Abstract: A method to treat a human patient including: advancing a catheter through a natural airway of the patient and positioning a distal portion of the catheter in the natural airway of a lung of the patient to a target region in the lung, injecting a conductive hypertonic saline solution having a concentration of at least 5% of sodium chloride by weight/volume from the distal portion of the catheter into the target region; delivering energy from the distal portion into the hypertonic saline solution in the target region, wherein the energy heats the hypertonic saline solution in the target region; ablating the target region with the heated conductive hypertonic saline solution, sensing electric impedance or electric conductivity of the target region during the delivery of the energy, and controlling the rate or a bolus of the hypertonic saline solution injected into the target region based on the electric impedance or the electric conductivity.

Abstract: An ablation catheter configured to ablate tissue in a lung of a patient including: a flexible shaft that advances endobronchially into an airway of the lung and has an outer diameter of 2.0 mm or less; an ablation electrode attached to a distal portion of the flexible shaft and to deliver radiofrequency (RF) electrical current to the tissue and conductively connectable to an RF electrical energy source external to the patient; wherein an outer diameter of an assembly of the flexible shaft and the ablation electrode is no greater than 2.0 mm; a liquid outlet on the distal portion and configured to be in fluid communication with a source of hypertonic saline solution; and a first occluder attached to the flexible shaft proximal to the ablation electrode and proximal to the liquid outlet, wherein the first occluder is configured to expand to occlude the airway.

Abstract: An ablation catheter configured to ablate tissue in a lung of a patient including: a flexible shaft that advances endobronchially into an airway of the lung and has an outer diameter of 2.0 mm or less; an ablation electrode attached to a distal portion of the flexible shaft and to deliver radiofrequency (RF) electrical current to the tissue and conductively connectable to an RF electrical energy source external to the patient; wherein an outer diameter of an assembly of the flexible shaft and the ablation electrode is no greater than 2.0 mm; a liquid outlet on the distal portion and configured to be in fluid communication with a source of hypertonic saline solution; and a first occluder attached to the flexible shaft proximal to the ablation electrode and proximal to the liquid outlet, wherein the first occluder is configured to expand to occlude the airway.

Abstract: A system for treatment of a target region of lung tissue including: a flow regulator configured to be interposed between a conductive fluid source and a conductive fluid outlet positionable at or in proximity of the target region of lung tissue, the flow regulator being further configured for controlling a flow rate or a bolus quantity of conductive fluid coming from the fluid source and delivered to the conductive fluid outlet; and a controller communicatively connectable with said flow regulator and with at least one sensor, with the at least one sensor being configured for detecting values taken by at least one control parameter representative of a physical property, wherein the physical property is one of temperature (T), pressure (p), electric impedance (Z), or electric conductivity (C) of material present at or in proximity of the target region of lung tissue.

Abstract: An ablation catheter configured to ablate tissue in a lung of a patient including: a flexible shaft that advances endobronchially into an airway of the lung and has an outer diameter of 2.0 mm or less; an ablation electrode attached to a distal portion of the flexible shaft and to deliver radiofrequency (RF) electrical current to the tissue and conductively connectable to an RF electrical energy source external to the patient; wherein an outer diameter of an assembly of the flexible shaft and the ablation electrode is no greater than 2.0 mm; a liquid outlet on the distal portion and configured to be in fluid communication with a source of hypertonic saline solution; and a first occluder attached to the flexible shaft proximal to the ablation electrode and proximal to the liquid outlet, wherein the first occluder is configured to expand to occlude the airway.

Abstract: An ablation catheter configured to ablate tissue in a lung of a patient including: a flexible shaft that advances endobronchially into an airway of the lung and has an outer diameter of 2.0 mm or less; an ablation electrode attached to a distal portion of the flexible shaft and to deliver radiofrequency (RF) electrical current to the tissue and conductively connectable to an RF electrical energy source external to the patient; wherein an outer diameter of an assembly of the flexible shaft and the ablation electrode is no greater than 2.0 mm; a liquid outlet on the distal portion and configured to be in fluid communication with a source of hypertonic saline solution; and a first occluder attached to the flexible shaft proximal to the ablation electrode and proximal to the liquid outlet, wherein the first occluder is configured to expand to occlude the airway.

