Method for tissue ablation
View Patent ↗Methods of ablating mucosal tissue in an alimentary canal are provided. The methods can include the steps of (i) providing an ablation device comprising a tissue ablation source; (ii) positioning at least a portion of the ablation device at a mucosal tissue surface of the alimentary canal; (iii) delivering a sufficient amount of the source for tissue ablation to the mucosal tissue surface to create a lesion in the mucosal tissue. In one implementation the methods include a step of providing a radiofrequency (RF) energy delivery device.
1. A method of ablating mucosal tissue in an alimentary canal, comprising:
(i) providing an ablation device comprising an inflatable bulbous-shaped solid-wall member and a tissue ablation source linearly-connected as a helix arranged circumferentially around an external surface of the inflatable member;
(ii) positioning at least a portion of the ablation device at a surface of the mucosal tissue;
(iii) inflating the inflatable member so as to place the tissue ablation source in contact with the mucosal tissue of the alimentary canal; and
(iv) delivering a sufficient amount of energy from a source for tissue ablation to the mucosal tissue surface to create a helically-aligned lesion in the mucosal tissue.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue ablation source is selected from the group consisting of radio frequency energy, coherent or incoherent light, resistive heating, microwave energy, ultrasound, a heated fluid and a cryogenic fluid.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mucosal tissue comprises abnormal epithelium.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the abnormal epithelium comprises Barrett's epithelium.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy delivery source is carried by a wire.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the energy delivery source is connected circumferentially around an external surface of the the inflatable member in a helical pattern.
7. A method of ablating mucosal tissue in an alimentary canal, comprising:
(i) providing a radiofrequency (RF) energy delivery device having an inflatable bulbous-shaped solid-wall member and a radiofrequency energy delivery source linearly connected as a helix arranged circumferentially around an external surface of the inflatable member;
(ii) positioning at least a portion of the energy delivery device at a mucosal tissue surface of the alimentary canal;
(iii) inflating the inflatable member so as to place the radiofrequency energy delivery elements in contact with the mucosal tissue of the alimentary canal; and
(iv) delivering sufficient RF energy from the RF energy delivery device to the mucosal tissue surface to create a helically-aligned lesion in the mucosal tissue.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the RF energy delivery source comprises one or more RF electrodes.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the RF energy delivery source comprises an array of electrodes.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the RF energy delivery source comprises solid state circuitry.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the RF energy delivery source comprises bipolar electrodes.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the RF energy source delivers energy at a frequency in the range of about 400 kHz to about 10 mHz.