Methods and devices for soft tissue securement
First Claim
1. A method for soft tissue securement including the steps of modifying the properties of the tissue at or near an anchoring site and deploying a first anchoring element at said site.
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Abstract
Devices and methods for improved soft tissue securement are disclosed, and, in particular, to tissue anchoring elements and deployment thereof. Such tissue anchoring elements may comprise a linkage element and an array of spreading elements. Endoscopic devices and methods are disclosed for deploying multiple anchoring elements to multiple sites and manipulating at least some of the associated linkage elements to approximate selected sites. Applications of such endoscopic devices and methods may include endoluminal therapy such as gastroplasty, which may be used for the treatment of obesity and gastroesophageal disease. Such devices and methods may also include the attachment of a foreign body to a tissue mass. Further aspects of the invention include devices and methods for the modification of mechanical properties of the anchoring sites so as to decrease the likelihood that anchoring elements will pull out. Such modification may include irritating or injuring the tissue within the anchoring sites, thereby causing a healing or scarification response, or may alternatively include deploying a solidifying agent within the anchoring sites.
427 Citations
56 Claims
- 1. A method for soft tissue securement including the steps of modifying the properties of the tissue at or near an anchoring site and deploying a first anchoring element at said site.
- 21. A method for soft tissue securement including the steps of deploying a solidifying agent at or near an anchoring site and deploying an anchoring element at said site.
- 25. An apparatus for securing tissue comprising a delivery device and an anchoring element, said anchoring element having spreading elements and a linkage element, said anchoring element having a long axis, said spreading elements having a first state and a second state wherein in said first state said spreading elements are substantially aligned along said long axis and in said second state said spreading elements are deployed in substantially more than one plane relative to said long axis.
- 31. An apparatus for securing tissue comprising an anchoring element and means for modifying the mechanical properties of tissue within or adjacent to an anchoring site.
- 44. An endoscopic device for tissue securement comprising a payload containing at least one tissue anchoring element and means for deploying said at least one anchoring element into a tissue mass, wherein said at least one anchoring element has a long axis and includes spreading elements and a linkage element, wherein said spreading elements have a first state in which said spreading elements are substantially constrained along said long axis and a second state wherein said spreading elements are substantially unconstrained and spread out in more than one plane relative to said long axis, wherein the deployment of said anchoring element causes the transition from said first state to said second state.
- 49. A method for performing endoluminal tissue securement in an organ using an endoscopic device capable of deploying one or more anchoring elements, each anchoring element including a linkage element and an array of spreading elements, wherein said spreading elements have a first state in which said spreading elements are substantially constrained and a second state wherein said spreading elements are substantially unconstrained, wherein the deployment of each anchoring element causes the transition from said first state to said second state, comprising the steps of deploying multiple anchoring elements to multiple sites and manipulating the linkage elements from selected anchoring elements so as to approximate a portion of said multiple sites.
- 54. A method of placing an anchoring element in a soft tissue mass comprising a first step of modifying the mechanical properties of a selected zone within or on the surface of said tissue mass and a second step of deploying an anchoring element within or adjacent to said zone.
Specification