Abstract: Medical devices, systems and methods for occluding a left atrial appendage of a heart with an implantable medical device and three-dimensional imaging. In one embodiment, the imaging is facilitated with a controller coupled to one or more magnetic field generators and a display, the one or more magnetic field generators configured to generate a magnetic field within the anatomy of a patient and the display provides the imaging and display information thereon. The medical system also includes a medical device delivery system for delivering the implantable medical device. The medical device includes one or more magnetic field location sensors therewith that are operatively coupled to the controller. With this arrangement, the sensors are sized and configured to facilitate providing the three-dimensional imaging within the heart that is viewable on the display to assist a physician to safely and effectively implant the medical device.

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 90W applied to tissue for approximately four (4) second increments with a break period of approximately 4 seconds between applications.

Abstract: An ablation catheter adapted for use with a guide wire has a 3-D shaped portion that carries ring electrodes for ablating a vessel or tubular region, including the renal artery. The 3-D shaped portion, for example, a helical portion, enables the ring electrodes to contact an inner surface of the vessel at a plurality of locations at different depths along the vessel to form a conduction block without forming a closed conduction loop which would otherwise increase the risk of stenosis of the vessel. In one embodiment, the catheter has a lumen with entry and exit ports to allow the guide wire to pass through the lumen but bypass the 3-D shaped portion. In another embodiment, the catheter has outer bands providing side tunnels through which the guide wire can pass through.

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: A method for the treatment of a patient for the purpose of lowering blood pressure and/or treating other medical conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias. A catheter having an ablation element is placed inside the body of a patient and is directed to a targeted location either on in the abdominal aorta where the right or left renal arteries branch from the aorta at or near the superior junction or ostia or on the inside of the inferior vena cava near the junction with the right renal vein or in the left renal vein at a position spatially near where the left renal artery branches from the abdominal aorta. Catheters designed for use in the method where these targeted locations are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of a patient for the purpose of lowering blood pressure and/or treating other medical conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias. A catheter having an ablation element is placed inside the body of a patient and is directed to a targeted location either on in the abdominal aorta where the right or left renal arteries branch from the aorta at or near the superior junction or ostia or on the inside of the inferior vena cava near the junction with the right renal vein or in the left renal vein at a position spatially near where the left renal artery branches from the abdominal aorta. Catheters designed for use in the method where these targeted locations are also disclosed and claimed.

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 90W applied to tissue for approximately four (4) second increments with a break period of approximately 4 seconds between applications.

Abstract: An ablation catheter system for drug refractory symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). The system can include an elongated body; an electrode assembly comprising a shell configured with an inner chamber and a wall defining a proximal portion and a distal portion, the wall of the distal portion having at least one aperture; and a micro-element extending through the inner chamber between the proximal portion and the distal portion, the micro-element having a distal end received in the at least one aperture, the distal end being at least coextensive with an outer surface of the wall. The system is configured to achieve acute procedural PVI success for all patients of a predetermined patient population suffering from PAF.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of a patient for the purpose of lowering blood pressure and/or treating other medical conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias. A catheter having an ablation element is placed inside the body of a patient and is directed to a targeted location either on in the abdominal aorta where the right or left renal arteries branch from the aorta at or near the superior junction or ostia or on the inside of the inferior vena cava near the junction with the right renal vein or in the left renal vein at a position spatially near where the left renal artery branches from the abdominal aorta. Catheters designed for use in the method where these targeted locations are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: An ablation catheter adapted for use with a guide wire has a 3-D shaped portion that carries ring electrodes for ablating a vessel or tubular region, including the renal artery. The 3-D shaped portion, for example, a helical portion, enables the ring electrodes to contact an inner surface of the vessel at a plurality of locations at different depths along the vessel to form a conduction block without forming a closed conduction loop which would otherwise increase the risk of stenosis of the vessel. In one embodiment, the catheter has a lumen with entry and exit ports to allow the guide wire to pass through the lumen but bypass the 3-D shaped portion. In another embodiment, the catheter has outer bands providing side tunnels through which the guide wire can pass through.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of a patient for the purpose of lowering blood pressure and/or treating other medical conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias. A catheter having an ablation element is placed inside the body of a patient and is directed to a targeted location either on in the abdominal aorta where the right or left renal arteries branch from the aorta at or near the superior junction or ostia or on the inside of the inferior vena cava near the junction with the right renal vein or in the left renal vein at a position spatially near where the left renal artery branches from the abdominal aorta. Catheters designed for use in the method where these targeted locations are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: An ablation catheter adapted for use with a guide wire has a 3-D shaped portion that carries ring electrodes for ablating a vessel or tubular region, including the renal artery. The 3-D shaped portion, for example, a helical portion, enables the ring electrodes to contact an inner surface of the vessel at a plurality of locations at different depths along the vessel to form a conduction block without forming a closed conduction loop which would otherwise increase the risk of stenosis of the vessel. In one embodiment, the catheter has a lumen with entry and exit ports to allow the guide wire to pass through the lumen but bypass the 3-D shaped portion. In another embodiment, the catheter has outer bands providing side tunnels through which the guide wire can pass through.

