A catheter system (100) for treating a treatment site (106) includes an energy source (124), a balloon (104), an energy guide (122A), and a balloon integrity protection system (142). The energy source (124) generates pulses of energy. The balloon (104) is positionable substantially adjacent to the treatment site (106). The balloon (104) has a balloon wall (130) that defines a balloon interior (146). The balloon (104) is configured to retain a balloon fluid (132) within the balloon interior (146). The energy guide (122A) is configured to receive the energy from the energy source (124) and guide the energy into the balloon interior (146) so that plasma is formed in the balloon fluid (132) within the balloon interior (146). The balloon integrity protection system (142) is operatively coupled to the balloon (104). The balloon integrity protection system (142) is configured to inhibit temperature-induced rupture of the balloon (104) due to the plasma formed in the balloon fluid (132) within the balloon interior (146) during use of the catheter system (100).

A forceps includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members movable between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. A knife assembly having a cutting blade disposed at a distal end thereof is also provided. The knife assembly is translatable relative to the end effector assembly between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the cutting blade extends between the jaw members to cut tissue grasped therebetween. The knife assembly includes a proximal component and a first distal component that includes the cutting blade. The proximal and first distal components are removably coupled to one another to facilitate replacement of the first distal component. Methods of preparing such forceps for reuse are also provided.

Retrieval of material from vessel lumens can be improved by use of a distal element comprising an expandable mesh, a treatment device includes an elongated member having a proximal portion and a distal portion configured to be positioned within a blood vessel at a treatment site at or near a thrombus. A distal element comprising an expandable mesh is coupled to the distal portion of the elongated member via a connection assembly. In an expanded state, at least a portion of the mesh is configured to be in apposition with the blood vessel wall at the treatment site to anchor or stabilize the elongated member with respect to the blood vessel. The distal element can be electrically coupled to an extracorporeal current generator.

The present disclosure includes catheter systems and methods for treatment of occlusions, including coronary artery chronic total occlusions. The catheter system comprises a catheter coupled to a control system with a distal end inserted into a patient and proximal to a location within a blood vessel with an occlusion. The catheter comprises a flexible outer sheath surrounding a housing with a plurality of lumens to perform various functions to penetrate occlusions.

A catheter system includes a catheter having an elongate shaft, a balloon and a light guide. The balloon expands from a collapsed configuration to a first expanded configuration. The light guide is disposed along the elongate shaft and is in optical communication with a light source and a balloon fluid. A first portion of the light guide extends into a recess defined by the elongate shaft. A protection structure is disposed within the recess and is in contact with the first portion of the light guide. The light source provides pulses of light to the balloon fluid, thereby initiating plasma formation and rapid bubble formation within the balloon, thereby imparting pressure waves upon a treatment site. The protection structure can provide structural protection from the pressure waves to the first portion of the light guide.

Methods for treating and managing pain in a patient with therapeutic neuromodulation and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. Chronic or debilitating pain can be associated, for example, with a disease or condition of the abdominal or reproductive viscera. One aspect of the present technology is directed to methods that at least partially inhibit sympathetic neural activity in nerves proximate a target blood vessel of a diseased or damaged organ of a patient experiencing pain. Targeted sympathetic nerve activity can be modulated at least along afferent pathways which can improve a measurable parameter associated with the pain of the patient The modulation can be achieved, for example, using an intravascularly positioned catheter carrying a therapeutic assembly, e.g., a therapeutic assembly configured to use electrically-induced, thermally-induced, and/or chemically-induced approaches to modulate the target sympathetic nerve.

Methods for treating and managing pain in a patient with therapeutic neuromodulation and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. Chronic or debilitating pain can be associated, for example, with a disease or condition of the abdominal or reproductive viscera. One aspect of the present technology is directed to methods that at least partially inhibit sympathetic neural activity in nerves proximate a target blood vessel of a diseased or damaged organ of a patient experiencing pain. Targeted sympathetic nerve activity can be modulated at least along afferent pathways which can improve a measurable parameter associated with the pain of the patient The modulation can be achieved, for example, using an intravascularly positioned catheter carrying a therapeutic assembly, e.g., a therapeutic assembly configured to use electrically-induced, thermally-induced, and/or chemically-induced approaches to modulate the target sympathetic nerve.

The present disclosure provides electroporation systems and methods of energizing a catheter for delivering electroporation. A catheter for delivering electroporation includes a distal section and an electrode assembly. The distal section is configured to be positioned in a vein within a body. The vein defines a central axis. The electrode assembly is coupled to the distal section and includes a structure and a plurality of electrodes distributed thereabout. The structure is configured to at least partially contact the vein. Each of the electrodes is configured to be selectively energized to form a circumferential ring of energized electrodes that is concentric with the central axis of the vein.

A balloon is provided for selectively moving an esophagus away from an ablation site. The balloon is received through an oral cavity and into the esophagus of a patient. A deflecting member is provided in the tube, the balloon, or both, so as to selectively distort to bend the balloon and/or the tube to move the esophagus away from the ablation site. The deflecting member may comprise at least one of a strip made of a shape memory material that is responsive to the receipt of a stimulus to deflect to a predetermined shape, a strip that is made of or contains a ferrous material and that deflects in response to the presence of a magnetic field, and a selectively tensionable cable, wire, or string. The deflecting member may be supplemented by a stiffening strip that is located in the balloon and that causes the balloon to expand circumferentially and asymmetrically when inflated.

A catheter system for treating a treatment site within or adjacent to a vessel wall or a heart valve, includes a light source, a balloon, a light guide and an optical analyzer assembly. The light source generates first light energy. The balloon is positionable substantially adjacent to the treatment site. The balloon has a balloon wall that defines a balloon interior that receives a balloon fluid. The light guide receives the first light energy and guides the first light energy in a first direction from a guide proximal end toward a guide distal end positioned within the balloon interior. The optical analyzer assembly optically analyzes a second light energy from the light guide that moves in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. The optical analyzer assembly includes a safety shutdown system to inhibit the first light energy from being received by the guide proximal end of the light guide.