Sphincter treatment apparatus

Abstract

A sphincter treatment apparatus includes an energy delivery device introduction member including a plurality of arms. Each arm has distal and proximal sections. The distal sections of the arms are coupled as are the proximal sections of the arms. The energy delivery device introduction member is configured to be introduced in the sphincter in a non-deployed state, expand to a deployed state to at least partially expand the sphincter. A plurality of energy delivery devices are coupled to the energy delivery device introduction member. At least a portion of the plurality of energy delivery devices are controllably introducible from the energy delivery device introduction member into the sphincter.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A sphincter treatment apparatus, comprising: 
 an energy delivery device introduction member;    a first energy delivery device coupled to the energy delivery device introduction member, the first energy delivery device having a distal portion, wherein the energy delivery device introduction member is configured to be introduced in the sphincter in a non-deployed state, and expand to a deployed state to at least partially expand the sphincter; and    a retainer member coupled to the energy delivery device introduction member and configured to controllably position the energy delivery device introduction member in an orifice of a sphincter.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer member retains the energy delivery device introduction member along a longitudinal axis of the sphincter.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer member reduces a movement of the energy delivery device introduction member in the orifice along a longitudinal axis of the sphincter.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer member reduces a lateral movement of the energy delivery device introduction member in the orifice along a longitudinal axis of the sphincter.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first energy delivery device distal portion is introducible into an interior of the sphincter.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first energy delivery device is an electrode.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the electrode has a tissue piercing distal end.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the energy delivery device introduction member is expandable.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the energy delivery device introduction member is a balloon.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the energy delivery device introduction member is a basket device.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer member is made of a polymeric material.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the retainer member is a catheter  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the retainer member is an endoscope  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer member reduces a movement of an esophagus.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer member has sufficient rigidity to reduce a movement of the sphincter.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the retainer member has sufficient rigidity to reduce a movement of an esophagus.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first energy delivery device is an RF needle electrode.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the retainer member has sufficient rigidity to reduce a movement of the sphincter and reduce an amount of tearing of a sphincter mucosa upon an introduction of the RF needle electrode into the sphincter.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the retainer member has sufficient rigidity to reduce movement of the sphincter and permit maintenance of a constant angle of penetration of the RF needle electrode through a sphincter surface.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the retainer member has sufficient rigidity to reduce movement of the sphincter and facilitate introduction of the RF needle electrode into the sphincter.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer member at least partially surrounds the energy delivery device introduction member to reduce a movement of the energy delivery device introduction member within the sphincter.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retainer member at least partially surrounds the energy delivery device introduction member and includes a slot to enhance an engagement of the energy delivery device introduction member with the sphincter.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the retainer member at least partially surrounds the energy delivery device introduction member and includes a slot to enhance an engagement of the energy delivery device introduction member with the sphincter and facilitate introduction of the RF needle electrode into the sphincter.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the retainer member at least partially surrounds the energy delivery device introduction member and includes a slot to enhance an engagement of the energy delivery device introduction member with the sphincter and reduce an amount of tearing of a sphincter mucosa upon an introduction of the RF needle electrode into the sphincter.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the retainer member at least partially surrounds the energy delivery device introduction member and includes a slot to enhance an engagement of the energy delivery device introduction member with the sphincter and permit maintenance of a constant angle of penetration of the RF needle electrode through a sphincter surface.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the balloon has a tapered tip to facilitate introduction into a sphincter.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the basket device has a tapered tip to facilitate introduction into a sphincter.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the energy delivery device introduction member is in a contacting relationship with a surface of the sphincter in the deployed configuration.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the energy delivery device introduction member has a texturized surface with a sufficient coefficient of friction to reduce a movement of a sphincter surface.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the energy delivery device introduction member has a texturized surface with a sufficient coefficient of friction to reduce a movement of an energy delivery device introduction member.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the energy delivery device introduction member has a texturized surface with a sufficient coefficient of friction to reduce a movement of a sphincter surface and facilitate introduction of the RF needle electrode into the sphincter.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the energy delivery device introduction member has a texturized surface with a sufficient coefficient of friction to reduce a movement of a sphincter surface and reduce an amount of tearing of a sphincter mucosa upon an introduction of the RF needle electrode into the sphincter.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the energy delivery device introduction member has a texturized surface with a sufficient coefficient of friction to reduce a movement of a sphincter surface and permit maintenance of a constant angle of penetration of the RF needle electrode through a sphincter surface.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the energy delivery device introduction member is a basket device and the RF electrode is coupled to an electrode delivery member having proximal and distal ends.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , further comprising: 
 a guiding tool coupled to the electrode delivery member, the guiding tool having at least one aperture with a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the RF electrode is advanced through the aperture in the guiding tool and the introduction of the RF needle electrode into the sphincter is facilitated.    
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  35  wherein the aperture proximal end and the aperture distal end are located in a different plane.  
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the RF electrode is advanced through an aperture in the energy delivery device introduction member.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the energy delivery device introduction member is a basket device and the RF electrode is coupled to an electrode delivery member having proximal and distal ends.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , further comprising: 
 a guiding tool coupled to the energy delivery device, the guiding tool having at least one aperture with a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the RF electrode is advanced through the aperture in the guiding tool and the introduction of the RF needle electrode into the sphincter is facilitated.    
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  39 , wherein the aperture proximal end and the aperture distal end are located in a different plane.  
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the RF electrode is advancable through an aperture in the energy delivery device introduction member.