Origin Medsystems, Inc.

Gynecare, Inc.

Gail Stevens

Robert D Warner

Albert K Chin

Frederic H Moll

Steven A Daniel

Vahid Saadat

Todd A Thompson

John J McIntyre

Apparatus for thermal coagulation having an improved circulation assembly and heating assembly. The apparatus includes a balloon catheter secured to and in fluid communication with a handle for inserting the apparatus into a human uterus. A distensible bladder is secured to the distal end of the catheter and encloses a heating assembly having a tubular core configured with a spiral groove which retains a heating filament. An impeller having at least two blades is positioned distal of the heating assembly and includes a cable having a distal end secured to the impeller. The impeller cable is partially disposed in the handle, in the elongate tubular member and in the core of the heating element, such that axial rotation of said cable rotates the blades of said impeller. During use of the apparatus, the distensible bladder is inflated with a fluid to a desired pressure and rotation of the impeller blades is initiated. The inflation fluid within the distensible bladder is heated to a desired temperature, which is maintained for a desired time interval. The inflation fluid within the distensible bladder is allowed to cool and rotation of the impeller blades is terminated. Thereafter, the inflation fluid is removed from the balloon catheter to deflate the distensible bladder.

Heated balloon having rotary fluid impeller

An apparatus, and method for endometrial ablation by heating an inflation medium within a distensible bladder positioned within a uterus of a patient. The apparatus comprises an elongate tubular member, a handle, a distensible bladder and a heating element disposed within said distensible bladder. The system includes a controller configured for providing and regulating electric current to the heating element. The controller also includes a pressure sensor for regulating the pressure in the distensible bladder. Pressure and temperature displays and other operator controls are located on the controller unit. The method for performing endothelial ablation comprises inserting the distensible bladder and a portion of the tubular member into a uterus of a patient. The inflation medium within the distensible bladder is heated by providing electric current to the resistive wire of the heating element. The inflation medium within the distensible bladder is heated to a desired temperature and temperature and pressure within the distensible bladder are maintained for a desired time interval. The distensible bladder is then deflated and removed from the uterus.

Intrauterine ablation system

Hollow body structures may be manipulated and dissected from surrounding tissue using a manipulator device and a dissection device. The manipulator includes a rigid shaft having an inflatable balloon at its distal end. By inserting the balloon through a wall of the body structure and inflating the balloon, the body structure can be manipulated using the shaft to expose a dissection plane in an optimum manner. The dissection device is used to separate the body structure from its surrounding tissue. The separator device includes a separator head which is a cylindrical body having a plurality of axial channels therein. The dissector head is rotated or oscillated at a high frequency and acts to separate the body structure from the surrounding tissue with minimum damage.

Method and apparatus for body structure manipulation and dissection

An apparatus for applying a manipulating force to manipulate a hollow body. The apparatus comprises a hollow shaft at the distal end of which is attached an elastomeric balloon that is inflatable from a collapsed state to an expanded state to engage the hollow body. A tether, attached to the distal tip of the elastomeric balloon, limits distal excursion, and freely allows proximal excursion, of the distal tip of the elastomeric balloon in response to the manipulating force. The tether may be flexible, with its distal end attached to the distal tip of the elastomeric balloon, and its proximal end attached within the hollow shaft. Alternatively, the tether may include an elongate member slidably mounted within the hollow shaft, and a stop that limits distal sliding of the elongate member. The distal tip of the balloon is attached to the distal end of the elongate member. In a method according to the invention for manipulating a hollow body, the apparatus just described is provided. The elastomeric balloon of the apparatus is introduced in a collapsed state into an interior volume of the hollow body. The elastomeric balloon is expanded to its expanded state to occupy at least a major portion of the interior volume of the hollow body. Finally, a manipulating force is applied to the hollow shaft to manipulate the hollow body.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Gail Stevens