Patent ID: 6964274

Claim:
A tubal sterilization device, which comprises: a hollow catheter defining an interior passageway, the catheter including a first end for insertion transcervically into a patient, and a second end opposite the first end for grasping and manipulation by a physician, at least a portion of the catheter being generally circular in cross-section and being sized for transcervical insertion into a fallopian tube of a patient; and at least a first electrode and a second electrode mounted on the first end of the catheter and radially movable with respect thereto between a first unexpanded position and a second expanded position, the at least first and second electrodes being spaced apart from each other a first distance when in the first unexpanded position and a second distance when in the second expanded position, the second distance being greater than the first distance, the at least first and second electrodes being responsive to RF (radio frequency) energy to cause heating of at least a portion of the fallopian tube contacting the at least first and second electrodes when the first end of the catheter is received thereby.