Devices, methods and systems for shrinking tissues

Abstract

Abstract Devices, systems, and methods for treating urinary incontinence generally rely on energy delivered to a patient's own pelvis tissue to selectively contract or shrink a portion of that pelvic support tissue so as to reposition the bladder (b). The energy will be preferably applied to the endo-pelvic fascia (EP) and/or an arcus tendineus fascia pelvis (ATFP). The invention provides a variety of devices (10) and methods for applying gentle resistive heating of these and other tissues to cause them to contract without imposing significant injury on the surrounding tissue structures. Alternatively, heat applying probes (10) are configured to heat tissue structures which comprise or support a patient's urethra. By applying sufficient energy over a predetermined time, the tissue can be raised to a temperature which results in contraction without significant necrosis or other tissue damage. By selectively contracting the support tissues, the bladder neck, sphincter, and other components of the urinary tract responsible for the control of urinary flow can be reconfigured or supported in a manner which reduces urinary leakage.

Inventors

• 👤 Frank Ingle
• 👤 Garry Carter
• 👤 Michael D. Laufer

Bibliographic Details