TREATMENT OF UTERINE FIBROIDS BY ARTERIAL ABLATION
First Claim
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1. A method of treating a uterine fibroid, the method comprising:
- (i) piercing a blood vessel that supplies blood to the fibroid with a sharp distal end of a needle probe, the needle probe including an electrically conductive electrode located at and/or adjacent to the distal end of the needle probe;
(ii) positioning the electrode within the blood vessel; and
(iii) supplying energy to the electrode to ablate the blood vessel and thereby destroy the supply of blood to the fibroid through the blood vessel.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for ablating blood vessels in treatment of uterine fibroids. A monopolar electrode provided on a needle probe is positioned in an artery supplying blood to a uterine fibroid. Energy is supplied to the electrode to ablate the artery. In this way, the uterine fibroid and the surrounding tissues remain relatively undamaged, and the uterine fibroid, deprived of its blood source, is allowed to necrose and eventually shrink.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of treating a uterine fibroid, the method comprising:
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(i) piercing a blood vessel that supplies blood to the fibroid with a sharp distal end of a needle probe, the needle probe including an electrically conductive electrode located at and/or adjacent to the distal end of the needle probe; (ii) positioning the electrode within the blood vessel; and (iii) supplying energy to the electrode to ablate the blood vessel and thereby destroy the supply of blood to the fibroid through the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification