Devices for urethral treatment
A dilation device for an intra-body lumen, for example, a urethra partially occluded by an enlarged prostate in the form of a resilient curved body configured to be implanted in a cut around the lumen, and a method for dilating such a lumen by implanting a dilation device in a cut around the outside of the lumen. Also, a deployment system including a delivery device for the implant, and a device for dilating the lumen before and while the cut is being made, and a method of using the implant and the deployment system. The implant may be formed of a strip or a coiled wire. The cut may be performed in part by the implant. The cut may be performed by a sharp edge, and/or by application of electrical current to the area being cut, or by a piezoelectric transducer.
1 . A deployment system for deployment in an intra-body lumen to dilate the lumen, comprising:
a delivery shaft;
a dilation device attached to a distal end of said delivery shaft, the dilation device comprising a balloon;
a flat surfaced C-shaped open ring implant releasably coupled to the dilation device, the implant configured to:
cut tissue surrounding the lumen to form an implant-receiving cut that matches the configuration of the implant, in the tissue surrounding the lumen; and
be deployed in the cut, while the cut is being made.
2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein said dilation device comprises a metallic body.
3 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein said implant comprises a biodegradable material.
4 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the implant is configured as an electric cutting element to electrically form the implant-receiving cut in the tissue surrounding the lumen.
5 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the implant is shaped to define a sharp edge configured to mechanically cut the tissue surrounding the lumen to form the implant-receiving cut in the tissue surrounding the lumen.