Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example method may include a method for treating a patient having congestive heart failure. The method may include positioning an expandable balloon in a renal artery of the patient. The expandable balloon may include a plurality of electrode assemblies. At least some of the electrode assemblies each may include at least two bipolar electrode pairs. The two bipolar electrode pairs may be longitudinally and circumferentially offset from one another. The method may also include expanding the balloon in the renal artery such that at least some of the bipolar electrode pairs are electrically coupled to a wall of the renal artery and energizing at least some of the bipolar electrode pairs so as to therapeutically alter at least one nerve proximate the renal artery to treat the patient's congestive heart failure.

Abstract: A catheter and catheter system for treatment of a blood vessel of a patient include an elongate flexible catheter body with a radially expandable structure. A plurality of electrodes or other electrosurgical energy delivery surfaces can radially engage material to be treated when the structure expands. A material detector near the distal end of the catheter body may measure circumferential material distribution, and a power source selectively energizes the electrodes to eccentrically treat of a body lumen.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example method may include a method for treating tissue near a body passageway using an apparatus including a catheter having a plurality of electrodes, a radio-frequency energy generator, and a controller coupling the energy generator to the plurality of electrodes and configured to selectively energize the electrodes. The method may include using the apparatus to subject the tissue near the body passageway to a plurality of energy treatment cycles. The treatment cycle may include determining desired voltages for at least a subset of the electrodes for maintaining a predetermined target temperature profile proximate the subset of electrodes, setting an output voltage of the energy generator to correspond to the desired voltage determined for one of the electrodes, and energizing at least some of the electrodes at the output voltage to deliver energy to the body passageway.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example device may include an expandable balloon including an outer surface. At least one flexible circuit may be mounted on the outer surface of the expandable balloon. The at least one flexible circuit may include a first insulating layer, at least one heat sensing device positioned at least partially within the first insulating layer, a conductive layer above the first insulating layer, at least a portion of which is electrically coupled to the heat sensing device, a second insulating layer above the conductive layer, and at least one electrode associated with the conductive layer.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for treating diseased tissue by gentle heating. The method induces vasodilation on tissue disposed about an lumen having both healthy tissue and diseased tissue. The method includes coupling a probe surface to the luminal tissue at a target location and transmitting desired quantities of tissue remodeling energy from the coupled probe into each of a plurality of discrete remodeling zones in the luminal tissue so that the tissue remodeling energy heats the plurality of remodeling zones, the remodeling energy being configured to avoid muscular contraction and inhibit both acute and long-term occlusion of the lumen.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example method may include a method for treating a patient having congestive heart failure. The method may include positioning an expandable balloon in a renal artery of the patient. The expandable balloon may include a plurality of electrode assemblies. At least some of the electrode assemblies each may include at least two bipolar electrode pairs. The two bipolar electrode pairs may be longitudinally and circumferentially offset from one another. The method may also include expanding the balloon in the renal artery such that at least some of the bipolar electrode pairs are electrically coupled to a wall of the renal artery and energizing at least some of the bipolar electrode pairs so as to therapeutically alter at least one nerve proximate the renal artery to treat the patient's congestive heart failure.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example device may include an expandable balloon including an outer surface. At least one flexible circuit may be mounted on the outer surface of the expandable balloon. The at least one flexible circuit may include a first insulating layer, at least one heat sensing device positioned at least partially within the first insulating layer, a conductive layer above the first insulating layer, at least a portion of which is electrically coupled to the heat sensing device, a second insulating layer above the conductive layer, and at least one electrode associated with the conductive layer.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example medical device may include a catheter shaft. An expandable member may be coupled to the catheter shaft. A plurality of flexible electrode assemblies may be coupled to the expandable member. A control unit may be coupled to the electrode assemblies. The control unit may be configured to energize the electrode assemblies for approximately 10 seconds to less than approximately 1 minute.

