Methods for the endoluminal treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
First Claim
1. A medical method, comprising:
- providing a bridge having a first arm and a second arm substantially parallel to the first arm;
coupling a first substantially straight retainer to the first arm and a second substantially straight retainer to the second arm, the first and second retainers each having a piercing portion that is non-perpendicular to the substantially parallel arms;
subsequently sliding the two substantially straight retainers over a fold of body tissue such that the first retainer contacts a first portion of said fold and the second retainer contacts a second portion of said fold; and
subsequently bending the piercing portion of each of said two retainers completely through more than one half a thickness of said fold such that both of said two retainers compress said first and second portions of said fold into contact with each other.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A medical method includes sliding two substantially straight unconnected arms over a fold of body tissue such that a first arm contacts a first portion of the fold and a second arm contacts a second portion. Then, each arm is bent completely through the fold such that both of the arms compress the portions of the fold into contact with each other. Another method includes releasably coupling first and second substantially linear arms to a bridge, each of the arms having a substantially straight sliding portion and a bendable piercing portion. The arms are slid over opposing sides of two body tissue layers, the first arm sliding over the first layer and the second over the second layer. While the sliding portions of the arms remain substantially straight, each piercing portion is bent completely through the adjacent layer and halfway through the other layer to compress the two layers together.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A medical method, comprising:
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providing a bridge having a first arm and a second arm substantially parallel to the first arm; coupling a first substantially straight retainer to the first arm and a second substantially straight retainer to the second arm, the first and second retainers each having a piercing portion that is non-perpendicular to the substantially parallel arms; subsequently sliding the two substantially straight retainers over a fold of body tissue such that the first retainer contacts a first portion of said fold and the second retainer contacts a second portion of said fold; and subsequently bending the piercing portion of each of said two retainers completely through more than one half a thickness of said fold such that both of said two retainers compress said first and second portions of said fold into contact with each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A medical method, comprising:
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releasably coupling first and second substantially linear bendable retainers to a respective one of first and second substantially straight parallel arms of a bridge, the first and second retainers each having a piercing portion that is non-perpendicular to the first and second arms; sliding the first and second arms over opposing sides of two layers of body tissue, the first arm sliding over a first of the two layers and the second arm sliding over a second of the two layers; and while the sliding portions of the first and second arms remain substantially straight, bending each piercing portion of the first and second retainers completely through one of the two layers in contact with the respective retainer and at least halfway through the other of the two layers to compress the two layers into contact with one another. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A medical method, comprising:
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providing a clip having; a bridge coupling two arms substantially parallel to one another; and two substantially linear bendable and removably attachable retainers each having a piercing portion; releasably coupling the two retainers, each to one of the two arms of the bridge so that the piercing portions of the two retainers are non-perpendicular to the arms; folding body tissue to form a folded portion extending along a longitudinal direction; advancing the clip over the folded portion of body tissue in the longitudinal direction to place the folded portion between the two retainers and to apply force to the folded portion with the clip; and bending the piercing portion of at least one of the two retainers through more than one half a thickness of the folded portion at an angle to the longitudinal direction. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification