Abstract: A balloon is provided for selectively moving an esophagus away from an ablation site. The balloon is received through an oral cavity and into the esophagus of a patient. A deflecting member is provided in the tube, the balloon, or both, to selectively distort to bend the balloon and/or the tube to move the esophagus away from the ablation site. The deflecting member may comprise at least one of a strip made of a shape memory material that is responsive to the receipt of a stimulus to deflect to a predetermined shape, a strip that is made of or contains a ferrous material and that deflects in response to the presence of a magnetic field, and a selectively tensionable cable, wire, or string. The deflecting member may be supplemented by a stiffening strip that is located in the balloon and that causes the balloon to expand circumferentially and asymmetrically when inflated.

Abstract: A balloon is provided for selectively moving an esophagus away from an ablation site. The balloon is received through an oral cavity and into the esophagus of a patient. A deflecting member is provided in the tube, the balloon, or both, so as to selectively distort to bend the balloon and/or the tube to move the esophagus away from the ablation site. The deflecting member may comprise at least one of a strip made of a shape memory material that is responsive to the receipt of a stimulus to deflect to a predetermined shape, a strip that is made of or contains a ferrous material and that deflects in response to the presence of a magnetic field, and a selectively tensionable cable, wire, or string. The deflecting member may be supplemented by a stiffening strip that is located in the balloon and that causes the balloon to expand circumferentially and asymmetrically when inflated.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for selective inflation of an inflatable body, such as a balloon, received through an oral cavity and into the esophagus of a patient. The inflatable body is operably coupled to a pressurized fluid source. The inflatable body has a relatively flexible portion and a relatively inflexible portion. When pressurized fluid is delivered to the body to inflate the body, the flexible portion expands more than the inflexible portion, resulting in asymmetrical expansion and movement of the esophagus away from the ablation site to avoid accidental injury while performing a procedure on the patient's left atrium. This movement may be opposite from or directly away from the heart or, alternatively, may be sideways relative to the heart to a location in which the esophagus is interposed between the ablation site and the phrenic nerve.

Abstract: A balloon is provided for selectively moving an esophagus away from an ablation site. The balloon is received through an oral cavity and into the esophagus of a patient. A deflecting member is provided in the tube, the balloon, or both, so as to selectively distort to bend the balloon and/or the tube to move the esophagus away from the ablation site. The deflecting member may comprise at least one of a strip made of a shape memory material that is responsive to the receipt of a stimulus to deflect to a predetermined shape, a strip that is made of or contains a ferrous material and that deflects in response to the presence of a magnetic field, and a selectively tensionable cable, wire, or string. The deflecting member may be supplemented by a stiffening strip that is located in the balloon and that causes the balloon to expand circumferentially and asymmetrically when inflated.

Abstract: A device and system are disclosed for selective inflation of an inflatable body, such as a balloon, received through an oral cavity and into the esophagus of a patient. The inflatable body is operably coupled to a pressurized fluid source. The inflatable body has a relatively flexible portion and a relatively inflexible portion. When pressurized fluid is delivered to the body to inflate the body, the flexible portion expands more than the inflexible portion, resulting in asymmetrical expansion and movement of the esophagus away from the ablation site to avoid accidental injury while performing a procedure on the patient's left atrium. This movement may be opposite from or directly away from the heart or, alternatively, may be sideways relative to the heart to a location in which the esophagus is interposed between the ablation site and the phrenic nerve.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for selective inflation of an inflatable body, such as a balloon, received through an oral cavity and into the esophagus of a patient. The inflatable body is operably coupled to a pressurized fluid source. The inflatable body has a relatively flexible portion and a relatively inflexible portion. When pressurized fluid is delivered to the body to inflate the body, the flexible portion expands more than the inflexible portion, resulting in asymmetrical expansion and movement of the esophagus away from the ablation site to avoid accidental injury while performing a procedure on the patient's left atrium. This movement may be opposite from or directly away from the heart or, alternatively, may be sideways relative to the heart to a location in which the esophagus is interposed between the ablation site and the phrenic nerve.

Abstract: A device and method for cardiac pacing is disclosed in which anodal pacing of the left ventricle is provided. Anodal pacing occurs when an anodal surface area is sufficiently small to create an area of hyper-polarization of the myocardial cell membrane. This creates a virtual cathode at a location remote from the anode. The virtual cathode results in depolarization of the heart in a manner similar to the virtual cathode at the true fixed cathode. In addition a device and method for summation anodal pacing is provided in which one anode is common between two or more cathodes. This results in hyperpolarization of a larger segment of the myocardium as compared to non-summation anodal pacing and thereby forms a larger virtual electrode to enable capture of localized, discrete cardiac structures such as the bundle of His or the very proximal portions of the right and left bundles.

Abstract: A device and system are disclosed for selective inflation of an inflatable body, such as a balloon, received through an oral cavity and into the esophagus of a patient. The inflatable body is operably coupled to a pressurized fluid source. The inflatable body has a relatively flexible portion and a relatively inflexible portion. When pressurized fluid is delivered to the body to inflate the body, the flexible portion expands more than the inflexible portion, resulting in asymmetrical expansion and movement of the esophagus away from the ablation site to avoid accidental injury while performing a procedure on the patient's left atrium. This movement may be opposite from or directly away from the heart or, alternatively, may be sideways relative to the heart to a location in which the esophagus is interposed between the ablation site and the phrenic nerve. The supplied fluid may be radio-opaque liquid to allow for imaging thereof to assist in positioning the balloon.

Abstract: A double catheter includes an outer, resilient catheter having shape memory and a hook-shaped distal end, an inner, pliable catheter slidably disposed in the outer catheter and of greater length than the outer catheter so that a distal end portion of the inner catheter can be extended or retracted from a distal end opening of the outer catheter to vary the overall length of the double catheter, the inner catheter preferably having an internal lumen suitable for the introduction of contrast media, and a mechanism operable from the proximal end of the outer catheter for changing the curvature of the hook shaped distal end of the outer catheter. Such a catheter of the invention can cannulate the coronary sinus without significant manipulation.

Abstract: A double catheter includes an outer, resilient catheter having shape memory and a hook-shaped distal end, an inner, pliable catheter slidably disposed in the outer catheter and of greater length than the outer catheter so that a distal end portion of the inner catheter can be extended or retracted from a distal end opening of the outer catheter to vary the overall length of the double catheter, the inner catheter preferably having an internal lumen suitable for the introduction of contrast media, and a mechanism operable from the proximal end of the outer catheter for changing the curvature of the hook shaped distal end of the outer catheter. Such a catheter of the invention can cannulate the coronary sinus without significant manipulation.