Abstract: A catheter and catheter system for eccentric remodeling and/or removal of atherosclerotic material of a blood vessel of a patient include an elongate flexible catheter body with a radially expandable structure. A plurality of electrodes or other electrosurgical energy delivery surfaces can radially engage atherosclerotic material when the structure expands. An atherosclerotic material detector near the distal end of the catheter body may measure circumferential atherosclerotic material distribution, and a power source selectively energizes the electrodes to eccentrically remodel the measured atherosclerotic material.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example method may include a method for heating a body tissue region adjacent to a body lumen. The method may include positioning an energy delivery portion of a catheter within the lumen and engaging the body lumen with the energy delivery portion. Engaging the body lumen may complete a plurality of circuits. The method may also include determining a pulse characteristic in response to a thermal property of a first tissue type and applying controlled pulsed electrical energy with the pulse characteristic from the energy delivery portion through the plurality of circuits.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for selective drug or fluid delivery in a lumen through a coating or fluid delivery channels. One system includes an elongate catheter having a proximal end and a distal end with an axis therebetween, the catheter having a radially expandable balloon near the distal end and an energy delivery portion proximate the balloon for transmission of energy, a thermally changeable coating having a releasable drug coupled to the balloon, the thermally changeable coating being oriented to be urged against the body tissue when the expandable balloon expands and an energy source operatively coupled to the energy delivery portion configured to energize the energy delivery portion to heat and liquefy the thermally changeable coating to release the drug to the body tissue.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for the generation and control of energy delivery in a dosage to elicit a therapeutic response in diseased tissue. A balloon catheter can have electrodes attached to a power generator and controller such that the balloon and electrodes contact tissue during energy treatment. Energy selectively may be applied to tissue based on measured impedance to achieve gentle heating. Calibration of the apparatus and identification of attached accessories by computing the circuit impedance prior to energy dosage facilitate regulation of power delivery about a set point. Energy delivery can be controlled to achieve substantially uniform bulk tissue temperature distribution. Energy delivery may beneficially affect nerve activity.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example device may include a catheter extending along a longitudinal axis. A balloon may be coupled to an end of the catheter. The balloon having a plurality of cylindrical treatment zones extending along the longitudinal axis in an expanded state. A plurality of electrode assemblies may be coupled to the balloon. Each electrode assembly may include a distal electrode pad and a proximal electrode pad.

Abstract: A catheter and catheter system for eccentric remodeling and/or removal of atherosclerotic material of a blood vessel of a patient include an elongate flexible catheter body with a radially expandable structure. A plurality of electrodes or other electrosurgical energy delivery surfaces can radially engage atherosclerotic material when the structure expands. An atherosclerotic material detector near the distal end of the catheter body may measure circumferential atherosclerotic material distribution, and a power source selectively energizes the electrodes to eccentrically remodel the measured atherosclerotic material.

Abstract: A catheter and catheter system may be used to treat disease tissue by gentle heating in combination with gentle or standard dilation. An elongate flexible catheter body with a radially expandable balloon having a plurality of electrodes engage tissue including diseased tissue when the structure expands.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example medical device may include a catheter. The catheter may include an elongate flexible catheter body. An expandable structure may be associated with the catheter body and may include a radially expandable balloon and a plurality of flexible circuits extending along an outer surface of the balloon. Each flexible circuit may include at least one electrode and at least one temperature sensor. The expandable structure may have an outer diameter of less than 4 mm when in an expanded configuration.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example method may include a method for treating tissue near a body passageway using an apparatus including a catheter having a plurality of electrodes, a radio-frequency energy generator, and a controller coupling the energy generator to the plurality of electrodes and configured to selectively energize the electrodes. The method may include using the apparatus to subject the tissue near the body passageway to a plurality of energy treatment cycles. The treatment cycle may include determining desired voltages for at least a subset of the electrodes for maintaining a predetermined target temperature profile proximate the subset of electrodes, setting an output voltage of the energy generator to correspond to the desired voltage determined for one of the electrodes, and energizing at least some of the electrodes at the output voltage to deliver energy to the body passageway.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example method may include renal-denervation treatment method. The method may include delivering an RF energy treatment to a tissue proximate a renal artery using a catheter assembly of a renal denervation catheter system. The denervation system may include an RF energy generator coupled with the catheter assembly by a controller. The method may also include applying neural activity stimulation to the tissue proximate the renal artery using the catheter assembly, assessing stimulated neural activity response of the tissue using the catheter assembly, and determining a parameter of the RF energy treatment based on the assessed neural activity.

Abstract: A catheter and catheter system can use energy tailored for remodeling and/or removal of target material along a body lumen, often of atherosclerotic material of a blood vessel of a patient. An elongate flexible catheter body with a radially expandable structure may have a plurality of electrodes or other electrosurgical energy delivery surfaces to radially engage atherosclerotic material when the structure expands. An atherosclerotic material detector system may measure and/or characterize the atherosclerotic material and its location, optionally using impedance monitoring.

Abstract: A catheter and catheter system can use energy tailored for remodeling and/or removal of target material along a body lumen, often of atherosclerotic material of a blood vessel of a patient. An elongate flexible catheter body with a radially expandable structure may have a plurality of electrodes or other electrosurgical energy delivery surfaces to radially engage atherosclerotic material when the structure expands. An atherosclerotic material detector system may measure and/or characterize the atherosclerotic material and its location, optionally using impedance monitoring.