Abstract: Methods and devices for bonding a balloon assembly, such as a balloon assembly including an inner balloon and an outer balloon, to a catheter shaft are disclosed. In some cases, a proximal waist of the inner balloon may be bonded to an interior surface of an outer tubular member of the catheter shaft and a proximal waist of the outer balloon may be bonded to an exterior surface of the outer tubular member. In other cases, the proximal waist of the inner balloon may be bonded to a reduced diameter portion of the outer tubular member of the catheter shaft and the proximal waist of the outer balloon may be bonded to the outer tubular member, such as a non-reduced outer diameter portion of the outer tubular member.

Abstract: Methods and devices for bonding a balloon assembly, such as a balloon assembly including an inner balloon and an outer balloon, to a catheter shaft are disclosed. In some cases, a proximal waist of the inner balloon may be bonded to an interior surface of an outer tubular member of the catheter shaft and a proximal waist of the outer balloon may be bonded to an exterior surface of the outer tubular member. In other cases, the proximal waist of the inner balloon may be bonded to a reduced diameter portion of the outer tubular member of the catheter shaft and the proximal waist of the outer balloon may be bonded to the outer tubular member, such as a non-reduced outer diameter portion of the outer tubular member.

Abstract: An apparatus for ablating body tissue is provided that is particularly adapted for creating both linear and point lesions in the endocardium. The apparatus comprises an elongate tubular member having a tip electrode and an ablation section mounted thereon. The ablation section includes one or more spaced electrodes, a fluid permeable foam material, and a fluid impermeable covering having a plurality of holes formed in it. The flow of conductive fluid to the ablation section during use allows contact to be maintained between the electrodes and the tissue to be ablated so as to minimize the formation of lesion breaks. The conductive fluid also serves to cool the tip electrode during its use by delivering the fluid to the tip electrode before routing it to the ablation section. In preferred embodiments, use of a shape wire and/or one or more pullwires allows the inventive apparatus to be more easily manipulated during the ablation procedure.