Methods and apparatuses for reshaping the esophagus and other body lumens

1. A method for reshaping a patient's alimentary canal from an original shape to a modified shape to reduce gastroesophageal reflux or modify satiety sensation in the patient, the method comprising:

resecting tissue including mucosal and submucosal tissue from the luminal side of an alimentary canal wall so as to create a wound in the wall in its original shape for the purpose of inducing a healing response that will result in a reshaping of the canal to the modified shape for reducing gastroesophageal reflux or modifying satiety sensation in the patient, wherein said resecting leaves the bottom of the wound open to the lumen of the alimentary canal and exposes an area of muscle tissue.

2. The method of claim 1 , also comprising measuring a diameter of said alimentary canal prior to said resecting.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said resecting comprises making a plurality of resections distributed circumferentially within a target area of said alimentary canal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said resecting comprises resecting tissue from the patient's esophagus.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said reshaping is effective to reduce gastroesophageal reflux in the patient.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said resecting comprises resecting tissue from the patient's stomach.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said reshaping is effective to create a narrowing in the stomach to modify satiety sensation of the patient.

8. The method of claim 1 , also comprising:

visualizing said alimentary canal with an endoscope during said resecting.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said endoscope has an operating channel, and wherein said resecting is conducted through said channel.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said resecting comprises passing a loop of an electrocautery snare through said operating channel, capturing tissue in the loop, and cutting the captured tissue with said loop.

11. The method of claim 10 , also comprising banding the tissue in a band prior to capturing the tissue in the loop.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said banding comprises creating a pseudo-polyp of tissue in a container with vacuum, and deploying a band around the pseudo-polyp.

13. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

diagnosing the patient as having gastroesophageal reflux disorder; and

conducting said resecting based upon said diagnosing.

14. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

diagnosing the patient as needing treatment for obesity; and

conducting said resecting based upon said diagnosing.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said resecting comprises resecting luminal tissue from the alimentary canal without substantial damage to underlying muscle tissue of the alimentary canal.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said resecting comprises resecting tissue from the patient's esophagus.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said resecting comprises resecting tissue from the patient's stomach.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein said tissue is non-diseased tissue.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said resecting is performed without causing substantial damage to an underlying muscle layer.

20. A method for reshaping a patient's alimentary canal from an original shape to a modified shape to reduce gastroesophageal reflux or modify satiety sensation in the patient, the method comprising:

removing tissue from a luminal surface of a wall of the patient's alimentary canal so as to create a wound in the wall in its original shape for the purpose of inducing a healing response that will result in a reshaping of the canal to the modified shape for reducing gastroesophageal reflux or modifying satiety sensation in the patient, wherein said removing removes mucosal and submucosal tissue and leaves the bottom of the wound open to the lumen of the alimentary canal without causing substantial damage to an underlying layer of muscle tissue.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said removing comprises isolating the mucosal and submucosal tissue from the muscle tissue, and then removing the mucosal and submucosal tissue.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein said isolating comprises drawing the mucosal and submucosal tissue into a barrel.

23. A method for reshaping a patient's alimentary canal from an original shape to a modified shape to reduce gastroesophageal reflux or modify satiety sensation in the patient, the method comprising:

resecting tissue from the luminal side of an alimentary canal wall so as to create a wound in the wall in its original shape for the purpose of inducing a healing response that will result in a reshaping of the canal to the modified shape for reducing gastroesophageal reflux or modifying satiety sensation in the patient, wherein said resecting removes only part of the thickness of the wall and leaves the bottom of the wound open to the lumen of the alimentary canal.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein said resecting forms a cut extending at least partially down into submucosal tissue from a luminal surface of the wall.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein said resecting comprises removing submucosal tissue.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein said resecting is effective to expose muscle tissue underlying the submucosal tissue.

27. The method of claim 23 , wherein said resecting comprises making a plurality of resections distributed circumferentially within a target area of said alimentary canal.

28. The method of claim 23 , wherein said resecting is carried out without causing substantial damage to underlying muscle tissue of the alimentary canal.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein said resecting comprises resecting tissue from the patient's stomach.

30. The method of claim 28 , wherein said tissue is nondiseased tissue.

31. The method of claim 23 , wherein said resecting comprises isolating mucosal and submucosal tissue from muscle tissue, and then removing the mucosal and submucosal tissue.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein said isolating comprises drawing the mucosal and submucosal tissue into a barrel.