SYSTEMS AND DEVICES FOR EVALUATING THE INTEGRITY OF A UTERINE CAVITY

• US 20110112432A1
• Filed: 11/11/2009
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minerva Surgical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Minerva Surgical, Inc.
• Inventors: Toth, Akos
• Granted Patent: US 8,394,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/560
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/42 Gynaecological or obstetrical instruments or methods ligaturing clamps or clips for the umbilical cord A61B17/122; curettage A61B17/320708; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/042 using additional gas becoming plasma
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00119 alarm; indicating an abnormal situation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0225 flexible, e.g. fabrics, meshes, or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22062 to be filled with liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/4216 Operations on uterus, e.g. endometrium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00505 Urinary tract
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/007 Aspiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/035 Intra-uterine probes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4325 of the uterine cavities, e.g. uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries

Abstract

Methods, systems and devices for evaluating the integrity of a uterine cavity. A method comprises introducing transcervically a probe into a patient'"'"'s uterine cavity, providing a flow of a fluid (e.g., CO₂) through the probe into the uterine cavity and monitoring the rate of the flow to characterize the uterine cavity as perforated or non-perforated based on a change in the flow rate. If the flow rate drops to zero or close to zero, this indicates that the uterine cavity is intact and not perforated. If the flow rate does not drop to zero or close to zero, this indicates that a fluid flow is leaking through a perforation in the uterine cavity into the uterine cavity or escaping around an occlusion balloon that occludes the cervical canal.

Claims

1. A system for characterizing a patient uterus, comprising:

a source of a pressurized flow of a fluid;

a lumen connected to the source and configured to deliver the fluid from the source to a uterine cavity of a patient;

a flow sensor for monitoring the flow of the fluid from the lumen into the uterine cavity; and

a controller operatively coupled to the flow sensor configured to characterize the uterine cavity as at least one of perforated or non-perforated based on a change in the flow.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller generates a signal if the flow does not drop below a predetermined level to thus characterize the uterine cavity as perforated.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the signal is at least one of visual, aural and tactile.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller generates a signal if the flow drops below a predetermined level to thus characterize the uterine cavity as non-perforated.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the signal is at least one of visual, aural and tactile.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a probe configured for transcervical introduction into a patient'"'"'s uterine cavity, and wherein the lumen is mounted to the probe.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising an expandable member carried by the probe for expanding in the cervical canal.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the expandable member comprises a balloon.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the probe comprises a working end comprising an energy-delivery surface for ablating uterine cavity tissue.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the energy-delivery surface is configured to deliver RF energy to the tissue.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the energy-delivery surface includes at least one electrode coupled to an RF generator.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to disable activation of the energy-delivery surface if the uterine cavity is characterized as perforated.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an override mechanism to override the disabling mechanism.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to enable activation of the energy-delivery surface if the uterine cavity is characterized as non-perforated.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to automatically activate the energy delivery surface if the uterine cavity is characterized as non-perforated.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a mass flow sensor.