupled to the expandable member comprising at least one tissue-piercing needle electrode sized
and configured for deployment between a retracted position and an extended position,
coupling a source of radio-frequency energy to the energy delivery device,
introducing the expandable member to a tissue region at or near the lower esophageal sphincter in the compacted condition
and with the at least one tissue-piercing needle electrode in the retracted position,
expanding the expandable member to the expanded condition to dilate the lower esophageal sphincter,
deploying the at least one tissue-piercing needle electrode to the extended position to pierce sub-mucosal tissue at or near
the lower esophageal sphincter,
delivering energy from the source of radio-frequency energy to the at least one needle-piercing electrode to cause necrosis
of the sub-mucosal tissue due to resistance heating at or near the lower esophageal sphincter and produce at least one sub-mucosal
lesion to thereby selectively tighten the lower esophageal sphincter,
returning the expandable member to the compacted condition and the at least one tissue-piercing electrode to the retracted
position, and
removing the expandable member from the tissue region.
|