Patent ID: 7648500
Filing Date: 2010-01-19
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method of treating tissue regions at or near the lower esophageal sphincter comprising providing an expandable structure carrying an energy delivery device comprising at least one tissue-piercing needle electrode sized and configured for deployment between a retracted position and an extended position, the structure having a non-deployed state and a deployed state, introducing the structure while in the non-deployed state and with the at least one tissue-piercing needle electrode in the retracted position through an esophagus to a first tissue region comprising the cardia of the stomach, expanding the structure to the deployed state in the first tissue region, deploying the at least one tissue-piercing needle electrode to the extended position to pierce sub-mucosal tissue in the first tissue region, delivering sufficient radio frequency energy from the at least one needle-piercing electrode to cause necrosis of the sub-mucosal tissue due to resistance heating to create a sub-mucosal lesion in the interior of the first tissue region, moving the at least one tissue-piercing electrode to the retracted position, collapsing the structure to the non-deployed state, moving the structure while in the non-deployed state and with the at least one tissue-piercing needle electrode in the retracted position from the first tissue region to a second tissue region comprising the lower esophageal sphincter, expanding the structure to the deployed state in the second tissue region, deploying the at least one tissue-piercing needle electrode to the extended position to pierce sub-mucosal tissue in the second tissue region, delivering sufficient radio frequency energy from the at least one needle-piercing electrode to cause necrosis of the sub-mucosal tissue due to resistance heating to create a sub-mucosal lesion in the interior of the second tissue region, collapsing the structure to the non-deployed state, moving the at least one tissue-piercing electrode to the retracted position, and removing the structure from the esophagus, whereby a pattern of sub-mucosal lesions is formed in the first and second tissue regions to create a desired tissue effect.