Patent · US Expired

System and methods for fallopian tube occlusion

US6485486B1 · kind B1 · utility

127Cited by
5References
40Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 1, 2000
Grant dateNov 26, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 1, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2018/00785
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention provides systems, methods for 14 treatment, and occlusion of the fallopian tube. An elongated catheter (22) is placed into the isthmic region (14) of the fallopian tube (16) in a trans-cervical trans-uterine fashion, and a mono-pole antenna (92) is disposed within a distal end of the catheter. The antenna radiates microwave energy in resonance to a drive frequency into tissue of the isthmic region without physical contact between the mono-pole antenna, and the tissue. This heating causes occlusion after a period of time. Typically, the catheter, and the mono-pole antenna are disposable after one treatment. In the preferred embodiment, the antenna is formed from an extension of the inner conductor of a coaxial cable coupled to a microwave generator. A power control section (24) can be used to control, and apply the appropriate microwave power to the fallopian tube tissue. In addition, the invention preferably incorporates a microwave immune thermometry probe within the catheter to measure temperature of the tissue in real time.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.