An intra-cardiac mapping system is based on locating the ports through which blood flows in or out the heart chambers. For many procedures, such as ablation to cure atrial fibrillation, locating the pulmonary veins and the mitral valve accurately allows to perform a Maze procedure. The location of the ports and valves is based on using the convective cooling effect of the blood flow. The mapping can be performed by a catheter-deployed expandable net or a scanning catheter. The same net or catheter can also perform the ablation procedure.

A device for applying radiofrequency energy for sphincter treatment comprising a flexible outer tube, an expandable basket having a plurality of arms movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, and a plurality of electrodes movable with respect to the arms from a retracted position to an extended position. An advancer is slidably disposed within the outer tube to move the plurality of electrodes to the extended position. An actuator moves the advancer from a first position to a second position to advance the plurality of electrodes. An aspiration tube extends within the outer tube. An assembly includes an aspiration disabler having a first position to enable aspiration from a distal portion of the aspiration tube to a proximal portion and a second position to disable aspiration.

A catheter has a cooling distal section for freezing tissue to sub-zero temperatures with one or more miniature reverse thermoelectric or Peltier elements, also referred to herein as micro-Peltier cooling (MPC) units or electrodes. The MPC units may be on outer surface of an inflatable or balloon member or a tip electrode shell wall that has a fluid-containing interior cavity acting as a heat sink. Each MPC unit has a hot junction and a cold junction whose temperatures are regulated by the heat sink, and a voltage/current applied to the MPC units. A temperature differential of about 70 degrees Celsius may be achieved between the hot and cold junctions for extreme cooling, especially where the MPC units include semiconductor materials with high Peltier co-efficients. An outer coating of thermally-conductive but electrically-insulative material seals the MPC units to prevent unintended current paths through the MPC units.

Systems and methods for assessing sympathetic nervous system (SNS) tone for renal neuromodulation therapy are disclosed herein. A system configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, a detector attached to or implanted in a patient and a receiver communicatively coupled to the detector. The detector can measure cardiac data and the receiver and/or a device communicatively coupled thereto can analyze the cardiac data to provide one or more SNS tone indicators. The SNS tone indicators can be used to determine whether a patient will be responsive to a neuromodulation therapy and/or whether a neuromodulation therapy was effective.

Devices, systems, and methods for improving airflow within an airway. One example embodiment includes a method for treating a subject. The method includes (1) placing an expandable object into one or more airways of the bronchial tree of the subject, (2) expanding the expandable object within at least one of the one or more airways such that at least a portion of a wall of the one or more airways is expanded, and (3) placing a stent in the airway such that a portion of the stent is adjacent to the portion of the wall of the one or more expanded airways.

A system for controlling ablation treatment and visualization is disclosed where the system comprises a tissue ablation instrument having one or more deployable stylets and a first electromagnetic sensor and an ultrasound imaging instrument which may be configured to generate an ultrasound imaging plane and further having a second electromagnetic sensor. An electromagnetic field generator may also be included which is configured for placement in proximity to a patient body and which is further configured to generate an output indicative of a position the first and second electromagnetic sensors relative to one another. Also included is a console in communication with the ablation instrument, ultrasound imaging instrument, and electromagnetic field generator, wherein the console is configured to generate a representative image of the tissue ablation instrument oriented relative to the ultrasound imaging plane and an ablation border or cage based upon a deployment position of the one or more stylets.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of cryoablation. In particular, the present disclosure relates to cryoablation systems (e.g., cryospray systems, cryogenic ablation, cryosurgery systems etc.) that prevent or significantly inhibit cryospray gases from accumulating and progression distally beyond a specific region within a body lumen.

Neuromodulation catheter systems with controlled irrigation capabilities and methods for using such systems are disclosed herein. One such method includes, for example, positioning an irrigated neuromodulation catheter at a treatment site within a renal blood vessel of a human patient, delivering neuromodulation energy at the treatment site, and delivering irrigation fluid to the treatment site having characteristics coordinated with the delivered energy. The characteristics can be adjusted to maintain an energy delivery element and/or tissue of the blood vessel at a constant temperature as power is increased. The method can further include monitoring at least one parameter of the tissue and/or of the energy delivery element, and adjusting the neuromodulation energy and/or the characteristics of the irrigation fluid if the at least one parameter falls outside of a treatment range of values.

A system may comprise a first catheter having a first steerable segment and a second catheter disposed within the first catheter. The second catheter may have a second steerable segment. The system may also comprise an imaging element supported at a distal end of the second catheter, a coil reference sensor supported at a distal portion of the second catheter, and a processor in electrical communication with the coil reference sensor. The processor may be configured to determine a position of a distal portion of the first catheter with reference to the coil reference sensor.

Systems and methods for controllable delivery of pressurized refrigerant to a medical device, such as a cryoablation catheter. In some examples, a delivery system includes a tank holding the pressurized refrigerant, an electrical heater arranged to heat the tank, and an electronic controller connected to regulate the heater based on input signals received from a plurality of sensors including a temperature sensor in thermal contact with the exterior surface of the tank and a pressure sensor for measuring pressure in the refrigerant-delivery line connecting the tank to the medical device. In operation, the electronic controller processes the input signals by comparing values of at least some of the input signals with respective threshold values and uses logic operations configured for combined processing of two or more of the input signals to decide when to switch the heater between an ON state and an OFF state.