Claims
- 1. In a therapy for incontinence by effecting a desired contraction of an endopelvic fascia, the endopelvic fascia composed of a left portion and a right portion, a method comprising:
accessing a first target region along the left or right portion of the endopelvic fascia, the first target region being offset laterally from the urethra; positioning a probe surface against the first target region; directing energy from the positioned probe surface into the first target region so as to effect the desired contraction of the left or right portion of the endopelvic fascia without moving the positioned probe surface.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first target region is disposed along the left portion of the endopelvic fascia, and further comprising accessing a second target region along the right portion of the endopelvic fascia, the second region being offset laterally from the urethra so that the urethra is disposed between, and separated from, the first and second target regions; and directing energy from a probe surface into the second region so as to effect the desired contraction of the other portion without moving the probe surface.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second energy directing steps are performed so as to effect sufficient contraction of the endopelvic fascia to inhibit incontinence.
- 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second energy directing steps are performed simultaneously.
- 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second energy directing steps are performed sequentially with a single surface of the probe.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning step comprises aligning a protective zone of the probe surface with the urethra by receiving the urethra in an indentation of the probe surface.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the aligning step comprises introducing a catheter into the urethra to expand the urethra.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning step comprises inserting a probe while the probe is in a narrow configuration, and mechanically expanding the inserted probe to an enlarged configuration to urge the probe surface against the first target region.
- 9. A method for selectively contracting a target tissue, the method comprising:
aligning a treatment surface of a probe with a first portion of the target tissue, the treatment surface having a peripheral portion and an interior portion; directing energy from the treatment surface into the first portion of target tissue so as to contract the first portion, wherein contraction of the first portion draws a second portion of the target tissue into alignment with the peripheral portion of the treatment surface; selectively directing energy from the peripheral portion of the treatment surface into the second portion of the target tissue.
- 10. A device for effecting a desired contraction of a discrete target region of a tissue, the target region having a target region size and shape, the device comprising:
a probe having a treatment surface, the treatment surface size and shape corresponding to the size and shape of the target region; at least one element disposed along the treatment surface for transmitting energy from the treatment surface to the target region without moving the probe such that the energy effects the desired contraction.
- 11. A device for effecting contraction of a target fascial tissue, the target tissue having a fascial surface, the device comprising:
a probe body having a treatment surface, the treatment surface being oriented for engaging the fascial surface, the probe body being at least semi-rigid and having a length of at least about 10 mm and a width of at least about 5 mm; an array of electrodes distributed over the treatment surface for transmitting energy into the engaged target tissue without moving the probe such that the energy contracts the target tissue.
- 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the probe body comprises a thin flat structure, the treatment surface defining a major surface of the probe body.
- 13. The device of claim 12, wherein the probe body is semi-rigid or rigid.
- 14. A device for contracting a target tissue having a tissue surface, the device comprising:
a probe having a treatment surface oriented for engaging the tissue surface of the target tissue; an electrode disposed on the treatment surface of the probe and engageable against the target tissue surface so as to contract the engaged target tissue from an initial size to a contracted size, the electrode comprising a peripheral portion and an interior portion, the interior portion having an area corresponding to the contracted size of the tissue, the peripheral portion being energizeable independently from the interior portion.
- 15. A probe for contracting a target tissue of a patient body, the probe comprising:
a probe body having a tissue engaging surface; and an energy transmitting element disposed along the surface of the probe, the energy transmitting element capable of directing sufficient energy into the target tissue to shrink the target tissue, the energy transmitting element having a mechanism that limits transmitted energy so as to avoid ablation of the target tissue.
- 16. The probe of claim 15, wherein the limit mechanism comprises a thermal mass, the energy transmitting element comprising a heat transfer surface thermally coupled to the thermal mass, the thermal mass transferring a significant portion of the energy when the heat transfer surface cools from a safe tissue temperature toward body temperature.
- 17. The probe of claim 15, wherein the limit mechanism comprises a reaction mass that reacts to transfer the energy and which is depleted when the energy is transferred.
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/651,669, filed Aug. 30, 2000, which is a divisional of and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/170,767, filed Oct. 13, 1998, which is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/094,964, filed Jul. 31, 1998, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60094964 |
Jul 1998 |
US |
Divisions (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09651669 |
Aug 2000 |
US |
Child |
10887076 |
Jul 2004 |
US |
Parent |
09170767 |
Oct 1998 |
US |
Child |
09651669 |
Aug 2000 |
US |