Patent ID: 9351787
Filing Date: 2016-05-31
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A system for treating first and second tissue regions at or near the lower esophageal sphincter comprising an expandable structure carrying an energy delivery device including first and second needle electrodes, and an introducer through which the expandable structure is inserted for introduction into the lower esophageal sphincter, the introducer having a plurality of slots near a distal end, the slots dimensioned to allow the expandable structure to engage a wall of the sphincter when expanded, the expandable structure having a non-deployable collapsed state and an expanded deployed state and including a first arm having a first side aperture formed therein and a second arm having a second side aperture formed therein, the arms having a distal end, a proximal end, and an intermediate portion between the proximal and distal ends, the first and second arms joined at a proximal end and joined at a distal end in a distal cap, the distal cap having a taper to facilitate insertion to the lower esophageal sphincter, the first side aperture formed in an intermediate portion of the first arm and the second side aperture formed in an intermediate portion of the second arm, the expandable structure having an inflatable balloon positioned to expand the expandable structure when inflated, the first and second needle electrodes movable with respect to the first and second arms between retracted and advanced positions, wherein in the retracted position the first and second needle electrodes are positioned within the respective first and second arms of the expandable structure and in the advanced position the first needle electrode extends through the first side aperture in the first arm and the second needle electrode extends through the second side aperture in the second arm so penetrating tips of the needle electrodes extend radially outwardly from the arms in different directions at intermediate portions of the expandable structure such that the needle electrodes exit the arms proximal of the distal end of the arms, the needle electrodes delivering energy to create a lesion in an interior of the first tissue region and the needle electrodes subsequently delivering energy to create a lesion in the second tissue region and a temperature sensor adjacent the needle electrodes, the temperature sensor adapted to sense temperature of the sphincter for regulating delivery of energy and cooling solution, and the apparatus connectable to a feedback system wherein temperature data from the temperature sensor of the device is fed back to a control unit to a pump to deliver cooling fluid to control temperature at an electrode tissue interface and temperature data is fed back to control output power of a power source to maintain a desired power delivery to the needle electrodes.