Method and apparatus for gastrointestinal tract ablation to achieve loss of persistent and/or recurrent excess body weight following a weight-loss operation
First Claim
1. A method of ablationally-treating tissue in a target area of a gastrointestinal tract feature formed by a bariatric procedure that has failed comprising:
- delivering radiofrequency energy to a tissue surface in the target area, the target area being a contiguous radial portion of an anatomical structure formed or altered by the bariatric procedure; and
controlling the delivery of radiofrequency energy across the tissue surface in the target area and into tissue layers in the target area.
5 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods are provided for ablational treatment of regions of the digestive tract in post-bariatric surgery patients who fail to achieve or maintain the desired weight loss. Bariatric procedures include Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, biliopancreatic diversion, and sleeve gastrectomy. These procedures reconstruct gastrointestinal tract features, creating pouches, stoma, and tubes that restrict and/or divert the digestive flow. Post-surgical dilation of altered structures is common and diminishes their bariatric effectiveness. Ablation of compromised structures can reduce their size and compliance, restoring bariatric effectiveness. Ablation, as provided the invention, starts at the mucosa and penetrates deeper into the gastrointestinal wall in a controlled manner. Control may also be provided by a fractional ablation that ablates some tissue within a target region and leaves a portion substantially unaffected. Embodiments of the device include an ablational electrode array that spans 360 degrees and an array that spans an arc of less than 360 degrees.
499 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of ablationally-treating tissue in a target area of a gastrointestinal tract feature formed by a bariatric procedure that has failed comprising:
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delivering radiofrequency energy to a tissue surface in the target area, the target area being a contiguous radial portion of an anatomical structure formed or altered by the bariatric procedure; and controlling the delivery of radiofrequency energy across the tissue surface in the target area and into tissue layers in the target area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification