Patent ID: 9259233
Filing Date: 2016-02-16
CPC Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M,A61N

Claim Text:
1. A method of performing a transcervical surgical procedure in a uterus, comprising: transcervically positioning an expandable support structure within the uterus using a deployment tool releasably attached to the support structure; expanding the support structure into a three-dimensional configuration including an upper portion and a lower portion spaced apart from the upper portion, wherein expanding the support structure delivers an expansion force against opposing walls of the uterus to thereby create a three-dimensional void within the uterus between the upper and lower portions of the expanded support structure through non-fluid mechanical distention of the uterus; detaching the deployment tool from the expanded support structure; removing the deployment tool from the uterus, leaving the expanded support structure in place; after removal of the deployment tool from the uterus, introducing a surgical instrument into the uterus so that a distal end of the surgical instrument is located in the void between the upper and lower portions of the expanded support structure; using the surgical instrument to perform a surgical procedure in the uterus by advancing the surgical instrument through an opening in the expanded support structure while the expanded support structure distends the uterus through non-fluid mechanical distention, the surgical procedure including removal of uterine wall tissue through the opening; removing the surgical instrument from the uterus upon completion of the surgical procedure, collapsing the support structure within the uterus after removal of the surgical instrument from the uterus; and removing the collapsed support structure from the uterus.