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:
Jul. 11, 2006
Filed:
Jun. 25, 2004
Ashok Gowda, College Station, TX (US);
Roger J. Mcnichols, Houston, TX (US);
Massoud Motamedi, Houston, TX (US);
Pankaj J. Pasricha, Houston, TX (US);
Ashok Gowda, College Station, TX (US);
Roger J. McNichols, Houston, TX (US);
Massoud Motamedi, Houston, TX (US);
Pankaj J. Pasricha, Houston, TX (US);
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Austin, TX (US);
BioTex, Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is a method for delivering energy to a tissue. The method includes providing an apparatus which includes an energy delivery component and an inflatable member disposed around the energy delivery component. At a minimum, the inflatable member is constructed of a flexible inner wall and a flexible outer wall, which, taken together, enclose a cavity therebetween. The inflatable member is expanded such that the inflatable member's outer wall contacts the tissue's surface. Cooling fluid is disposed in the cavity, and energy is delivered to the energy delivery component so that at least a portion of the energy delivered to the energy delivery component passes through the inflatable member's inner wall, through the cooling fluid disposed in the cavity, through the inflatable member's outer wall, and into the tissue. Various apparatus suitable for use in delivering energy to tissues are also disclosed, as is a method for treating GERD or otherwise reducing reflux of a subject's stomach contents into the subject's esophagus.