Method for vacuum-assisted tissue ablation
View Patent ↗Methods of accessing and ablating abnormal epithelium tissue in an alimentary canal are provided. The methods can include steps of (i) inserting a vacuum source comprising one or more suction ports into an alimentary canal; (ii) inserting an operative element comprising a conduit for a tissue ablation source into the alimentary canal; (iii) positioning the vacuum source and the operative element proximate a portion of the alimentary canal having a site of abnormal tissue to be ablated; (iv) applying a vacuum to at least one of each suction port to draw the tissue against the operative element; and (v) applying the tissue ablation source to the tissue through the conduit to effect tissue ablation.
1. A method of accessing and ablating abnormal epithelium tissue in a portion of an alimentary canal comprising:
(i) inserting a vacuum source comprising one or more suction ports into the alimentary canal;
(ii) inserting an operative element comprising a conduit for a tissue ablation source into the alimentary canal;
(iii) expanding a proximal balloon and a distal balloon of the operative element to seal the portion of the alimentary canal around the abnormal epithelium tissue;
(iv) positioning the vacuum source and the operative element proximate the portion of the alimentary canal having the abnormal tissue to be ablated;
(v) applying a vacuum to at least one of each suction port to draw the tissue against the operative element; and
(vi) applying the tissue ablation source to the tissue through the conduit to effect tissue ablation.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum source is provided by inserting an endoscope comprising the vacuum source into an alimentary canal.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the operative element is disposable within and deployable from a lumen of the endoscope.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum source is provided by the operative element.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue ablation source is RF energy and the conduit for RF energy is one or more RF electrode.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue ablation source is selected from the group consisting of radio frequency (RF) energy, coherent or incoherent light, resistive heating, microwave energy, ultrasound, a heated fluid and a cryogenic fluid.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the tissue ablation source is RF energy.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the conduit for RF energy is one or more RF electrode.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrodes comprise an array of electrodes.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of each electrode comprises solid state circuitry.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrodes comprise bipolar electrodes.
12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the RF energy source delivers energy at a frequency in the range of about 400 kHz to about 10 mHz.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the abnormal epithelium comprises Barrett's epithelium.