Ablation apparatus and system for removal of soft palate tissue
First Claim
1. An ablation apparatus, comprising:
- a cannula including a distal end, a proximal end and an interior lumen;
an energy delivery device at least partially positionable in the cannula and configured to be of being advanced and retracted in and out the cannula distal end, wherein the energy delivery device includes a distal end sufficiently sharp to pierce an oral cavity structure;
a retainer member coupled to the cannula and extending in a distal direction from the cannula distal end, the retainer member configured to restrict a movement of the oral cavity structure when the energy delivery device is introduced into an interior of the oral cavity structure; and
a deployment and retraction apparatus coupled to the cannula and configured to advance and retract the distal end of the energy delivery device in and out of the the oral cavity structure.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ablation apparatus includes a cannula with a distal end, a proximal end and a lumen. An anvil is coupled to the cannula and extends beyond the cannula distal end. The anvil has a distal end that extends in a lateral direction relative to an anvil longitudinal axis. The distal end is adapted to receive and position an uvula or other soft tissue. One or more energy delivery devices are slideably positioned in the cannula. The energy delivery devices are advanced and retracted in and out the cannula distal end. An advancement and retraction apparatus advances and retracts the energy delivery devices in and out of the cannula distal end and into the soft tissue retained at the anvil distal end. The soft tissue ablation apparatus can further include a handle with a lumen, a proximal end and a distal end. The cannula is at least partially positioned in the handle lumen and extends beyond the handle distal end. The ablation apparatus is useful for ablation of soft palate tissue to eliminate snoring.
286 Citations
50 Claims
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1. An ablation apparatus, comprising:
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a cannula including a distal end, a proximal end and an interior lumen; an energy delivery device at least partially positionable in the cannula and configured to be of being advanced and retracted in and out the cannula distal end, wherein the energy delivery device includes a distal end sufficiently sharp to pierce an oral cavity structure; a retainer member coupled to the cannula and extending in a distal direction from the cannula distal end, the retainer member configured to restrict a movement of the oral cavity structure when the energy delivery device is introduced into an interior of the oral cavity structure; and a deployment and retraction apparatus coupled to the cannula and configured to advance and retract the distal end of the energy delivery device in and out of the the oral cavity structure. - 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)
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31. A uvula ablation apparatus, comprising:
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a cannula including a distal end, a proximal end and an interior lumen; an energy delivery device at least partially positionable in the lumen and configured to be coupled to an energy source, the energy delivery device including a distal end configured to extend beyond the distal end of the cannula, wherein the energy delivery device includes a distal end sufficiently sharp to pierce the uvula; a retainer member coupled to the cannula and extending in a distal direction from the cannula distal end, the retainer member configured to restrict a movement of the uvula when the energy delivery device is introduced into an interior of the uvula; and a cable coupled to the energy delivery device. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification