Method for treating a sphincter

1. A method for treating a sphincter comprising the steps of

providing a polymer material having a liquid state,

providing a catheter having a distal end, a tissue piercing device carried by the distal end, the tissue piercing device having a lumen, and an energy delivery device coupled to the tissue piercing device,

introducing the catheter into an esophagus,

piercing an exterior sphincter tissue surface within with the tissue piercing device,

advancing the tissue piercing device into an interior sphincter tissue site,

conveying the polymer material while in a liquid state through the lumen into the interior sphincter tissue site,

delivering energy to the tissue piercing device to transform the polymer material into a less liquid state within the interior sphincter tissue site, to thereby remodel the sphincter.

2. A method according to claim 1 further including the step of delivering energy to the tissue piercing device to create controlled cell necrosis in the sphincter.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 further including the steps of providing a cooling medium, and conveying the cooling medium into contact with the exterior sphincter tissue surface pierced by the tissue piercing device.

4. A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the polymer material comprises collagen.

5. A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the polymer material comprises silicone.

6. A method for treating a tissue region at or near a sphincter comprising the steps of

selecting at least one tissue bulking agent,

providing a source of the at least one tissue bulking agent,

deploying a catheter carrying on its distal end a tissue-piercing element adjacent a tissue region at or near a sphincter.

coupling the catheter to the source of the at least one tissue bulking compound,

applying through the tissue-piercing element a treatment agent including the at least one tissue bulking agent into contact with the tissue region, and

delivering radiofrequency energy through the catheter in the tissue region to which the treatment agent is applied to change a physical characteristic of the tissue bulking agent.

7. A method for treating a tissue region at or near a sphincter comprising the steps of

selecting at least one tissue bulking agent,

providing a source of the at least one tissue bulking agent,

deploying a catheter carrying on its distal end a tissue-piercing element adjacent a tissue region at or near a sphincter,

coupling the catheter to the source of the at least one tissue bulking compound,

applying through the tissue-piercing element a treatment agent including the at least one tissue bulking agent into contact with the tissue region, and

delivering radiofrequency energy through the catheter in the tissue region to which the treatment agent is applied to expand the tissue bulking agent.

8. A method for treating a tissue region at or near a sphincter comprising the steps of

selecting at least one tissue bulking agent,

providing a source of the at least one tissue bulking agent,

deploying a catheter carrying on its distal end a tissue-piercing element adjacent a tissue region at or near a sphincter,

coupling the catheter to the source of the at least one tissue bulking compound,

applying through the tissue-piercing element a treatment agent including the at least one tissue hulking agent into contact with the tissue region, and

delivering radiofrequency energy through the catheter in the tissue region to which the treatment agent is applied to harden the tissue hulking agent.