Abstract: A method and device for modulating the autonomic nervous system adjacent a pericardial space to treat cardiac arrhythmia includes a treatment source arranged to supply a treatment medium, a catheter having an end sized for insertion into the pericardial space, a medium delivery assembly having a distal end arranged to be positioned by the catheter into the pericardium, with the distal end of the delivery assembly comprising a delivery tip arranged to extend away from the distal end of the catheter into the pericardial space. A connector operatively couples the delivery tip of the medium delivery assembly to the treatment source, and the delivery tip of the medium delivery assembly including a plurality of delivery points for delivering the treatment medium at a plurality of treatment areas within the pericardial space. The device performs modulation or ablation of the autonomic nervous system at selected treatment areas within the pericardium.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for treating pulmonary tissues via delivery of energy, generally characterized by high voltage pulses, to target tissue using a pulmonary tissue modification system (e.g., an energy delivery catheter system). Example pulmonary tissues include, without cells), lamina propria, submucosa, submucosal glands, basement membrane, smooth muscle, cartilage, nerves, pathogens resident near or within the tissue, or a combination of any of these. The system may be used to treat a variety of pulmonary diseases or disorders such as or associated with COPD (e.g., chronic bronchitis, emphysema), asthma, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), acute bronchitis and/or other pulmonary diseases or disorders.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a vapor therapy device for producing intra-uterine tissue effects. The device can include a shaft, including a proximal portion and a distal portion, a fluid-expandable medium, near the distal portion of the shaft, a fluid-delivery conduit, extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion of the shaft, the fluid-delivery conduit comprising an outlet, near the distal portion of the shaft, for delivery of the fluid toward the medium, and an in vivo heat generator, near the distal portion of the shaft, to heat the fluid. A method of treating a patient for menorrhagia with the device can include introducing a medium, in a contracted state, into a patient, delivering a fluid toward the medium to expand the medium in vivo; generating heat in vivo on or near the medium to vaporize the fluid, and exposing a treatment site to the vaporized fluid.

Abstract: Tissue treatment systems include an actuator handle assembly coupled with a clamp assembly having a first jaw mechanism and a second jaw mechanism. A first jaw mechanism includes a first flexible boot, a first flexible ablation member coupled with the first flexible boot, and a first rotatable jawbone disposed within the first flexible boot. A second jaw mechanism comprises a second flexible boot, a second flexible ablation member coupled with the second flexible boot, and a second rotatable jawbone disposed within the second flexible boot.

Abstract: Catheter systems include direction-sensitive, multi-polar tip electrode assemblies for electroporation-mediated therapy, electroporation-induced primary necrosis therapy and electric field-induced apoptosis therapy, including configurations for producing narrow, linear lesions as well as distributed, wide area lesions. A monitoring system for electroporation therapy includes a mechanism for delivering electrochromic dyes to a tissue site as well as a fiber optic arrangement to optically monitor the progress of the therapy as well as to confirm success post-therapy. A fiber optic temperature sensing electrode catheter includes a tip electrode having a cavity whose inner surface is impregnated or coated with thermochromic/thermotropic material that changes color with changes in temperature. An optic fiber/detector arrangement monitors the thermochromic or thermotropic materials, acquiring a light signal and generating an output signal indicative of the spectrum of the light signal.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods involve ablation of tissue to treat rhinitis and/or other nasal conditions. Implementations allow treatment of tissue in the confined space of the nasal cavity. Additionally, implementations allow targeted treatment tissue to be ablated, while protecting other non-treatment tissue from unintentional collateral effects that might be produced by the ablation. According to an example implementation, an approach for treating a nasal condition includes advancing a probe into a nasal cavity, the probe including a shaft and a cryotherapy element coupled to the shaft. The approach also includes cryogenically cooling a target treatment site with the cryotherapy element to treat at least one nasal nerve. Additionally, the approach includes transmitting a focused ultrasound beam to a target heating site to increase a temperature tissue at the target heating site.

Abstract: Devices and methods for delivering fluid to tissue during ablation therapy are described herein. An exemplary device can include an elongate body having an inner lumen, outlet ports, and an ablation element configured to heat tissue. A flow resistance of the elongate body can increase along a length of the elongate body containing the outlet ports in a proximal to distal direction. This can be accomplished by, for example, varying outlet port size or relative spacing, decreasing a cross-sectional area of the inner lumen through which fluid can flow using a flow diverter or tapered inner lumen sidewalls, or limiting a ratio between a total area of the outlet ports and a cross-sectional area of the inner lumen. Adjusting flow resistance of the elongate body can provide more uniform fluid distribution or a desired non-uniform distribution.

Abstract: A method is provided for treating chronic piriformis muscle inflammation, commonly referred to as piriformis syndrome. The method includes percutaneous advancing an electrocautery probe through an incision at the back of the buttock, and navigating the probe under medical imaging toward a proximal end of a femur bone adjacent the greater trochanter. The probe is activated to cut the piriformis muscle or piriformis muscle insertion tendon at or adjacent the greater trochanter of the proximal femur to free the muscle and permanently alleviate muscle pain and tenderness.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device assembly and a method for treating heart failure by normalizing elevated blood pressure in the left atrium of a heart of a mammal Disclosed herein is a RF energy-based transcatheter interatrial septum excision device configured to create a sized interatrial aperture between the right and left atria of a heart for the relief of elevated left atrial pressure. The device assembly comprises a delivery catheter, a tissue stabilizer attached to a tissue stabilizer catheter, a tissue cutter attached to a tissue cutter catheter, a remotely located RF generator connected to an RF cathode and anode of the device assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods for treating PKD by providing access to a patient's renal pelvis of a kidney to treat renal nerves embedded in tissue surrounding the renal pelvis. Access to the renal pelvis may be via the urinary tract or via minimally invasive incisions through the abdomen and kidney tissue. Treatment is effected by exchanging energy, typically delivering heat or extracting heat through a wall of the renal pelvis, or by delivering active substances to ablate a thin layer of tissue lining at least a portion of the renal pelvis to disrupt renal nerves within the tissue lining of the renal pelvis.

