Sterilization method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A sterilization device for destroying the mucosal lining of the fallopian tube in females comprising:
- cautery means vaginally insertable into the fallopian tube of the female for destroying a portion of said mucosal lining at a selected location;
means absorbable over a selected time interval carried with and vaginally insertable simultaneously with said cautery means into the fallopian tube at said selected location including a distal plug means and proximal scarification means, said scarification means for scarifying the fallopian tube radially from a muscular layer thereof, whereby the scarification blocks the fallopian tube and said plug means for blocking peritoneal infiltration of by-products of said cauterization and scarification outside the fallopian tube during the absorption interval.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There has been provided a method and apparatus for sterilizing females. Cautery means, vaginally insertable into the fallopian tube of the female, destroys a portion of said mucosal lining at a selected location. An absorbable scarification means and plug means is placed in the fallopian tube at said selected location. As the scarification means is absorbed, the fallopian tube forms scar tissue radially from a muscular layer thereof whereby the fallopian tube is blocked. The plug means blocks peritoneal infiltration of the by-products of cauterization and scarification outside the fallopian tube during the absorption interval.
219 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A sterilization device for destroying the mucosal lining of the fallopian tube in females comprising:
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cautery means vaginally insertable into the fallopian tube of the female for destroying a portion of said mucosal lining at a selected location; means absorbable over a selected time interval carried with and vaginally insertable simultaneously with said cautery means into the fallopian tube at said selected location including a distal plug means and proximal scarification means, said scarification means for scarifying the fallopian tube radially from a muscular layer thereof, whereby the scarification blocks the fallopian tube and said plug means for blocking peritoneal infiltration of by-products of said cauterization and scarification outside the fallopian tube during the absorption interval. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A vaginally inserted sterilization device for destroying the mucosal lining of the fallopian tube and exposing an underlying portion of a muscle layer thereof in females comprising;
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catheter means having a free end and a remotely located control end; cautery means carried by the free end of the catheter means for providing destructive thermal exchange with a portion of said mucosal lining whereby said underlying portion of the muscle layer is exposed; and means absorbable over a selected time interval mounted within and forward of said cautery means including chemoscarification means, said chemoscarification means for chemically irritating the exposed muscle layer of the fallopian tube such that scar tissue forms in said tube to thereby block the same, said absorbable means further including plug means at least forward of said chemoscarification means for blocking peritoneal infiltration of by-products of said destructive thermal exchange and scarification.
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14. A sterilization device for destroying the mucosal lining of the fallopian tube in females comprising:
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catheter means having a free end which may be vaginally inserted into the fallopian tube of the female and a remotely located control end; an electrically energizable cautery means carried by the free end of the catheter means for providing, when energized, destructive thermal exchange with said mucosal lining for thermally destroying a portion thereof; absorbable means, absorbable over a selected time interval mounted in a free end of said cautery means, said absorbable means including a distal plug means and proximal chemoscarification means, said chemoscarification means for chemically irritating the fallopian tube radially from a muscular layer thereof, and said plug means for blocking peritoneal infiltration of the scarifying chemical outside the fallopian tube during the absorption interval, whereby the scarification results in blockage of the fallopian tube. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of sterilizing human females by destroying the mucosal lining of the fallopian tube comprising the steps of:
- vaginally inserting a cautery device together simultaneously with an absorbable means into the fallopian tube at a selected location;
cauterizing a portion of the fallopian tube by said cautery device to destroy a portion of said mucosal lining and exposing an underlying portion of muscle tissue;
exposing within said fallopian tube at the location of the cauterized portion thereof said absorbable means including a distal plug and chemoscarifying means upstream of said plug for scarifying and exposed muscle tissue of the fallopian tube radially thereof; and
blocking peritoneal infiltration of by-products associated with said cauterization and scarification by means of said distal plug.
- vaginally inserting a cautery device together simultaneously with an absorbable means into the fallopian tube at a selected location;
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26. A method of sterilizing human females by destroying the mucosal lining of the fallopian tube comprising the steps of:
- vaginally inserting an electrically energizable cryocautery device together simultaneously with an absorbable means into the fallopian tube;
thermally destroying a portion of the tube by activating said cryocautery device;
exposing to said thermally destroyed tube portion within said fallopian tube said absorbable means including a plug downstream of said thermally destroyed tissue and chemoscarifying means upstream of said plug adjacent the thermally destoryed tissue for chemically irritating the fallopian tube radially from a muscular layer thereof in situ adjacent the thermally destroyed tube;
retaining within the fallopian tube by means of said plug, chemicals associated with said scarification means so that scarification proceeds from a muscular layer of the fallopian tube whereby a blockage occurs in said fallopian tube for sterilizing the female.
- vaginally inserting an electrically energizable cryocautery device together simultaneously with an absorbable means into the fallopian tube;
Specification