Methods for treating the cardia of the stomach
View Patent ↗Methods treat a tissue region. In one arrangement, the methods deploy an electrode on a support structure in a tissue region at or near the cardia of the stomach. In one embodiment, the support structure has a proximal region and a distal region. The proximal region is enlarged in comparison to the distal region, and the electrode is carried by the enlarged proximal surface. The methods advance the electrode in a path to penetrate the tissue region and couple the electrode to a source of radio frequency energy to ohmically heat tissue and create a lesion in the tissue region.
1. A method of accessing and ablating abnormal tissue in a human esophagus, comprising the steps of:
(i) inserting an expandable member into a human esophagus wherein the expandable member is connectable to a power source for generating radio frequency energy,
(ii) positioning the expandable member proximate a portion of the human esophagus having tissue to be ablated;
(iii) expanding and positioning the expandable member so as to apply radio frequency energy to a site of abnormal tissue for ablation of the tissue; and
(iv) providing ablation energy to a portion of the expandable member to effect tissue ablation.
2. A method according to claim 1
further including the step of identifying the existence of abnormal tissue using visualization techniques.
3. A method according to claim 2
wherein the abnormal tissue identified is Barrett's epithelium.
4. A method according to claim 1
wherein the step of expanding and positioning the expandable member further comprises expanding the expandable member so that its outer surface engages the abnormal tissue to be ablated.
5. A method according to claim 1
wherein the expandable member includes a pattern of electrodes that applies radio frequency energy to tissue.
6. A method according to claim 1
wherein the expandable member comprises an expandable balloon that carries at least one electrode that applies radio frequency energy to tissue.
7. A method according to claim 1
wherein the expandable member comprises an expandable balloon that carries a solid state circuit that applies radio frequency energy to tissue.