Method for delivering energy to tissue and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for delivering energy to a tissue having a tissue surface, said method comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising an energy delivery component and an inflatable member disposed around the energy delivery component, wherein the inflatable member comprises an inner wall and an outer wall, wherein the inflatable member'"'"'s inner wall is flexible, wherein the inflatable member'"'"'s outer wall is flexible, and wherein the inflatable member'"'"'s inner wall and the inflatable member'"'"'s outer wall enclose a cavity therebetween;
expanding the inflatable member such that the inflatable member'"'"'s outer wall contacts the tissue surface;
disposing a cooling fluid in the cavity; and
delivering energy to the energy delivery component so that at least a portion of the energy delivered to the energy delivery component passes through the inflatable member'"'"'s inner wall, through the cooling fluid disposed in the cavity, through the inflatable member'"'"'s outer wall, and into the tissue.
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method for delivering energy to a tissue. The method includes providing an apparatus which includes an energy delivery component and an inflatable member disposed around the energy delivery component. At a minimum, the inflatable member is constructed of a flexible inner wall and a flexible outer wall, which, taken together, enclose a cavity therebetween. The inflatable member is expanded such that the inflatable member'"'"'s outer wall contacts the tissue'"'"'s surface. Cooling fluid is disposed in the cavity, and energy is delivered to the energy delivery component so that at least a portion of the energy delivered to the energy delivery component passes through the inflatable member'"'"'s inner wall, through the cooling fluid disposed in the cavity, through the inflatable member'"'"'s outer wall, and into the tissue. Various apparatus suitable for use in delivering energy to tissues are also disclosed, as is a method for treating GERD or otherwise reducing reflux of a subject'"'"'s stomach contents into the subject'"'"'s esophagus.
69 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for delivering energy to a tissue having a tissue surface, said method comprising:
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providing an apparatus comprising an energy delivery component and an inflatable member disposed around the energy delivery component, wherein the inflatable member comprises an inner wall and an outer wall, wherein the inflatable member'"'"'s inner wall is flexible, wherein the inflatable member'"'"'s outer wall is flexible, and wherein the inflatable member'"'"'s inner wall and the inflatable member'"'"'s outer wall enclose a cavity therebetween; expanding the inflatable member such that the inflatable member'"'"'s outer wall contacts the tissue surface; disposing a cooling fluid in the cavity; and delivering energy to the energy delivery component so that at least a portion of the energy delivered to the energy delivery component passes through the inflatable member'"'"'s inner wall, through the cooling fluid disposed in the cavity, through the inflatable member'"'"'s outer wall, and into the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for delivering energy to a tissue comprising a surface tissue layer and one or more subsurface tissue layers lying beneath the surface tissue layer, said method comprising:
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cooling at least the tissue'"'"'s surface tissue layer with a cooling fluid; and exposing the tissue to laser energy such that the laser energy is preferentially absorbed by at least one of the subsurface tissue layers. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification