Interspersed heating/cooling to shrink tissues for incontinence
First Claim
1. A system for contracting a collagenous tissue of a patient body, the system comprising:
- a surface oriented for engaging the tissue;
an energy source that supplies sufficient energy to selectively contract a portion of the engaged tissue;
at least one cooling element mounted to the surface to selectively cool another portion of the engaged tissue through the surface; and
at least one energy transmitting element coupled to the energy source so as to selectively transmit the energy through the surface and into the portion of the engaged tissue, the at least one cooling and energy transmitting elements defining a treatment pattern so that the contracted tissue portion is interspersed with the cooled tissue portion along the tissue engaging surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides improved devices, methods, and systems for repeatably and reliably contracting fascia and other support tissues, particularly for the treatment of urinary incontinence. A probe surface includes at least one heating element with a heating area and at least one cooling element with a cooling area. The heating and cooling areas are interspersed along the probe surface so as to produce alternating heated and cooled regions across a tissue engaged by the probe. Sufficient controlled energy is transmitted from the surface into the engaged tissue to contract the tissue and inhibit incontinence (or otherwise provide the desired therapeutic results). The interspersed cooling element helps decrease trauma to the tissue for a given amount of shrinkage.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for contracting a collagenous tissue of a patient body, the system comprising:
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a surface oriented for engaging the tissue;
an energy source that supplies sufficient energy to selectively contract a portion of the engaged tissue;
at least one cooling element mounted to the surface to selectively cool another portion of the engaged tissue through the surface; and
at least one energy transmitting element coupled to the energy source so as to selectively transmit the energy through the surface and into the portion of the engaged tissue, the at least one cooling and energy transmitting elements defining a treatment pattern so that the contracted tissue portion is interspersed with the cooled tissue portion along the tissue engaging surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification