Apparatus and method for treating urinary stress incontinence

An apparatus for treating female stress induced incontinence, comprising:

• a hollow probe member having a body with a forward portion and a handle portion, said forward portion adapted for positioning in vagina of a patient without damaging vaginal mucosa, said probe member being operationally connected with a means for delivering a laser energy to selected areas of pelvic floor muscles and to a means for cooling tissue surrounding said selected areas;
• a guiding catheter sized and shaped for positioning in urethra of a patient, said guiding catheter being provided with a temperature sensing means for monitoring temperature inside the urethra when the means for delivering the laser energy are activated, said guiding means being provided with a measuring indicia on an exterior surface thereof to measure the distance to the neck of the bladder from an entry point of said guiding catheter into external meatus to facilitate correct positioning of the probe member;
• and
• a control and video means for monitoring delivery of laser energy to selected muscular tissue and for terminating delivery of laser energy when temperature detected by said temperature sensing means exceeds a pre-determined level, said control means continuing operation of the cooling means until temperature of the urethra decreases to a pre-determined level.

A method of treating female stress-induced incontinence, comprising the steps of:

• providing a vaginal probe member having a laser output port in a forward portion thereof;
• providing measuring indicia on the forward portion of the probe member;
• providing a guiding catheter sized and shaped for positioning in urethra of a patient;
• providing measuring indicia in an exterior surface of the guiding catheter and an expandable balloon adjacent a forward end of the guiding catheter;
• positioning said guiding catheter in urethra of the patient such that a forward end of the guiding catheter extends to a neck of a bladder of the patient;
• inflating the balloon and seating the balloon against the neck of the bladder;
• noting a distance between the forward end of the guiding catheter and external meatus;
• with reference to measuring indicia observed on the guiding catheter, positioning the probe member in such manner that a forward portion of the probe member extends to a level corresponding to the neck of the bladder;
• providing a temperature-conductive window in the forward portion of the probe member adjacent the laser output;
• providing a means inside said probe member for delivering cooling medium to a location behind said temperature-conductive window;
• activating delivery of a cooling medium to the probe member;
• delivering laser energy to selected areas surrounding urethra at the level of the bladder neck to cause denaturing of tissue collagen and recoiling of the tissue below mucous lining of the vagina without causing damage to vaginal mucosa, while continuously monitoring temperature inside the urethra;
• and
• de-activating delivery of the laser energy when temperature inside the urethra exceeds a pre-determined level, while continuing circulation of the cooling medium until temperature of the selected area decreases to a pre-determined level.