Medical device and method for preventing adhesions

Abstract

Methods and devices for treatment of a uterine cavity to prevent adhesions following a surgical intervention.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a uterine cavity following a medical procedure therein, the method comprising:
 deploying a device within the uterine cavity in a delivery profile, the device having a contact surface carrying a first pharmacological agent;   expanding the device to cause the contact surface to move into an expanded profile where the contact surface engages a surface of the uterine cavity to tamponade a bleeding at the surface of the uterine cavity and such that the first pharmacological agent releases from the contact surface into the surface of the uterine cavity over a first interval;   collapsing the device to a collapsed profile to provide a barrier between uterine cavity surfaces wherein a second pharmacological agent releases from the contact surfaces over a second interval; and   removing the device after the second interval.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the second interval begin after the first interval ends. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first pharmacological agent is selected from a group constating of a hemostatic agent, an analgesic agent, an anti-cramping agent, and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second pharmacological agent is selected from a group consisting of an anti-adhesion agent, an analgesic agent, an anti-cramping agent, and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the uterine cavity comprises an area of damaged produced by a therapeutic procedure. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the area of damaged tissue is produced by a procedure selected form a group consisting of resection, curettage and ablation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein deploying the device includes trans-cervically introducing an elongate introducer into the uterine cavity and deploying the device from a passageway in the elongate introducer. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein deploying the device includes allowing a spring-like element in the device to expand the device to a triangular shape in the uterine cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein deploying the device includes removing introducer from a uterus and a cervix and leaving a tether extending through a cervical canal, where the tether is connected to the device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein expanding the device includes inflating the device with a fluid injected through a lumen of a tether coupled to an interior chamber of the device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising maintaining the device in the expanded profile for the first interval by sealing the lumen of the tether. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein sealing the lumen of the tether comprises actuating a stop mechanism in a portion of the tether outside the uterine cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein releasing the device comprises actuating the stop mechanism to unseal the lumen. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first interval comprises 24 hours or less. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second interval comprises 28 days from an end of the first interval. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising injecting at least one additional pharmacological agent through a second tether channel into the uterine cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing the device from the uterine cavity after the second interval. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein removing the device comprises pulling a tether coupled to the device outwardly from a cervical canal and uterine cavity. 
     
     
         19 . A device configured for temporary implantation in a uterine cavity following a medical procedure therein, the device comprising:
 a tissue contacting structure being moveable between a deployment configuration, a collapsed, configuration, and an expanded configuration in which the tissue contacting structure engages a surface of the uterine cavity;   where the tissue contacting structure comprises a thin film member disposed around a spring element; and   at least one pharmacological agent located on or in the thin film member and configured to be releasable from a surface of the thin film member over a time release interval.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein a pharmacological agent is a hemostatic agent. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein a pharmacological agent is selected from a group of an anti-inflammatory agent, an analgesic, an anti-cramping agent or an anti-adhesion agent. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the thin film member has a fluid tight interior chamber to allow inflation of the thin film member. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 19 , further comprising an elongated tether couple to the device. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , where the elongated tether has an inflation balloon therein adapted for coupling to an inflation source.