Abstract: An ablation device and method for pulsed field ablation, the device comprising a catheter including an expandable basket, a set of electrodes formed on the expandable basket, and a pulse generator suitable for generating electric pulses wherein the pulse generator being in electrical connection with the set of electrodes. The expandable basket is formed of a braided mesh of filaments, wherein the filaments are made of nonconductive material, wherein at least portion of the filaments comprises a lumen, and wherein the lumen comprises melted material, wherein the filaments further include electrodes and conductive wires. The conductive wires at least partially lead inside of the lumen of the filaments, and are electrically connected to the electrodes.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for electroporation ablation therapy are disclosed herein, with a cinch device for positioning an ablation catheter relative to tissue during a cardiac ablation procedure. In some embodiments, a distal end of a first device may be advanced into a proximal end of a first lumen of a second device. The first device may be advanced from a distal end of the first lumen and the first device may be looped around tissue of a patient. The first device may be advanced into a distal end of a second lumen of the second device. The distal end of the first device may be advanced from a proximal end of the second lumen. The proximal and distal ends of the first device may be advanced away from a proximal end of the second device to increase contact between the first device and the tissue.

Abstract: The invention disclosed here generally relates to devices used to identify the location of a never in order to modify a property of the nerve. Specifically, the invention utilized pre-operative scans of a patient's nasal cavity in order to identify target treatment locations when a nerve to be treated is located. The image of the nasal cavity and target treatment location can be registered with the real time position of the nasal cavity using a surgical navigation system in order to assist in guiding a surgical probe to the target treatment location.

Abstract: The devices and method described herein allow for therapeutic damage to increase volume in these hyperdynamic hearts to allow improved physiology and ventricular filling and to reduce diastolic filling pressure by making the ventricle less stiff.

Abstract: Endolumenal devices and methods can be used for the treatment of health conditions including obesity and diabetes. In some embodiments, the methods and systems provided herein can cause weight loss or control diabetes by reducing the caloric absorption of an individual. For example, this document provides several devices and methods for treating obesity and diabetes by using electroporation to modulate the duodenal mucosa. In addition, this document provides devices and methods for bypassing portions of the gastrointestinal tract to reduce nutritional uptake.

Abstract: Apparatus, consisting of a power supply having a first electrical connection to a relatively high voltage source and connectable to ablation circuitry in a catheter via a second electrical connection. There are rechargeable first and second subsidiary power sources in the power supply. The apparatus also has a control unit, and a first switch alternately connecting the ablation circuitry to the first and second subsidiary power sources responsively to control signals from the control unit. The apparatus also has a second switch alternately connecting one of the first and second subsidiary power sources to the high voltage source for recharging thereof responsively to the control signals while the one of the first and second subsidiary power sources is disconnected from the ablation circuitry and another of the first and second subsidiary power sources is connected to the ablation circuitry by the first switch.

Abstract: A method of treating tissue of a patient's body includes providing a power source coupled to at least one probe assembly. The probe assembly includes an elongate member with a distal region and a proximal region. The distal region has an electrically and thermally-conductive energy delivery device for delivering one of electrical and radiofrequency energy to the patient's body. The electrically and thermally-conductive energy delivery device has one or more internal lumens for circulating a cooling fluid therethrough and an electrically and thermally-conductive protrusion having a temperature sensing element. The temperature sensing element extends from a distal end of the energy delivery device. The method includes inserting the energy delivery device of the at least one probe assembly into the patient's body. Further, the method includes routing the energy delivery device of the at least one probe assembly to the tissue of the patient's body.

Abstract: An ablation system for treating tissue in a patient's body includes an energy source, one or more probes connected to the energy source, and a controller communicatively coupled to one or more probes. Each of the probes includes an elongate member having a distal region with an electrically non-conductive outer circumferential portion and a proximal region. The probes further include an electrically conductive energy delivery device extending distally from the electrically non-conductive outer circumferential portion. The controller includes one or more processors and one or more memory devices. The one or more memory devices are configured to store computer-readable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations that include detecting a number of probes connected to the energy source and allocating a portion of the predetermined power supply to each of the probes.

Abstract: A method for treating Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or chronic bronchitis to alleviate the discomforts of breathing by using non-thermal electroporation energy to ablate diseased portions of the lung including the bronchus, airways and alveoli which, in effect, opens the restrictive diseased portions thereby maximizing the overall surface area thereof causing improved airflow and uninhibited breathing.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems, apparatus, and methods for creating a shunt in a patient. In some embodiments, a shunting catheter includes an expandable ablation mechanism having a plurality of expandable struts and a plurality of positioning elements coupled to the plurality of expandable struts. The positioning elements are configured to be disposed radially outwardly from the expandable struts. The ablation mechanism is configured to receive energy from an energy source and deliver ablation energy to a target location of a patient.