Abstract: In one embodiment, a catheter apparatus is configured to be inserted into a body part of a living subject, and including an elongated deflectable element including a distal end, an expandable basket assembly disposed at the distal end and comprising a plurality of splines and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the splines, an irrigation channel disposed in the elongated deflectable element, and an inflatable balloon disposed in the expandable basket assembly and including a plurality of irrigation holes in fluid connection with the irrigation channel.

Abstract: A catheter includes a shaft, an expandable frame, a first set of electrodes, and a second set of electrodes. The shaft is configured for insertion into an organ of a patient. The expandable frame is fitted at a distal end of the shaft. The first set of electrodes is disposed over a distal portion of the expandable frame, and configured to be placed in contact with a tissue in the organ. The second set of electrodes is disposed on a proximal portion of the expandable frame, and configured to be inter-connected to form a common electrode.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a shaft and a folding fan catheter. The shaft is configured for insertion through a sheath into a cavity of an organ of a patient. The folding fan catheter is fixed to a distal end of the shaft and includes (a) a resilient foldable frame, which is fixed to the distal end of the shaft and is configured to be unfolded so as to assume a fan shape, (b) one or more flexible surfaces, coupled to the frame to form a fan-shaped surface when the frame is unfolded, and (c) a plurality of electrodes that are disposed over the one or more flexible surfaces and are configured to contact tissue.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification system includes a phacoemulsification probe and one or more signal generators. The phacoemulsification probe includes (i) a piezoelectric actuator, (ii) a segmented electrode, including multiple electrode segments attached to respective angular sections of a face of the piezoelectric actuator, (iii) a common ground electrode attached to the piezoelectric actuator, and (iv) a needle configured to be inserted into a lens capsule of an eye and to be vibrated by the piezoelectric actuator. The one or more signal generators are configured to vibrate the piezoelectric actuator by applying multiple drive signals between the multiple respective electrode segments and the common ground electrode.

Abstract: A catheter includes a shaft for insertion into an organ of a patient, and an expandable distal-end assembly, which is coupled to the shaft and to an apex of the catheter, and includes multiple splines. In at least a given spline among the multiple splines, at least sixty percent of a length of the given spline is non-insulated and is configured to make contact with tissue of the organ and to apply radiofrequency (RF) pulses to the tissue.

Abstract: A catheter includes a shaft for insertion into an organ of a patient, an expandable distal-end assembly, and one or more electrodes. The expandable distal-end assembly is coupled to the shaft and to an apex of the catheter, and includes multiple splines. In at least a given spline among the multiple splines, at least sixty percent of a length of the given spline is non-insulated and is configured to make contact with tissue of the organ and to apply radiofrequency (RF) pulses to the tissue. The one or more electrodes are coupled to at least one of (i) an insulated section of one or more of the splines, and (II) the apex, and, when placed in contact with the tissue, the one or more electrodes are configured to sense electrical signals in the tissue.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical system includes a catheter configured to be inserted into a body part of a living subject, and including a deflectable element having a distal end, an expandable distal end assembly disposed at the distal end of the deflectable element, and comprising a plurality of assembly electrodes, and configured to expand from a collapsed form to an expanded deployed form, a proximal electrode disposed at the distal end of the deflectable element proximally to the expandable distal end assembly, and extending circumferentially around the deflectable element, at least one electrical connection configured to electrically connect together at least two of the assembly electrodes to act as a combined assembly electrode, and an ablation power generator configured to be connected to the catheter, and apply an electrical signal between the combined assembly electrode and a selected electrode.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical system includes a catheter to be inserted into a body part, and including an elongated deflectable element including a distal end, a proximal coupler connected to the distal end, an expandable assembly comprising flexible polymer circuit strips, each flexible polymer circuit strip including strip electrodes and a respective contact pad disposed thereon, the flexible polymer circuit strips having respective proximal ends connected to, and disposed circumferentially around, the proximal coupler, and surface mountable electrodes electrically connected to respective ones of the flexible polymer circuit strips, wherein each surface mountable electrode is electrically connected to the respective contact pad of a respective one of the flexible polymer circuit strips using at least one electrically conductive retainer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical system includes a catheter configured to be inserted into a body part of a living subject, and including an elongated deflectable element including a distal end, a proximal coupler connected to the distal end, an expandable assembly comprising a plurality of flexible polymer circuit strips, the flexible polymer circuit strips having respective proximal ends connected to, and disposed circumferentially around, the proximal coupler, respective ones of the flexible polymer circuit strips including respective multiple strip electrodes, respective contact arrays disposed at the respective proximal ends, and respective multiple circuit traces electrically connecting the respective multiple strip electrodes with the respective contact arrays, and a plurality of surface mountable electrodes mounted on, and bulging over respective ones of the flexible polymer circuit strips.

Abstract: A medical probe, including a flexible insertion tube having proximal and distal ends, and a basket assembly at the distal end of the flexible insertion tube. In embodiments of the present invention, the basket assembly includes a plurality of spines and a plurality of electrodes, each of the electrodes having a lumen therethrough fitting a given spine.

