Uterine therapy device and method

• US 8,221,403 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coopersurgical Incorporated (The Cooper Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Aegea Medical Inc. (The Cooper Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Sharkey, Hugh R., Reyes, Ramiro, Sparks, Kurt D.
• Primary Examiner(s): KOHARSKI, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US12/197,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20090054871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 606 20- 26, 606/193, 606/27
• US Class Current: 606/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/04 by heating by applying electromagnetic radiation A61B18/18; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields, radiation or ultrasound A61N
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3425 for internal organs, e.g. heart ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/4216 Operations on uterus, e.g. endometrium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/4225 Cervix uteri
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00285 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00559 Female reproductive organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/048 in gaseous form

Abstract

A method and system of providing therapy to a patient'"'"'s uterus. The system has an access tool with a lumen, the access tool being adapted to be inserted through a human cervical canal to place an opening of the lumen within a uterus when the access tool is inserted through the cervical canal; a seal disposed at a distal region of the access tool and adapted to seal the access tool against an interior cervical os; a sealing indicator adapted to provide a user with an indication that the seal has sealed the access tool with the interior cervical os; and a vapor delivery mechanism adapted to deliver condensable vapor through the access tool to the uterus, the condensable vapor being adapted to condense within the uterus.

Claims

1. A method of providing heat therapy to a patient'"'"'s uterus comprising:

inserting an access tool through a cervix and a cervical canal into the uterus, the access tool comprising a lumen;

after inserting the access tool into the uterus, creating a seal between an exterior surface of the access tool and an interior cervical os;

providing an indication to a user that the seal has been created;

delivering vapor through the access tool lumen into the uterus; and

condensing the vapor on tissue within the uterus.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of creating a seal comprises expanding an expandable member.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the expandable member comprises a balloon.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the expanding step comprises preferentially expanding a sealing portion of the balloon disposed at the interior cervical os prior to an indicator portion of the balloon disposed proximal to the interior cervical os.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing an expansion mechanism in contact with tissue within the uterus to move uterine tissue away from an opening in the access tool lumen.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising advancing the expansion mechanism distally with respect to the access tool lumen prior to the placing step.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of delivering vapor comprises inserting a vapor delivery tool through the access tool lumen.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising exhausting vapor and/or vapor condensate from the uterus.

9. A method of providing heat therapy to a patient'"'"'s uterus comprising:

inserting an access tool through a cervix and a cervical canal into the uterus, the access tool comprising a lumen;

after inserting the access tool into the uterus, expanding a balloon to create a seal between an exterior surface of the access tool and an interior cervical os, wherein expanding comprises preferentially supplying coolant to a sealing portion of the balloon disposed at the interior cervical os prior to supplying coolant to an indicator portion of the balloon disposed proximal to the interior cervical os;

providing an indication to a user that the seal has been created;

delivering vapor through the access tool lumen into the uterus; and

condensing the vapor on tissue within the uterus.