The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 29, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 28, 1998
Brian S Kelleher, San Diego, CA (US);
Corbett Stone, San Diego, CA (US);
Michael Jones, Capistrano Beach, CA (US);
Endonetics, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
A device and method for performing electrolyte assisted tissue ablation of metaplasia in the esophagus includes a shaft with an expandable barrier which is deployable from the shaft's distal end. Also included in the device are an electrode and a temperature/impedance sensor which are each mounted on the shaft. Alternatively, the shaft may be a catheter formed with several lumens which are used independently for housing optical elements and for transferring fluid. In the operation of the device, the distal end of the shaft or catheter is placed in the esophagus proximal the cardia. The barrier is then deployed to the cardia and expanded to seal the esophagus from the stomach. The esophageal volume between the barrier and the catheter is partially flooded with a conducting medium and an electrode is deployed into the conducting medium. The sensor is also deployed into contact with the tissue to be ablated. Using open-loop control, or using temperature, impedance, or visual monitoring for closed-loop control, the metaplasia is ablated by passing radio frequency energy from the electrode and through the conducting medium for contact with the tissue being ablated.