Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of placing material in both canals of Fallopian tubes open to the uterine cavity of a uterus with an expandable balloon assembly comprising: introducing the balloon assembly into the uterine cavity, expanding the balloon assembly into engagement with the inside side walls of the uterus and spaced from the inside top wall of the uterus, discharging material into the uterine cavity between the expanded balloon assembly and the inside top wall of the uterus, further expanding the balloon assembly into engagement with the top inside wall of the uterus dividing the material into two portions and forcing one portion into one canal with one part of the balloon assembly and the other portion into the other canal with the other portion of the balloon assembly, contracting the balloon assembly, and removing the contracted balloon assembly from the uterine cavity.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
141 words
A method of placing material in both canals of Fallopian tubes open to the uterine cavity of a uterus with an expandable balloon assembly comprising: introducing the balloon assembly into the uterine cavity, expanding the balloon assembly into engagement with the inside side walls of the uterus and spaced from the inside top wall of the uterus, discharging material into the uterine cavity between the expanded balloon assembly and the inside top wall of the uterus, further expanding the balloon assembly into engagement with the top inside wall of the uterus dividing the material into two portions and forcing one portion into one canal with one part of the balloon assembly and the other portion into the other canal with the other portion of the balloon assembly, contracting the balloon assembly, and removing the contracted balloon assembly from the uterine cavity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: the balloon assembly is introduced into the uterine cavity to a selected position with the balloon assembly spaced from the inside top wall of the uterus.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 2 wherein: the balloon assembly is held in the selected position during the discharge of material in the uterine cavity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: the balloon assembly during the further expansion thereof initially engages the central section of the inside top wall of the uterus dividing the uterine cavity into two parts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 including: discharging a second material into the uterine cavity before the balloon assembly is contracted.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of placing material in both canals of Fallopian tubes open to the uterine cavity with an expandable sleeve member comprising: introducing the sleeve member into the uterine cavity, expanding the sleeve member into engagement with the inside side walls and top wall of the uterus to displace the uterine cavity, contracting the expanded sleeve member to move the sleeve member out of engagement with the inside top wall of the uterus, discharging material into the uterine cavity between the contracted sleeve member and the inside top wall of the uterus, expanding the sleeve member to displace the uterine cavity by moving the sleeve member into engagement with the inside top wall of the uterus thereby dividing the material into two portions and forcing one portion into one canal with one part of the sleeve member and the other portioN into the other canal with another part of the sleeve member, contracting the sleeve member, and removing the contracted sleeve member from the uterine cavity.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of placing material in both canals of Fallopian tubes open to the uterine cavity with an expandable sleeve member comprising: introducing the sleeve member into the uterine cavity, expanding the sleeve member into engagement with the inside side walls and top wall of the uterus to displace the uterine cavity, contracting the expanded sleeve member to move the sleeve member out of engagement with the inside top wall of the uterus, discharging material into the uterine cavity between the contracted sleeve member and the inside top wall of the uterus, expanding the sleeve member to displace the uterine cavity by moving the sleeve member into engagement with the inside top wall of the uterus thereby dividing the material into two portions and forcing one portion into one canal with one part of the sleeve member and the other portioN into the other canal with another part of the sleeve member, contracting the sleeve member, and removing the contracted sleeve member from the uterine cavity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 6 wherein: the sleeve member is introduced into the uterine cavity to a selected position spaced from the inside top wall of the uterus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 6 wherein: the sleeve member during the second expansion thereof to fully displace the uterine cavity initially engages the central section of the inside top wall of the uterus dividing the uterine cavity into two parts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 6 including: discharging a second material into the uterine cavity after the first material has been moved into the canals and before the sleeve member is contracted for removal from the uterine cavity.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
149 words
An apparatus for placing material in both canals of Fallopian tubes comprising: a balloon assembly having an expandable sleeve member, elongated means supporting the balloon assembly, means on the elongated means to position the balloon assembly in the uterine cavity spaced from the inside top wall of the uterus, first means operable to expand the sleeve member into engagement with the inside side walls of the uterus, second means for discharging material into the uterine cavity between the expanded sleeve member and the inside top wall of the uterus, said first means being operable to further expand the sleeve member into engagement with the inside top wall of the uterus whereby the material is divided into two separate portions, said further expansion of the sleeve member forcing one portion into one canal of one Fallopian tube and the other portion into the other canal of the other Fallopian tube.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
149 words
An apparatus for placing material in both canals of Fallopian tubes comprising: a balloon assembly having an expandable sleeve member, elongated means supporting the balloon assembly, means on the elongated means to position the balloon assembly in the uterine cavity spaced from the inside top wall of the uterus, first means operable to expand the sleeve member into engagement with the inside side walls of the uterus, second means for discharging material into the uterine cavity between the expanded sleeve member and the inside top wall of the uterus, said first means being operable to further expand the sleeve member into engagement with the inside top wall of the uterus whereby the material is divided into two separate portions, said further expansion of the sleeve member forcing one portion into one canal of one Fallopian tube and the other portion into the other canal of the other Fallopian tube.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein: the sleeve member is made of expandable tubular sheet material having low surface tension properties.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein: the means on the elongated means is an annular collar.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein: the elongated means is a tubular member connected to the first means and second means.