Patent ID: 6066139
Filing Date: 2000-05-23
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61N

Abstract:
An apparatus for transcervical sterilization with a controlled bipolar RF catheter for creating thermal lesions in the fallopian tubes, the apparatus comprising:a catheter elongate along an axis thereof and with a patient end, the catheter being generally circular in cross section and sized for transcervical insertion into the fallopian tube;a connector on an end of the catheter opposite the patient end, the connector including terminations for RF and monitoring, the connector being shaped for the surgeon to manipulate during transcervical placement and withdrawal;two or more bipolar electrodes on the patient end of the catheter, each of the electrodes being spaced from one another, each of the electrodes circumscribing the catheter; anda mucosa sensor responsive to applied RF energy passing between the two or more bipolar electrodes, the mucosa sensor for determining transmural formation of a lesion between each of the electrodes,wherein energy delivery control circuitry connected to receive signals of transmural formation from the mucosal sensor includes a proportional controller for substantially regulating the RF energy delivery to control temperature rise time for lesion formation and to maintain the temperature near a mid point of a range during thermal necrosis of tissue for transmural formation of a lesion.