Systems and methods for controlling use and operation of a family of different treatment devices

Abstract

A system for controlling a treatment device generates a graphical interface that visually prompts a user in a step-wise fashion to use the treatment device to perform a process of forming a pattern of lesions that extends both circumferentially and axially in different levels in a body region. The graphical interface displays for the user a visual record of the progress of the process from start to finish and guides the user so that so that individual lesions desired within a given level are all formed, and that a given level of lesions is not skipped.

1 . A graphical user interface comprising
 a controller including means for visually prompting a user in a step-wise fashion to perform a process of forming a pattern of lesions in a body region comprising a plurality of axially spaced lesion levels, each lesion level comprising a plurality of circumferential spaced lesions, and further including means for registering the formation of lesions as they are generated in real time, both within and between each circumferentially spaced level, whereby the controller displays for the user a visual record of the progress of the process from start to finish and guides the user so that individual lesions desired within a given level are all formed, and that a given level of lesions is not skipped.   
     
     
         2 . A graphical user interface comprising
 a controller including means for visually prompting a user in a step-wise fashion to perform a process of forming a pattern of lesions in a body region comprising a plurality of axially spaced lesion levels, each lesion level comprising a plurality of circumferential spaced lesions, and including means for generating at each lesion level a first stylized graphical image with a number identification of its level, means for generating a second stylized graphical image, different from the first stylized graphical image, generated when the formation of lesions at a given level is indicated and further showing the number of lesions to be formed at that level, means for changing the second graphical image to a third graphical image, different than the first or second images, including added indicia to reflect the formation of lesions in real time, and means for generating, upon forming the desired lesion pattern on the respective lesion level, a fourth graphical image, different than the first, second, and third graphical images, comprising an indicator to indicate that all desired lesions have been formed at the level, and further including means for generating a marker that directs the user to the next lesion level to be treated and that is updated as successive lesion levels are treated.   
     
     
         3 . A system for controlling operation of a family of treatment devices comprising
 a family of treatment devices comprising at least first and second different treatment devices which are intended to be individually deployed for use in different tissue regions,   a controller including a connector to which a selected one of the first or second treatment device is coupled for use, the controller including means for identifying which of the first and second different treatment devices has been connected,   the controller further including an operation system to execute on a display screen a first graphical interface guiding use of the first treatment device only when the first treatment device is connected and a second graphical interface different, at least in part, from the first graphical interface and guiding use of the second treatment device only when the second treatment device is connected, the controller including, for at least one of the first and second graphical interface, means for visually prompting a user in a step-wise fashion to perform a process using the connected treatment device of forming a pattern of lesions in a body region comprising a plurality of axially spaced lesion levels, each lesion level comprising a plurality of circumferential spaced lesions, and further including means for registering the formation of lesions as they are generated in real time, both within and between each circumferentially spaced level, whereby the graphical user interface displays for the user a visual record of the progress of the process from start to finish and guides the user so that individual lesions desired within a given level are all formed, and that a given level of lesions is not skipped.   
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 3   wherein one of the treatment devices is sized and configured to form lesions at or near a lower esophageal sphincter.   
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 3   wherein one of the treatment devices is sized and configured to form lesions at or near an anal sphincter.   
     
     
         6 . A method comprising
 generating a graphical display for visually prompting a user in a step-wise fashion to perform a process of forming a pattern of lesions in a body region comprising a plurality of axially spaced lesion levels, each lesion level comprising a plurality of circumferential spaced lesions, and further including registering the formation of lesions as they are generated in real time, both within and between each circumferentially spaced level, whereby the graphical display displays for the user a visual record of the progress of the process from start to finish and guides the user so that individual lesions desired within a given level are all formed, and that a given level of lesions is not skipped.   
     
     
         7 . A method comprising
 generating a graphical display for visually prompting a user in a step-wise fashion to perform a process of forming a pattern of lesions in a body region comprising a plurality of axially spaced lesion levels, each lesion level comprising a plurality of circumferential spaced lesions by generating at each lesion level a first stylized graphical image with a number identification of its level, generating a second stylized graphical image, different from the first stylized graphical image, generated when the formation of lesions at a given level is indicated and further showing the number of lesions to be formed at that level, changing the second graphical image to a third graphical image, different than the first or second images, including added indicia to reflect the formation of lesions in real time, and generating, upon forming the desired lesion pattern on the respective lesion level, a fourth graphical image, different than the first, second, and third graphical images, comprising an indicator to indicate that all desired lesions have been formed at the level, and further generating a marker that directs the user to the next lesion level to be treated and that is updated as successive lesion levels are treated.