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Medical instruments and techniques for treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease

  • US 6,197,022 B1
  • Filed: 02/25/1999
  • Issued: 03/06/2001
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A medical device for thermally treating a volume of tissue in the lower esophageal sphincter, comprising:

  • a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis;

    a first laterally-extendable electrode disposed adjacent the distal end, the laterally-extendable electrode moveable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position extending laterally relative to the longitudinal axis, and a second laterally-extendable electrode proximally spaced apart from the first laterally-extendable electrode, the second laterally-extendable electrode moveable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position extending laterally relative to the longitudinal axis;

    means for moving the first and second laterally-extendable electrodes towards one another, when the first and second laterally-extendable electrodes are in the deployed position, to capture the volume of tissue therebetween and reduce extracellular fluid therein, wherein the first and second laterally-extendable electrodes are configured to cause thermal damage within the volume of tissue without ablating a surface of the tissue in contact therewith.

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