TUBAL STERILIZATION DEVICE HAVING EXPANDING ELECTRODES AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING STERILIZATION USING THE SAME

A sterilization device which causes occlusion to the fallopian tubes of a patient is designed to be trancervically positioned in the intramural portion of the tube without perforating the tube. The device includes a flexible hollow catheter having an interior passageway, a distal end for insertion trancervically into a patient, and a proximal end opposite the distal end for grasping and manipulation by a physician. The device further includes a pair of diametrically opposed electrodes, each being movably mounted on the distal end of the catheter and radially movable with respect to the distal end. The electrodes are elongated axially and arcuate transversely and are expandable from a closed state, which defines the distal end of the catheter with a reduced diameter for proper transcervical delivery and placement in the fallopian tube of a patient, and an open state, where the electrodes are separated from one another a greater distance than when they are in the closed state, to define the distal end of the catheter with an enlarged diameter. In the expanded state, the diametrically opposed electrodes stretch the tissue of the fallopian tube to reduce blood flow and to help localize heating of the surrounding tissue. The electrodes are provided with RF (radio frequency) energy in their expanded state to heat the tissue of the fallopian tube which they contact. A temperature sensor situated at the distal end of the catheter measures the temperature of the heated tissue. The RF energy provided to the electrodes is controlled to ensure that the tissue is not overheated.