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:
Jan. 15, 2002
Filed:
Feb. 06, 1997
Stuart D. Edwards, Portola Valley, CA (US);
Muta M. Issa, Atlanta, GA (US);
Vidacare, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
The invention provides a method and system for treatment of body strictures to restore luminal diameter to within a normal diameter range, in which the stricture is dilated to stretch its lumen to a desired diameter, collagen is exuded near to existing tissue of the stricture so as to be absorbed by that tissue or adhere to that tissue, making a collagen-enhanced tissue structure, and energy is emitted to affect the collagen-enhanced tissue, such as by ablation or by hardening. Ablation and hardening may be repeated so as to create a set of layers of hardened collagen in the form of a supporting frame, preferably having a hollow cylindrical shape. Dilation of the stricture is achieved by expanding one or more balloons, or by the pressure of exuded collagen, until the stricture is larger than a normal diameter range. When energy is emitted into the collagen, the stricture contracts back to the normal diameter range, either by ablation of excess tissue or by plating of the stricture wall. The stricture's tissue is also isolated by a set of balloons at either or both ends of the stricture, so as to isolate the stricture and restrict the collagen to the stricture's tissue. The stricture's tissue is also supported by a stent, which is preferably tackwelded onto the stricture's tissue using collagen. Collagen adheres to the stent, which supports the stricture's tissue until the stent is absorbed into that tissue.