Methods for minimally invasive, non-permanent occlusion of a uterine artery
First Claim
1. A process of treating a female patient'"'"'s uterus, comprising:
- at least partially occluding a uterine artery of the patient for a therapeutically effective time period by applying pressure to the uterine artery through a wall of a vaginal fornix of the patient; and
re-establishing blood flow through the uterine artery at the termination of said therapeutically effective time period by releasing the pressure applied to the uterine artery through vaginal wall.
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Abstract
Non-permanent occlusion of the uterine arteries is sufficient to cause the demise of uterine myomata without unnecessarily exposing other tissues and anatomical structures to hypoxia attendant to prior permanent occlusion techniques. A therapeutically effective transient time of occlusion of a uterine artery to treat uterine fibroid tumors is from 1 hours to 24 hours, and preferably is at least about 4 hours. A therapeutically effective temporary time of occlusion of a uterine artery to treat uterine fibroid tumors is from 1 day (24 hours) to 7 days (168 hours), and preferably is about 4 days (96 hours). By invaginating the tissues of the vaginal wall up to or around a uterine artery, collapse of the uterine artery can be achieved without penetrating tissue of the patient.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A process of treating a female patient'"'"'s uterus, comprising:
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at least partially occluding a uterine artery of the patient for a therapeutically effective time period by applying pressure to the uterine artery through a wall of a vaginal fornix of the patient; and
re-establishing blood flow through the uterine artery at the termination of said therapeutically effective time period by releasing the pressure applied to the uterine artery through vaginal wall. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A process useful for treating a condition of a patient having at least one uterine artery and a uterus, comprising:
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non-invasively occluding at least one uterine artery for a therapeutically effective time period; and
removing at least a portion of a uterus of a patient.
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18. An assembly for treating a uterine disorder of a female patient by occluding at least in part a uterine artery thereof, comprising:
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a) a first clamping member which has a distal section forming in part a jaw having a pressure applying clamping surface on a distal end of the jaw that is configured to invaginate vaginal tissue of the patient'"'"'s vaginal fornix and that has sufficient area to occlude the patient'"'"'s uterine artery when pressed against invaginated tissue of the patient'"'"'s vaginal fornix;
b) a second clamping member which has a distal section forming in part a jaw having a pressure applying clamping surface on a distal end of the jaw in opposition to the pressure applying clamping surface on the distal end of the jaw of the first clamping member that is configured to invaginate vaginal tissue of the patient'"'"'s vaginal fornix and that has sufficient area to occlude the patient'"'"'s uterine artery when pressed against invaginate tissue of the patient'"'"'s vaginal fornix;
c) a pivotal connection between the first and second clamping members at a location proximally spaced from the pressure applying surfaces of the first and second clamping members; and
d) a blood flow sensor to detect the patient'"'"'s uterine artery. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification