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US006929642B2
(12) United States Patent (io) Patent No.: US 6,929,642 B2
Xiao et al. (45) Date of Patent: Aug. 16,2005
(54) RF DEVICE FOR TREATING THE UTERUS
(75) Inventors: Jia Hua Xiao, Bridgewater, NJ (US);
Thomas P. Ryan, Flemington, NJ (US);
Roddi J. Simpson, Jersey City, NJ
(US); Alexander J. Sinton,
Doylestown, PA (US)
(73) Assignee: Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 10/278,466
(22) Filed: Oct. 23, 2002
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2004/0002703 Al Jan. 1, 2004
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/186,259, filed on Jun. 28, 2002, now abandoned.
(51) Int. CI.7 A61B 18/18
(52) U.S. CI 606/41; 128/898
(58) Field of Search 606/27-52; 128/898
(56) References Cited
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OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Taylor & Francis Ltd., M.V. Prior, et al., "Treatment ol Menorrhagia by Radiolrequency Heating", Int. J. Hyperthermia, vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 213-220 (1991). The C.V. Mosby Co., W. Droegemeuller, et al., "Cryocoagulation ol the Endometrium at the Uterine Cornua", Am. J. Obstet. and Gynecol, vol. 131, No. 1, pp. 1-9 (May 1978).
The American College ol Obstetricians and Gynecologists,
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Pending U.S. Appl. No. 10/186,259, entitled "RF Device for
Treating the Uterus", filed Jun. 28, 2002, Inventors: Jia Hua
Xiao, Thomas Ryan and Alexander J. Sinton.
Pending U.S. Appl. No. 10/262,513, entitled "Deployable
Cryosurgical Catheter", filed Sep. 30, 2002, Inventors: Jia
Hua Xiao and Simon Cohn.
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—Roy D. Gibson
Assistant Examiner—Pete Vrettakos