Method for ablating interior sections of the tongue
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for reducing a volume of a tongue, comprising:
- providing an ablation apparatus including a source of ablation energy and an ablation energy delivery device;
advancing at least a portion of the ablation energy delivery device into an interior of the tongue;
delivering a sufficient amount of energy from the energy delivery device into the interior of the tongue to debulk a section of the tongue without permanently damaging a main branch of a hypoglossal nerve; and
retracting the ablation energy delivery device from the interior of the tongue.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for reducing a volume of a tongue provides an ablative agent source. The ablative agent source is coupled to an ablative agent delivery device. At least a portion of the ablative agent delivery device is advanced into an interior of the tongue. A sufficient amount of an ablative agent is delivered from the ablative agent delivery device into the interior of the tongue to debulk a section of the tongue without damaging a hypoglossal nerve. Thereafter, the ablative agent delivery device is retracted from the interior of the tongue.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for reducing a volume of a tongue, comprising:
-
providing an ablation apparatus including a source of ablation energy and an ablation energy delivery device; advancing at least a portion of the ablation energy delivery device into an interior of the tongue; delivering a sufficient amount of energy from the energy delivery device into the interior of the tongue to debulk a section of the tongue without permanently damaging a main branch of a hypoglossal nerve; and retracting the ablation energy delivery device from the interior of the tongue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for reducing a volume of a tongue, comprising:
-
providing an ablative agent source coupled to an ablative agent delivery device; advancing at least a portion of the ablative agent delivery device into an interior of the tongue; delivering a sufficient amount of an ablative agent from the ablative agent delivery device into the interior of the tongue to debulk a section of the tongue without permanently damaging a main branch of a hypoglossal nerve; and retracting the ablative agent delivery device from the interior of the tongue. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification