Device for endometrial ablation having an expandable seal for a cervical canal
View Patent ↗Methods, systems and devices for endometrial ablation. In accordance with a method, a working end of an RF ablation device is positioned in a patient uterus to contact endometrial tissue, the working end comprising a dielectric wall capable of non-expanded and expanded shapes and for conforming to an asymmetric or symmetric shape of the patient's cervix. An expandable seal is provided for sealing the cervical canal.
1. A method for treating uterine tissue, said method comprising:
introducing a member having first and second concentric sleeves through a cervical canal and into a uterine cavity of a patient while a deformable thin-wall seal carried by the sleeves is stretched tight against the introducer member by distally extending the second concentric sleeve relative to the first concentric sleeve;
axially translating the first concentric sleeve relative to the second concentric sleeve to cause the deformable thin-wall seal to transition to a transversely expanded shape having a first transverse dimension to engage the cervical canal; and
inflating the expanded seal to a second transverse dimension greater than the first transverse dimension which resulted from movement of the sleeves while the expanded seal engages the cervical canal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises an elastomeric material.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises a thin wall silicone.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the seal is formed with helical ridge and valley regions for folding and unfolding upon said axial deformation.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein proximal and distal ends of the seal are fixedly attached to the first and second concentric sleeves, respectively.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein inflating comprises introducing a continuous flow of gas or liquid through a first lumen in the member into an interior chamber of the deformable thin-wall seal and providing a restricted outflow of fluid from the interior chamber through a second lumen in the member for cooling the seal.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein further comprising restricting flow through the second lumen with a restrictor valve.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the member has a central lumen and the method further comprises introducing a tool through the central lumen and performing an intervention in the uterus with the tool.