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Methods of tonsil reduction using high intensity focused ultrasound to form an ablated tissue area containing a plurality of lesions

  • US 6,451,013 B1
  • Filed: 07/31/2000
  • Issued: 09/17/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of thermal ablation of a tonsil comprising the steps ofintroducing an ultrasound emitting member in a patient'"'"'s oral cavity;

  • positioning the ultrasound emitting member adjacent an external tissue surface of one of the patient'"'"'s tonsils;

    emitting ultrasound energy from the ultrasound emitting member into the tissue of the one tonsil;

    focusing the ultrasound energy at a plurality of focusing zones contained in a target area in the one tonsil;

    heating the tissue of the one tonsil at the focusing zones with the focused ultrasound energy to form an ablated tissue area at the target area containing unablated tissue of the one tonsil and a plurality of lesions at the focusing zones, respectively, at which the tissue of the one tonsil is ablated;

    withdrawing the ultrasound emitting member from the oral cavity; and

    allowing the lesions to be absorbed by the patient'"'"'s body so that the one tonsil is reduced in physical size.

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