Patent ID: 8870862

Claim:
A method of regulating temperature at a tissue site during treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease by tightening a lower esophageal sphincter, the method comprising inserting through a mouth of a patient and into the lower esophageal sphincter a device having a plurality of distally advanceable electrodes and a plurality of sensors, the electrodes movable from a retracted position to an extended position curving outwardly from the device and the plurality of sensors having a first position and a second position when the device is positioned at the tissue site, in the second position the sensors are located further radially from a longitudinal axis of the device than in the first position, measuring sphincter tissue temperature at or near a tissue site and adjacent the electrodes to both regulate delivery of energy and cooling solution to the tissue site, the delivery of energy causing formation of lesions in the lower esophageal sphincter to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease, comparing the measured sphincter tissue temperature to a desired temperature, sending a signal to an electronically controlled pump to deliver fluid at an appropriate flow rate and duration to control temperature at an interface between the electrodes and tissue; increasing an existing flow rate of a cooling solution to the tissue site if the measured tissue temperature exceeds the desired temperature, and maintaining the existing flow rate of the cooling solution to the tissue site if the measured temperature does not exceed the desired temperature, wherein such step of increasing and maintaining existing flow rate maintains the tissue at a desired temperature for a selected period of time, and each electrode is connected to resources which generate an independent output, and the output maintains a selected energy at the electrode for a selected period of time.