Patent ID: 7963962
Filing Date: 2011-06-21
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for performing a treatment inside a blood vessel having a lumen, the method comprising: inserting an access sheath into the blood vessel, the access sheath comprising: inserting an elongate member into the blood vessel through the passage in the access sheath, the elongate member comprising: advancing the heating element to a first treatment segment of the blood vessel; adjusting the relative position of the elongate member and the reference location such that a first index marking is viewable in or near the reference location; applying energy to the blood vessel with the heating element while the heating element remains stationary in the first treatment segment for a first dwell time to reduce the size of the blood vessel lumen to a desired degree in the first treatment segment; moving the heating element along the blood vessel to one or more additional sequential treatment segments of the blood vessel wherein each additional sequential treatment segment comprises a new treatment portion and an overlap portion that overlaps with the preceding treatment segment, each sequential treatment segment indicated by at least one index marking marked on the elongate member; and applying energy to the blood vessel with the heating element for one or more additional dwell times that correspond to the one or more additional sequential treatment segments while the heating element remains stationary in each of the one or more additional sequential treatment segments, to thereby re-treat the blood vessel lumen in the overlap portion and treat the new treatment portion.