Abstract: A catheter apparatus includes an elongated deflectable element including a distal end, a coupler connected to the distal end, a pusher including a distal portion, and configured to be advanced and retracted through the deflectable element, and an expandable assembly including flexible polymer circuit strips, each strip including electrodes disposed thereon. The strips can be configured to bow radially outward when the pusher is retracted expanding the expandable assembly from a collapsed form to an expanded form. A covering can at least partially enclose the flexible polymer circuit strip and the multiple electrodes. The covering can include a plurality of apertures at each electrode so that a portion of the conductive surface of each electrode is exposed through each aperture.

Abstract: A catheter includes an expandable frame for insertion into an organ of a patient, one or more first electrodes, and a second electrode. The one or more first electrodes are disposed on the expandable frame at one or more first positions for placing in contact with a target tissue of the organ, and are configured to perform one or both of: (i) sensing one or more electrical signals from the target tissue, and (ii) applying one or more ablation pulses to the target tissue. The second electrode is disposed within an internal volume of the expandable frame, at a second position that is not in contact with the target tissue while the one or more first electrodes contact the target tissue, and is configured to serve as a return or common electrode for the electrical signals.

Abstract: A balloon catheter includes a shaft, a balloon made of an expandable membrane, a flexible substrate, one or more electrodes, and one or more radiopaque flags. The shaft is configured for insertion into a heart of a patient. The balloon is fitted at a distal end of the shaft. The flexible substrate is disposed on the membrane. The one or more electrodes are disposed over the flexible substrate and have a fishbone configuration. The one or more radiopaque flags are coupled to the expandable membrane, wherein the one or more radiopaque flags include a serpentine pattern so that the radiopaque flags fold in conformance with flexible substrate as the balloon is collapsed into a compressed or folded configuration.

Abstract: A medical probe, including a flexible insertion tube having a proximal segment and a deflectable distal segment, and containing first and second lumens running longitudinally through the insertion tube, wherein the first and second lumens are twisted around each other in the proximal segment, and run parallel to each other in the deflectable distal segment. The medical probe also includes first and second wires running respectively through the first and second lumens and having respective first and second distal ends, which are anchored within the deflectable distal segment of the insertion tube.

Abstract: A system includes a catheter and an IRE pulse generator. The catheter includes an expandable frame fitted at a distal end thereof, the expandable frame including multiple electrodes configured to be placed in contact with a tissue in an organ of a patient, wherein a lateral distance between neighboring edges of any pair of adjacent electrodes is uniform along a longitudinal axis, and wherein the electrodes are configured to apply irreversible electroporation (IRE) pulses to tissue between pairs of the electrodes. The IRE pulse generator is configured to generate the IRE pulses.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification device includes a phacoemulsification probe and a processor. The phacoemulsification probe includes a piezoelectric crystal configured to vibrate in response to a drive signal, a needle configured to be inserted into a lens capsule of an eye and to be vibrated by the piezoelectric crystal, and a set of magnetic-field components. The set includes (i) one or more magnetic-field generators configured to generate a magnetic field, and (ii) one or more magnetic-field sensors configured to sense the magnetic field. At least one of the magnetic-field components is coupled to vibrate with the needle and at least one other of the magnetic-field components is isolated from vibration of the needle, thereby causing the magnetic-field sensors to output signals indicative of the vibration. The processor is configured to adaptively adjust a frequency of the drive signal so as to vibrate the needle at a resonant frequency of the piezoelectric crystal.

Abstract: A method that includes selectively positioning an ablation catheter system at a treatment site; and ablating tissue at the treatment site with the ablation catheter system using a power setting of approximately 90 W applied to tissue for approximately four (4) second increments with a break period of approximately 4 seconds between applications.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical system includes a catheter configured to be inserted into a body part of a living subject, and including a deflectable element having a distal end, an expandable distal end assembly disposed at the distal end of the deflectable element, and comprising a plurality of electrodes, a distal portion, and a proximal portion, and configured to expand from a collapsed form to an expanded deployed form, and a stretchable irrigation tube disposed between the distal portion and the proximal portion, and comprising a plurality of irrigation holes, and configured to stretch longitudinally when the distal end assembly is collapsed from the expanded deployed form to the collapsed form.

Abstract: Ablation apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an ablation electrode shaped to define a cavity thereof, and comprising a metallic distal face that is shaped to define a plurality of apertures. A fluid-delivery channel is configured to deliver fluid to the apertures. At least one ultrasound transducer is disposed within the cavity of the ablation electrode, the transducer being configured to transmit an ultrasound wave through the apertures. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: The subject of this disclosure includes an ablation system for visually supporting a tissue ablation procedure, including a display comprising a user interface; and at least one processor in communication with the display, the at least one processor configured to control one or more of a plurality of electrodes of a radiofrequency balloon catheter to ablate organ tissues of one or more targeted pulmonary veins; determine a characteristic, based on ablation parameters of the radiofrequency balloon catheter, of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) success rate; and present, on the display, visual information corresponding to each electrode for an indication, based on the characteristic, for PVI success rate.