Abstract: An ablation system observes and monitors ablation parameters, including temperature, impedance, and/or the system's own closed-loop response to these ablation parameters. The system comprises a catheter with electrodes and a detection circuitry configured to detect an ablation parameter for each electrode, a controller coupled to the catheter, the controller having a processing unit and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to: receive a detected ablation parameter for each electrode from the detection circuitry, determine when a detected ablation parameter violates a defined ablation parameter for each electrode, control a power supplied to each violating electrode to have a reduced power, detect a rate of power reduction for each violating electrode, and stop the power supplied to each violating electrode when a respective detected rate of power reduction exceeds a threshold rate of power reduction.

Abstract: An ablation catheter adapted for use with a guide wire has a 3-D shaped portion that carries ring electrodes for ablating a vessel or tubular region, including the renal artery. The 3-D shaped portion, for example, a helical portion, enables the ring electrodes to contact an inner surface of the vessel at a plurality of locations at different depths along the vessel to form a conduction block without forming a closed conduction loop which would otherwise increase the risk of stenosis of the vessel. In one embodiment, the catheter has a lumen with entry and exit ports to allow the guide wire to pass through the lumen but bypass the 3-D shaped portion. In another embodiment, the catheter has outer bands providing side tunnels through which the guide wire can pass through.

Abstract: An ablation system observes and monitors ablation parameters, including temperature, impedance, and/or the system's own closed-loop response to these ablation parameters in delivery of power to one or more ablation electrodes, including cessation of power delivery to one or more electrodes while maintaining power delivery to one or more other electrodes.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of a patient for the purpose of lowering blood pressure and/or treating other medical conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias. A catheter having an ablation element is placed inside the body of a patient and is directed to a targeted location either on in the abdominal aorta where the right or left renal arteries branch from the aorta at or near the superior junction or ostia or on the inside of the inferior vena cava near the junction with the right renal vein or in the left renal vein at a position spatially near where the left renal artery branches from the abdominal aorta. Catheters designed for use in the method where these targeted locations are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of a patient for the purpose of lowering blood pressure and/or treating other medical conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias. A catheter having an ablation element is placed inside the body of a patient and is directed to a targeted location either on in the abdominal aorta where the right or left renal arteries branch from the aorta at or near the superior junction or ostia or on the inside of the inferior vena cava near the junction with the right renal vein or in the left renal vein at a position spatially near where the left renal artery branches from the abdominal aorta. Catheters designed for use in the method where these targeted locations are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of a patient for the purpose of lowering blood pressure and/or treating other medical conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias. A catheter having an ablation element is placed inside the body of a patient and is directed to a targeted location either on in the abdominal aorta where the right or left renal arteries branch from the aorta at or near the superior junction or ostia or on the inside of the inferior vena cava near the junction with the right renal vein or in the left renal vein at a position spatially near where the left renal artery branches from the abdominal aorta. Catheters designed for use in the method where these targeted locations are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A mapping catheter comprises a catheter body and a mapping assembly. The catheter body has an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The mapping assembly comprises a generally straight proximal region attached to the catheter body, a generally circular main region distal the proximal region having an outer circumference, and a generally straight distal region distal the main region. The mapping assembly also comprises a support member having shape-memory, a non-conductive covering over the support member, and a plurality of electrodes on the non-conductive covering along the generally circular main region.

Abstract: An irrigation ablation probe comprises a generally rigid probe body and a handle mounted to the proximal end of the probe body. The generally rigid probe body comprises an ablation electrode at its distal end having at least one irrigation opening through which fluid can pass. An infusion tube extends through the probe body for introducing fluid into the ablation electrode. The irrigation ablation probe is useful for treating atrial fibrillation during open heart surgery.