Patent ID: 8226645

Claim:
A device for occluding the ovarian pathway of a female body comprising: a catheter body having a distal end and a proximal end; a wounding segment extending distally from the distal end of the catheter body and movable relative to the catheter body between an extended position and a retracted position; a wounding element disposed on the wounding segment; at least one plug housed within at least one of the wounding segment and catheter body and sized and dimensioned to be implanted into a target site within the ovarian pathway leading from the ovaries to the uterus of a female body, the at least one plug defining numerous interconnecting pores; a holding rod longitudinally fixed and disposed at least partially within the catheter body, the holding rod being positioned proximal to the at least one plug to prevent movement of the at least one plug relative to the target site during proximal movement of the wounding segment from the extended position toward the retracted position; and wherein the device is operable so that proximal movement of the wounding segment from the extended position toward the retracted position disposes the at least one plug at the target site without moving, and without requiring movement of, the catheter body relative to the female body.