Method and devices for tissue reconfiguration Number:6,835,200 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent A method includes advancing an apparatus having an elongated member transorally into the stomach. The apparatus includes a distal end effector having first and second members configured to engage tissue. The first and second members are movable relatively toward one another generally in a first plane. The method includes moving the distal end effector relative to the elongated member in the first plane such that the distal end effector is retroflexed out of alignment with the elongated member to position the first and second members for engagement with the tissue. At least one of the first and second members carries a fixation device for fixing engaged portions of tissue together.<H reconfiguration, devices, Method, and, devi, 6835200.html, Patent, pto, 6835200

Title: Method and devices for tissue reconfiguration

Abstract: A method includes advancing an apparatus having an elongated member transorally into the stomach. The apparatus includes a distal end effector having first and second members configured to engage tissue. The first and second members are movable relatively toward one another generally in a first plane. The method includes moving the distal end effector relative to the elongated member in the first plane such that the distal end effector is retroflexed out of alignment with the elongated member to position the first and second members for engagement with the tissue. At least one of the first and second members carries a fixation device for fixing engaged portions of tissue together.

Patent Number: 6,835,200 Issued on 12/28/2004 to Laufer, et al.

Inventors: Laufer; Michael D. (Menlo Park, CA); Cerier; Jeffrey C. (Franklin, MA); Cruz; Amos (Franklin, MA); O'Keefe; Jonathan (Scituate, MA); Andrews; Richard (Lincoln, RI); Puicci, Jr.; Vincent A. (Spencer, MA); Barenboym; Michael (Ashland, MA); Marshall; Neal H. (Bolton, MA); Chinnock; Randal B. (Sturbridge, MA)
Assignee: ndo surgical. Inc. (Mansfield, MA)

Appl. No.: 197574

Filed: July 18, 2002

Related U.S. Patent Documents


Application Number	Filing Date	Patent Number	Issue Date
859579	May., 2001
520273	Mar., 2000	6663639
519945	Mar., 2000	6506196
574424	May., 2000	6494888
519945
197574

Current U.S. Class: 606/153 ; 606/139

Field of Search: 606/153,139,144,148,150,205-210,219-221,232

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Primary Examiner: Truong; Kevin T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fish & Richardson P.C.

Parent Case Text

This application claims the priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/306,652, filed Jul. 18, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application U.S. Ser. No. 09/859,579, filed May 18, 2001, entitled TISSUE RECONFIGURATION, which is a continuation-in-part of application U.S. Ser. No. 09/574,424, filed May 19, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,888, entitled TISSUE RECONFIGURATION, which is a continuation-in-part of application U.S. Ser. No. 09/520,273, filed Mar. 7, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,639, entitled METHODS AND DEVICES FOR TISSUE RECONFIGURATION, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/519,945, filed Mar. 7, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,196 entitled DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CORRECTION OF A PAINFUL BODY DEFECT, which claim priority from provisional application U.S. Ser. No. 60/140,492, filed Jun. 22, 1999, this application Ser. No. 10/197,574 entitled STOMACH ELEVATOR METHOD AND DEVICE, all hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising: advancing an apparatus including an elongated member transorally into the stomach, the apparatus including a distal end effector having first and second members configured to engage tissue, the first and second members being movable relatively toward one another generally in a first plane, and moving the distal end effector relative to the elongated member in the first plane such that the distal end effector is retroflexed out of alignment with the elongated member to position the first and second members for engagement with the tissue, at least one of the first and second members carrying a fixation device for securing engaged portions of tissue together.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising engaging tissue by moving the first and second members relatively toward one another generally in the first plane.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the moving of the first and second members engages a first tissue section with a first securing part of the fixation device and a second tissue section with a second securing part of the fixation device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising piercing the tissue with a third member of the distal end effector prior to engaging the tissue with the first and second members.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising releasably mounting the first and second members to the distal end effector.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the first and second members from the distal end effector.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising releasably mounting third and fourth members on the distal end effector, at least one of the third and fourth members carrying a fixation device for securing engaged portions of tissue together.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second members pierces the tissue.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising separating a frangibly coupled part of the fixation device from at least one of the first and second members.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second members interact to separate the frangibly coupled part.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising securing the engaged portions of tissue with the fixation device.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the