Methods for non-permanent occlusion of a uterine artery

• US 6,550,482 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vascular Control Systems, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Vascular Control Systems, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Jones, Michael L., Altieri, Greig E., Burbank, Fred
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRETT, THOMAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/556,934
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 128/898, 606/157, 606/158
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12009 Implements for ligaturing other than by clamps or clips, e.g. using a loop with a slip knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1204 temporary occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12186 liquid materials adapted to be injected
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1219 expandable in contact with liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/4216 Operations on uterus, e.g. endometrium
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/045 Hydroxy compounds, e.g. alcohols; Salts thereof, e.g. alcoholates
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/10 Sulfides; Sulfoxides; Sulfones
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/734 Alginic acid
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 45/06 Mixtures of active ingredients without chemical characterisation, e.g. antiphlogistics and cardiaca
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 24/0031 Hydrogels or hydrocolloids
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 24/0042 Materials resorbable by the body

Abstract

Non-permanent occlusion of the uterine arteries is sufficient to cause the demise of uterine myomata without unnecessarily exposing other tissues and anatomical structures to hypoxia attendant to prior permanent occlusion techniques. A therapeutically effective transient time of occlusion of a uterine artery to treat uterine fibroid tumors is from 1 hours to 24 hours, and preferably is at least about 4 hours. A therapeutically effective temporary time of occlusion of a uterine artery to treat uterine fibroid tumors is from 1 day (24 hours) to 7 days (168 hours), and preferably is about 4 days (96 hours).

Claims

1. A process of treating a condition of a patient, comprising the steps of:

non-permanently occluding a uterine artery for a therapeutically effective time period; and

reestablishing blood flow through the uterine artery at the termination of said therapeutically effective time period;

wherein said step of non-permanently occluding a uterine artery comprises clamping directly on the vaginal wall to ensnare and occlude the uterine artery which is located on the other side of the wall to stop blood flow through said uterine artery.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said therapeutically effective time period is between 1 hour and 168 hours.

3. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said therapeutically effective time period is between 1 hour and 24 hours, and said step of non-permanently occluding comprises transiently occluding a uterine artery.

4. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said therapeutically effective time period is between 24 hours and 168 hours, and said step of non-permanently occluding comprises temporarily occluding a uterine artery.

5. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said therapeutically effective time period is between 72 hours and 96 hours, and said step of non-permanently occluding comprises temporarily occluding a uterine artery.

6. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of clamping comprises clamping with a clamp formed of a resorbable material.

7. A process in accordance with claim 6, wherein said resorbable material comprises polyglycolic acid.

8. A process in accordance with claim 7, wherein said resorbable material further comprises a dissolvable material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and gelatin.

9. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said condition comprises the presence of uterine fibroids.

10. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of non-permanently occluding a uterine artery comprises non-permanently occluding two uterine arteries.

11. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of clamping comprises clamping with a surgical clamp, and wherein said step of reestablishing blood flow further comprises the step of removing the surgical clamp from the vaginal wall.