Methods for minimally invasive, non-permanent occlusion of a uterine artery

Abstract

A method of treating a uterine disorder comprising non-permanently occluding a uterine artery with a resorbable embolic mass for a therapeutically effective time period. The occluding step includes selectively positioning the resorbable embolic mass within the uterine artery, and monitoring positioning of the resorbable embolic mass at a desired location within the uterine artery. The monitoring step may include using ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for positioning the resorbable embolic mass at the desired location within the uterine artery. The resorbable embolic mass may be swellable and may be formed of a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyethylene glycol, or copolymers thereof.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 654,321, filed Jan. 16, 2007, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 908,815, filed Jul. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,223,279, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 556,934, filed Apr. 21, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,482, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates generally to the treatment of disorders which receive blood flow from the uterine arteries, and more particularly to methods for the non-permanent occlusion of the uterine artery or arteries, including for use in treating uterine myomata (fibroids), dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB), post partum hemorrhaging (PPH), and uterine bleeding associated with cesarean section surgery.[0004]2. Description of the ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Hysterectomy for treating uterine fibroid disorders, though effective, has many undesirable characteristics.

The undesirable characteristics of hysterectomy include a known mortality rate of 0.5 deaths per 1000 hysterectomies.

Consequently, it is difficult to know which fibroid is causing symptoms to the patient (bleeding, pain, and bulk effects on adjacent organs).

Clearly, the strategy of identifying which individual fibroid is causing symptoms (when there are often many), finding that fibroid, and then either removing or destroying that individual fibroid is a rather complex strategy.

Second, fibroids live a tenuous vascular life with very little ability to recruit a new blood supply from the host when the primary blood supply is compromised.

This procedure has been performed laparoscopically and requires a great deal of surgical skill to access, identify, dissect, and ligate the uterine arteries.

This requirement for high skill and a full surgical approach has limited the use of surgical ligation of the uterine arteries as a clinical alternative for uterine fibroid treatment.

Heretofore, this inherent characteristic of these tissues has not been utilized in the treatment of myomata, or for accessing the uterine artery.

The difficulty and cost associated with the use of traditional transvascular access, and the possibility of infection and surgical complication associated with dissection, render these prior techniques unacceptable.

Post partum hemorrhaging and cesarean section-related bleeding can be a dangerous if not quickly and adequately controlled, which may require a fast surgical response, from which the patient may suffer from associated trauma of the surgery.

This ligation task can be very laborious and time-consuming, as the arteries are dissected and ligated by the surgeon, and have associated complications.

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