SELECTIVELY EXPANDABLE OPERATIVE ELEMENT SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND METHODS OF USE
First Claim
1. A medical device, comprising:
- an expandable support member having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is adapted to have a smaller expansion index than that of the second portion; and
an operative element supported by the expandable support member first portion.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a device is provided including an expandable support member having a first portion and a second portion is provided. The first portion is adapted to have a smaller expansion index than the second portion. A therapeutic or diagnostic instrument is supported, at least in part, by the expandable support member first portion. In another embodiment, the support member is adapted for non-uniform expansion of the first and second portions. There are also described methods of forming therapeutic devices. There are also described methods of providing therapy to tissue in a body by positioning a device in proximity to tissue in a body selected to receive therapy. Next, the expandable support member second portion is expanded until the instrument is at a therapeutic position relative to the tissue in a body selected to receive therapy. Thereafter, therapy or diagnosis is provided to the selected tissue using the device.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1. A medical device, comprising:
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an expandable support member having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is adapted to have a smaller expansion index than that of the second portion; and an operative element supported by the expandable support member first portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A medical device, comprising:
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an expandable support member adapted for coupling to a distal portion of an elongate member, the member having a first curviplanar portion and a second curviplanar portion, the support member adapted such that the first and second portions have different expansion indices; and an operative element supported on the first portion of the expandable support member. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A medical device, comprising:
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an expandable support member adapted for coupling to a distal portion of an elongate member, the member having a substantially non-expandable partially-circumferential curviplanar portion; and an operative element supported on the substantially non-expandable portion of the expandable support member. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A system for ablation of tissue at a target site in an esophagus, comprising:
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an expandable member adapted for coupling to a distal portion of an elongate member and sized to be positionable and expandable in the esophagus; and an RF ablation element non-distensibly arranged over a partially-circumferential portion of the expandable member, the RF ablation element comprising a plurality of RF electrode pairs, a width of each RF electrode and a spacing between adjacent RF electrodes selected to allow depth-controlled ablation at the target site. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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50. A medical device for ablation of tissue at a target site in an esophagus, comprising:
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an expandable member adapted for coupling to a distal portion of an elongate member and sized to be positionable and expandable in the esophagus; an electrode support comprising a flexible, non-distensible backing extending partially around a circumference of the expandable member, and a plurality of RF electrode pairs on the electrode support, a width of each RF electrode and a spacing between adjacent RF electrodes selected to allow depth-controlled ablation at the target site.
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51. A medical device for ablation of tissue at a target site in an esophagus, comprising:
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an expandable member adapted for coupling to a distal portion of an elongate member and sized to be positionable and expandable in the esophagus, the expandable member comprising; a first partially-circumferential curvilinear portion; and a second partially-circumferential curvilinear portion, the first portion having a smaller index of expansion than the second portion, and the first portion comprising an electrode support; and a plurality of RF electrodes on the electrode support, a width of each RF electrode and a spacing between adjacent RF electrodes selected to allow depth-controlled ablation at the target site.
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52. A method of providing therapy to tissue in a body, comprising:
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positioning a device comprising an operative element supported on a first portion of an expandable support member in proximity to a target tissue site in a body; expanding another portion of the expandable support member to place the operative element in an operating position adjacent to tissue at the target site; and providing therapy to the target tissue site using the operative element. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55)
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56. A method of providing therapy to tissue in a body, comprising:
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positioning an operative element in proximity to a target tissue site in a body, the operative element supported by an expandable support member comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being adapted to have a smaller expansion index than that of the second portion, the operative element supported by the first portion; expanding the expandable support member until the operative element is in an effective operating position relative to the target tissue site; and providing therapy to the target tissue site using the operative element. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A method of delivering energy at a substantially constant delivery density from an ablational structure arranged on an expandable support member comprising:
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arranging the ablational structure on a first portion of an expandable support member comprising a first partially-circumferential portion and a second partially-circumferential portion, the first portion being substantially non-distensible; positioning the ablational structure in proximity to a target tissue site; expanding the expandable support member until the ablational structure is in a therapeutically effective operating position relative to the target tissue site; and delivering energy to the target tissue site using the ablational structure.
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66. A method for treating tissue in a luminal organ, the method comprising:
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inserting an electrode deployment apparatus into the luminal organ, the electrode deployment apparatus comprising an array of electrodes arranged on a non-distensible and partially-circumferential portion of an exterior surface of an expandable support; expanding the expandable support to engage electrodes with a target site on a wall of the luminal organ while maintaining the electrode density of the engaged electrodes; and delivering energy from the electrodes to the target site.
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Specification