Abstract: A switching assembly for transferring trains of pulses, including a first terminal and a second terminal. A first plurality of first relays is connected in parallel, and have first contacts connected to the first assembly terminal, and second contacts. A first capacitor is connected in parallel with the first relays. A second plurality of second relays is connected in parallel, and have third contacts, and fourth contacts connected to the second assembly terminal. A second capacitor is connected in parallel with the second relays. A connection connects the second contacts to the third contacts. The pulses have amplitudes of at least 2 kilovolts. On activation of the first and second relays the first and second contacts connect and the third and fourth contacts connect, so that the first and second assembly terminals connect. On deactivation of the first and second relays the first and second assembly terminals disconnect.

Abstract: An electroporation ablation system includes a probe to be inserted into a body part of a living subject, and including a distal end including at least one electrode, body-surface patches to be applied to a skin surface, an ablation power generator to apply at least one first electrical pulse train between the electrode(s) and first one(s) of the body-surface patches, and a processor to provide a measurement of movement of the living subject responsively to applying the first electrical pulse train(s) between the electrode(s) and the first one(s) of the body-surface patches, and select second one(s) of the body-surface patches responsively to the measurement of movement, and wherein the ablation power generator is configured to apply at least one second electrical pulse train between the electrode(s) and the second one(s) of the body-surface patches.

Abstract: An irreversible electroporation (IRE) system includes an IRE ablation power source configured to generate bipolar IRE pulses, a switching assembly, and a processor. The switching assembly is configured to short-circuit a first group and a second group of electrodes of a catheter, the groups of electrodes configured to be placed in contact with tissue of organ, so as to create respective combined electrodes of a first size and a second size smaller than the first size, and to connect the IRE ablation power source to the groups of electrodes. The processor is configured to receive target tissue depth of ablation, select the groups of the electrodes, to control the switching assembly to create the combined electrodes and to ablate the tissue by controlling the switching assembly to apply the bipolar IRE pulses to the groups of electrodes to ablate tissue location in contact with a combined electrode to target depth.

Abstract: A method for medical treatment includes providing a probe configured for insertion into a heart of a living subject and comprising at least one probe electrode configured to contact myocardial tissue in the heart. At least one body-surface electrode is configured to be fixed to skin of the living subject. Biphasic electrical pulses are applied between the at least one probe electrode and the at least one body-surface electrode with a peak-to-peak amplitude of at least 1 kV, a frequency of at least 500 kHz, and a current sufficient to cause irreversible electroporation of the myocardial tissue contacted by the at least one probe electrode.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a probe, which includes an insertion tube configured for insertion into a body cavity of a patient, and a distal assembly, which is connected distally to the insertion tube and comprises a plurality of electrodes, which are configured to contact tissue within the body cavity. An electrical signal generator is configured to apply biphasic electrical pulses simultaneously to at least one group of two or more of the electrodes with energy sufficient to irreversibly electroporate the tissue contacted by the electrodes in the at least one group. A controller is coupled to measure time-varying voltage differences between the electrodes in the at least one group and to adjust the biphasic electrical pulses applied to the electrodes in the at least one group so that the voltage differences do not exceed a predetermined threshold at any time during application of the biphasic electrical pulses.

Abstract: A pulsed field ablation (PFA) system includes a composite electrode, a body-surface electrode, a PFA generator, and a processor. The composite electrode is coupled to a distal end of a catheter configured for insertion into an organ of a patient. The body-surface electrode is configured to be attached to a skin of the patient. The PFA generator is configured to be electrically connected to the composite electrode of the catheter and to the body-surface electrode, and to generate Direct-Current (DC) PFA pulses. The processor is configured to control the PFA generator to apply the DC PFA pulses between the composite electrode and the body-surface electrode while the composite electrode is placed in contact with target tissue of the organ and the body-surface electrode is in contact with the skin of the patient.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a probe, including an insertion tube configured for insertion into a body cavity of a patient and a basket assembly, which has a proximal end that is connected distally to the insertion tube and includes a plurality of resilient spines, which are configured to bow radially outward around a longitudinal axis of the basket assembly and are conjoined at a distal end of the basket assembly. A plurality of electrodes are configured to contact tissue in the body cavity and include radial electrodes disposed on the spines and an axial electrode disposed on the longitudinal axis of the basket assembly. An electrical signal generator is configured to apply to the electrodes, including the axial electrode, pulses having an amplitude sufficient to cause irreversible electroporation (IRE) in the tissue contacted by the electrodes.