Claims
- 1. A partial ablation device comprising:
a support member; a first conductor member supported with the support member and reciprocable relative to the support member, the first conductor member having an end that extends beyond the support member; at least one nonconducting member interconnecting the first conductor member with the support member; and at least one flexible conductor member supported with the support member, extending along the first conductor member, and interconnected with the first conductor member; wherein retraction of the first conductor member relative to the support member to move the end of the first conductor member toward the support member causes the nonconducting member and the flexible conductor member to expand outward from the first conductor member in substantially opposite directions.
- 2. A partial ablation device according to claim 1, further comprising a cap on the end of the first conductor member, the nonconducting member interconnecting the cap and the support member.
- 3. A partial ablation device according to claim 2, wherein the cap is nonconducting.
- 4. A partial ablation device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises two of the nonconducting members.
- 5. A partial ablation device according to claim 1, wherein the device has a stowed position in which the first conductor member is at a maximum extension from the support member, and the nonconducting member and the flexible conductor member are substantially parallel to the first conductor member.
- 6. A partial ablation device according to claim 1, wherein the device is in a deployed position and the nonconducting member and the flexible conductor member are elastically displaced radially outward along substantially their entire lengths when the first conductor member is retracted relative to the support member.
- 7. A partial ablation device according to claim 6, wherein the device further comprises ratchet means for retracting the first conductor member relative to the support member, wherein the device has a plurality of deployed positions.
- 8. A partial ablation device according to claim 1, further comprising a channel disposed along the support member, the channel being sized to receive a telescope therein.
- 9. A partial ablation device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a plurality of the flexible conductor members, the device further comprising an electrically-conductive material supported by and between the flexible conductor members.
- 10. A partial ablation device according to claim 9, wherein the electrically-conductive material is chosen from the group consisting of metal foil, wire mesh, and resilient plastic with a conductive film deposited or otherwise carried thereon.
- 11. A partial endometrial ablation device comprising:
an elongate support member; an elongate first conductor member reciprocably supported within the support member for reciprocating movement relative thereto, the first conductor member having an end that extends outside the support member; at least one flexible nonconducting member having a first end interconnected with the support member and having a second end interconnected with the end of the first conductor member; and a plurality of flexible conductor members, each having a first end interconnected with the support member and having a second end electrically interconnected with the end of the first conductor member for conducting a current through the first and flexible conductor members; wherein extension of the first conductor member relative to the support member to move the end of the first conductor member away from the support member establishes a stowed position in which the flexible nonconducting member and the flexible conductor members are substantially parallel to and alongside the first conductor member, and wherein retraction of the first conductor member relative to the support member to move the end of the first conductor member toward the support member establishes a deployed position in which the flexible nonconducting member and the flexible conductor members are expanded outward from the first conductor member in substantially opposite directions.
- 12. A partial ablation device according to claim 11, further comprising a nonconducting cap on the end of the first conductor member, the flexible nonconducting member interconnecting the cap and the support member.
- 13. A partial ablation device according to claim 11, wherein the device comprises two of the flexible nonconducting members.
- 14. A partial ablation device according to claim 11, wherein the device further comprises ratchet means for retracting the first conductor member relative to the support member such that the device has a plurality of deployed positions.
- 15. A partial ablation device according to claim 11, further comprising a channel disposed along the support member, the channel being sized to receive a telescope therein.
- 16. A partial ablation device according to claim 11, the device further comprising an electrically-conductive material supported by and between the flexible conductor members, the electrically-conductive material being chosen from the group consisting of metal foil, wire mesh, and resilient plastic with a conductive film deposited or otherwise carried thereon.
- 17. A partial endometrial ablation procedure comprising the steps of:
inserting an ablation device within the intrauterine cavity of the human body; and then causing a current to flow through the ablation device and then performing a controlled and selective electrosurgical ablation of a first wall region of the intrauterine cavity and not an oppositely-disposed second wall region of the intrauterine cavity.
- 18. A partial endometrial ablation procedure according to claim 17, wherein the ablation device is a partial ablation device comprising a first conductor member, at least one nonconducting member and at least one flexible conductor member, the procedure further comprising the step of expanding the nonconducting member and the flexible conductor member outward from the first conductor member in substantially opposite directions, the nonconducting member contacting the second wall region of the intrauterine cavity, the flexible conductor member contacting the first wall region of the intrauterine cavity, the current flowing through the flexible conductor member to cut and/or coagulate tissue of the first wall region of the intrauterine cavity.
- 19. A partial endometrial ablation procedure to treat menorrhagia, the procedure comprising the steps of:
inserting a partial ablation device within the intrauterine cavity of the human body; and then causing a current to flow through the ablation device to cut and/or coagulate tissue of either an anterior wall or a posterior wall of the intrauterine cavity.
- 20. A partial endometrial ablation procedure according to claim 19, wherein the partial ablation device comprises a first conductor member, at least one nonconducting member and at least one flexible conductor member that are substantially parallel to each other when the partial ablation device is inserted into the intrauterine cavity, the procedure further comprising the step of expanding the nonconducting member and the flexible conductor member outward from the first conductor member in substantially opposite directions, the nonconducting member contacting one of the anterior or posterior walls of the intrauterine cavity, the flexible conductor member contacting the other of the anterior or posterior walls of the intrauterine cavity, the current flowing through the flexible conductor member to cut and/or coagulate tissue on the other of the anterior or posterior walls of the intrauterine cavity.
- 21. A partial endometrial ablation procedure according to claim 19, wherein the partial ablation device comprises a support member, a first conductor member supported with the support member and reciprocable relative to the support member, the first conductor member having an end that extends beyond the support member, at least one nonconducting member interconnecting the end of the first conductor member with the support member, and at least one flexible conductor member supported with the support member and interconnected with the end of the first conductor member, and wherein following the insertion step the first conductor member is retracted relative to the support member to move the end of the first conductor member toward the support member, causing the nonconducting member and the at least one flexible conductor member to expand outward from the first conductor member in substantially opposite directions, the nonconducting member contacting one of the anterior or posterior walls of the intrauterine cavity, the flexible conductor member contacting the other of the anterior or posterior walls of the intrauterine cavity, the current flowing through the flexible conductor member to cut and/or coagulate tissue on the other of the anterior or posterior walls of the intrauterine cavity.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part patent application of co-pending United States patent application Ser. No. 09/792,403, filed Feb. 23, 2001, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/185,172, filed Feb. 24, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60185172 |
Feb 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09792403 |
Feb 2001 |
US |
Child |
10065014 |
Sep 2002 |
US |