Systems and methods for female contraception
The present invention relates to medical devices and methods for treating and occluding a female patient's fallopian tubes to provide birth control or sterilization, where such birth control/sterilization can be short term, long term, or permanent.
1. A method for occluding a fallopian tube, comprising:
advancing a probe trans-cervically to a site in the fallopian tube such that a first electrode is spaced by a gap from a second electrode in the fallopian tube;
applying energy from the first electrode and the second electrode to form an area of ablated fallopian tube tissue at the site;
actuating a cutting surface coupled to the probe and being positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode to cause a bleeding at the area of ablated fallopian tube tissue wherein the bleeding facilitates adhesion of walls of the fallopian tube to provide permanent occlusion; and
withdrawing the probe from the site in the fallopian tube.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein advancing the probe includes advancing the probe over a guidewire.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein applying energy includes at least one of applying RF energy, light energy, microwave energy, resistive heating, inductive heating or ultrasound.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein actuating the cutting surface includes actuating at least one of a sharp blade edge, an abrasive element and a sharp puncturing element.
5. The method of claim 1 further including deploying a bioabsorbable implant in the site.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein actuating the cutting surface causes the bleeding in an intermediate region of the area of ablated fallopian tube tissue.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface comprises at least a first sharp cutting edge carried by a moveable outer sleeve.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the cutting surface is intermediate to the first electrode and the second electrode spaced apart at a working end of the probe.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the cutting surface includes an inner member disposed in a passageway of the moveable outer sleeve.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying suction through the probe at the site.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying energy further includes terminating energy delivery in response to at least one of time, impedance, capacitance, and temperature.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying energy comprises providing energy by at least one of a thermal treatment or a cryogenic treatment.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the thermal treatment comprises an energy source selected from a group consisting of RF energy, light energy, microwave energy, resistive heating, inductive heating and ultrasound.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface includes at least one of a sharp blade edge, an abrasive element and a sharp puncturing element.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the probe carries an expandable balloon, the method further comprises expanding the expandable balloon at the site.
16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deploying an implant at the site.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the implant comprises a biodegradable or a bioresorbable polymer.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the implant has at least one barb.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the implant is porous.