Patent ID: 6197022
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A medical device for thermally treating a volume of tissue in the lower esophageal sphincter, comprising:a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis;a first laterally-extendable electrode disposed adjacent the distal end, the laterally-extendable electrode moveable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position extending laterally relative to the longitudinal axis, anda second laterally-extendable electrode proximally spaced apart from the first laterally-extendable electrode, the second laterally-extendable electrode moveable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position extending laterally relative to the longitudinal axis;means for moving the first and second laterally-extendable electrodes towards one another, when the first and second laterally-extendable electrodes are in the deployed position, to capture the volume of tissue therebetween and reduce extracellular fluid therein,wherein the first and second laterally-extendable electrodes are configured to cause thermal damage within the volume of tissue without ablating a surface of the tissue in contact therewith.