Patent ID: 6645201
Filing Date: 2003-11-11
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An assembly for treating tissue in the anal canal comprisinga barrel sized for advancement into the anal canal, the barrel including a transparent region to enable visualizing surface tissue from within the barrel, a hand grip coupled to the barrel for guiding advancement from outside the anal canal, the hand grip including a view port for looking into the barrel and through the transparent region from outside the anal canal, an electrode carried by the barrel in the transparent region, an actuator on the hand grip coupled to the electrode to move the electrode between a first position retracted in the barrel and a second position extended from the barrel through surface tissue to penetrate a subsurface tissue region at or near a sphincter in the anal canal, a cable coupled to the electrode to conduct energy for application by the electrode to form a lesion in the subsurface tissue region, and an opaque marker on the transparent region marking location of the electrode and viewable through the view port to visually aid in aligning the electrode at a desired tissue location.