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AssigneeTransurgical, Inc.
InventorsDavid E. Acker, Louis R. Kavoussi, Bharat B. Pant, Patrick David Lopath, Emad S. Ebbini
Estimating the term…
A tubular anatomical structure in a mammalian subject is occluded by directing ultrasonic energy from outside of the body. For example, a male subject may be sterilized by directing ultrasonic energy through the skin of the scrotum, onto the vas deferens. The focal spot of an ultrasonic transducer may be registered with the structure to be treated by means of guide members on a probe holding the transducer. The procedure is simple and can be entirely non-invasive. Apparatus for performing this and other treatments may be provided as a disposable unit, and the guide members may be arranged to hold a fold of tissue without substantially obstructing the sonic path from the transducer to the fold.
A method of sterilizing a mammalian subject comprising the step of directing energy from outside of the subject's body, through the skin of the scrotum into the body and onto the tissue constituting a spermatic duct to thereby kill at least some of such tissue at a location along the length of the spermatic duct, whereby scar tissue will form and occlude the spermatic duct.
A method of occluding a tubular anatomical structure in the body of a mammalian subject comprising the step of directing ultrasonic energy from outside of the subject's body, into the body and onto the tissue constituting the tubular anatomical structure to thereby kill at least some of such tissue at a location along the length of the anatomical structure, whereby scar tissue will form and occlude the anatomical structure.
Apparatus for occluding a tubular anatomical structure including:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.