Abstract: An open-irrigated catheter system includes a catheter body and a tip assembly, coupled to a distal end of the catheter body. The tip assembly includes an exterior wall that is conductive for delivering radio frequency (RF) energy for an RF ablation procedure, and that defines an interior region. The exterior wall includes a number of proximal irrigation ports and a number of distal irrigation ports. At least one fluid chamber is defined within the interior region and is in fluid communication with at least one of the proximal irrigation ports and the distal irrigation ports. At least one fluid lumen extends from a fluid source, through the catheter body, to the tip assembly, and is in fluid communication with the at least one fluid chamber.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include an open-irrigated ablation catheter. The open-irrigated ablation catheter may include a catheter body, an electrode tip body with one or more irrigation ports at a distal end, and a proximal insert for providing cooling fluid to a proximal end of the electrode tip body.

Abstract: An open-irrigated catheter system includes a catheter body and a tip assembly, coupled to a distal end of the catheter body. The tip assembly includes an exterior wall that is conductive for delivering radio frequency (RF) energy for an RF ablation procedure, and that defines an interior region. The exterior wall includes a number of proximal irrigation ports and a number of distal irrigation ports. At least one fluid chamber is defined within the interior region and is in fluid communication with at least one of the proximal irrigation ports and the distal irrigation ports. At least one fluid lumen extends from a fluid source, through the catheter body, to the tip assembly, and is in fluid communication with the at least one fluid chamber.

Abstract: An embodiment of an open-irrigated catheter system comprises a tip section, a distal insert, and mapping electrodes. The tip section has an exterior wall that defines an open interior region within the tip section. The exterior wall includes mapping electrode openings and irrigation ports. The exterior wall is conductive for delivering radio frequency (RF) energy for an RF ablation procedure. The irrigation ports are in fluid communication with the open interior region to allow fluid to flow from the open interior region through the irrigation ports. The distal insert is positioned within the tip section to separate the open region into a distal fluid reservoir and a proximal fluid reservoir. The mapping electrodes are positioned in the mapping electrode openings in the tip section.

Abstract: An embodiment of an open-irrigated catheter system comprises a tip section, a distal insert, and mapping electrodes. The tip section has an exterior wall that defines an open interior region within the tip section. The exterior wall includes mapping electrode openings and irrigation ports. The exterior wall is conductive for delivering radio frequency (RF) energy for an RF ablation procedure. The irrigation ports are in fluid communication with the open interior region to allow fluid to flow from the open interior region through the irrigation ports. The distal insert is positioned within the tip section to separate the open region into a distal fluid reservoir and a proximal fluid reservoir. The mapping electrodes are positioned in the mapping electrode openings in the tip section.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods for using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include an open-irrigated ablation catheter. The open-irrigated ablation catheter may include a catheter body, an electrode tip body with one or more irrigation ports at a distal end, and a proximal insert for providing cooling fluid to a proximal end of the electrode tip body.

Abstract: An embodiment of an open-irrigated catheter system comprises a tip section, a distal insert, and mapping electrodes. The tip section has an exterior wall that defines an open interior region within the tip section. The exterior wall includes mapping electrode openings and irrigation ports. The exterior wall is conductive for delivering radio frequency (RF) energy for an RF ablation procedure. The irrigation ports are in fluid communication with the open interior region to allow fluid to flow from the open interior region through the irrigation ports. The distal insert is positioned within the tip section to separate the open region into a distal fluid reservoir and a proximal fluid reservoir. The mapping electrodes are positioned in the mapping electrode openings in the tip section.

Abstract: An embodiment of an open-irrigated catheter system comprises a tip section, a distal insert, and mapping electrodes. The tip section has an exterior wall that defines an open interior region within the tip section. The exterior wall includes mapping electrode openings and irrigation ports. The exterior wall is conductive for delivering radio frequency (RF) energy for an RF ablation procedure. The irrigation ports are in fluid communication with the open interior region to allow fluid to flow from the open interior region through the irrigation ports. The distal insert is positioned within the tip section to separate the open region into a distal fluid reservoir and a proximal fluid reservoir. The mapping electrodes are positioned in the mapping electrode openings in the tip section.

Abstract: An embodiment of an open-irrigated catheter system comprises a tip section, a distal insert, and mapping electrodes. The tip section has an exterior wall that defines an open interior region within the tip section. The exterior wall includes mapping electrode openings and irrigation ports. The exterior wall is conductive for delivering radio frequency (RF) energy for an RF ablation procedure. The irrigation ports are in fluid communication with the open interior region to allow fluid to flow from the open interior region through the irrigation ports. The distal insert is positioned within the tip section to separate the open region into a distal fluid reservoir and a proximal fluid reservoir. The mapping electrodes are positioned in the mapping electrode openings in the tip section.

Abstract: A sleeve assembly for use in the transition region of a catheter between a relatively stiff catheter body and a less stiff distal catheter region mediates the difference in stiffness between these two catheter regions.