Claims
- 1. A medical instrument, comprising:
a flexible shaft, a tissue piercing coil at a distal portion of the shaft, and a member positioned over the shaft, the member and the coil coupled for relative movement.
- 2. The medical instrument of claim 1 wherein the member is biased in a distal direction.
- 3. The medical instrument of claim 2 further comprising a spring biasing the member in the distal direction.
- 4. The medical instrument of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes a length of coil.
- 5. The medical instrument of claim 4 wherein the shaft coil and the tissue piercing coil are wound in opposite directions.
- 6. A medical instrument, comprising:
a flexible shaft, a tissue piercing member at a distal portion of the shaft, and a tissue stabilizer coupled to the shaft for movement relative to the tissue piercing member, the tissue stabilizer being biased in a distal direction such that as the tissue piercing member enters tissue, the tissue stabilizer is urged against a surface of the tissue.
- 7. The medical instrument of claim 6 further comprising a spring biasing the tissue stabilizer in the distal direction.
- 8. The medical instrument of claim 6 wherein the shaft includes a length of coil.
- 9. A medical instrument, comprising:
a tissue piercing coil, and a tissue stabilizer coupled to the coil for movement relative to the coil, the tissue stabilizer being biased in a distal direction such that as the coil enters tissue, the tissue stabilizer is urged against a surface of the tissue.
- 10. The medical instrument of claim 9 further comprising a spring biasing the tissue stabilizer in the distal direction.
- 11. A method of treatment, comprising:
advancing a flexible shaft to a treatment site, and piercing tissue with a coil portion of the shaft.
- 12. A method of treatment, comprising:
advancing a flexible shaft to a treatment site, piercing tissue with a member located at a distal portion of the shaft, and stabilizing tissue being pierced by contacting a surface of the tissue with a tissue stabilizer biased in a distal direction such that as the tissue piercing member enters tissue, the tissue stabilizer is urged against the surface of the tissue.
- 13. A method of treatment, comprising:
piercing tissue with a coil, and stabilizing tissue being pierced by contacting a surface of the tissue with a tissue stabilizer biased in a distal direction such that as the coil enters tissue, the tissue stabilizer is urged against the surface of the tissue.
- 14. A medical instrument, comprising:
a flexible shaft defining a lumen housing actuating member, and a distal actuating assembly including
a sealing portion configured to substantially seal the shaft lumen from contact with bodily fluids, and a tissue manipulator located distal of the sealing portion, the actuating member being coupled to the tissue manipulator such that the tissue manipulator is actuatable to deploy an implant located distal of the sealing portion.
- 15. The medical instrument of claim 14 wherein the distal actuating assembly further comprises the implant located distal of the sealing portion.
- 16. The medical instrument of claim 14 wherein the sealing portion comprises a cover over a section of the assembly.
- 17. The medical instrument of claim 14 wherein the sealing portion comprises a seal surrounding an actuating member extending through the seal.
- 18. A medical device, comprising:
first and second members each including a body having a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion, the first attachment portion including a member with a side wall defining a slot and a mating contour having a straight, proximal edge for releasably attaching the body to a distal portion of a medical instrument such that the body can be exchanged with a replacement body, the second portion being configured to releasably receive an implant.
- 19. The medical device of claim 18 wherein the first attachment portion includes a flexing section between the side wall and the mating contour.
- 20. The medical device of claim 18 wherein the second portion includes tubes configured to pass through tissue.
- 21. A medical device, comprising:
an implant including a suture, and first and second members configured to releasably attach to a distal portion of a medical instrument such that the members can be exchanged with replacement members, at least one of the members being configured to releasably receive the implant for delivery of the implant to a treatment site.
- 22. The medical device of claim 21 wherein the members each include a wall defining a slot for attaching the member to the medical instrument.
- 23. The medical device of claim 21 wherein the members each include a mating contour having a flat, proximal edge for attaching the member to the medical instrument.
- 24. The medical device of claim 23 wherein the mating contour comprised an opening.
- 25. The medical device of claim 21 wherein the members each include a flexing section.
- 26. The medical device of claim 21 wherein the members each include tubes configured to pass through tissue to which the implant is coupled.
- 27. A cartridge assembly, comprising:
first and second members configured for releasable attachment to a medical instrument, and a holder configured to receive the first and second members and to be released from the first and second members upon action of the first and second members attaching to the medical instrument.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application U.S. Ser. No. 09/574,424, filed May 19, 2000, entitled TISSUE RECONFIGURATION, which is a continuation-in-part of application U.S. Ser. No. 09/520,273, filed Mar. 7, 2000, entitled METHODS AND DEVICES FOR TISSUE RECONFIGURATION, and application U.S. Ser. No. 09/519,945, filed Mar. 7, 2000, entitled DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CORRECTION OF A PAINFUL BODY DEFECT, which claim priority from provisional application U.S. Serial No. 60/140,492, filed Jun. 22, 1999, entitled STOMACH ELEVATOR METHOD AND DEVICE, all hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60140492 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09574424 |
May 2000 |
US |
Child |
09859579 |
May 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09520273 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
Child |
09574424 |
May 2000 |
US |
Parent |
09519945 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
Child |
09574424 |
May 2000 |
US |