An apparatus and method use a catheter for specific and discriminate treatment of central nervous system disease. With the catheter, selective hypothermia to the brain and/or the spinal cord for injury protection can be achieved without the need for systemic cooling. The catheter is also capable of draining excess cerebrospinal fluid.

Methods and apparatus for the treatment of a body cavity or lumen are described where a heated fluid and/or gas may be introduced through a catheter and into treatment area within the body contained between one or more inflatable/expandable members. The catheter may also have optional pressure and temperature sensing elements which may allow for control of the pressure and temperature within the treatment zone and also prevent the pressure from exceeding a pressure of the inflatable/expandable members to thereby contain the treatment area between these inflatable/expandable members. Optionally, a chilled, room temperature, or warmed fluid such as water may then be used to rapidly terminate the treatment session.

Methods and apparatus for inducing weight loss using blood flow control are described herein. The apparatus and methods operate by controlling blood flow to the stomach and/or small bowel.

There is provided a device for insertion into a body cavity, the device includes an insertion member configured to be inserted into the body cavity, an expandable member coupled to the insertion member, the expandable member capable of being expanded to apply pressure onto tissue within the body cavity, a first member configured for storing a first endothermic reactant therein, and a second member configured for storing a second endothermic reactant therein. In particular, the first and second members are configured to, in a state of the device (e.g., compressed state), allow the first and second endothermic reactants to cooperate to effect an endothermic reaction to generate an endothermic product. Furthermore, the expandable member is configured to receive at least one of the first or second endothermic reactant and the endothermic product through a channel within the insertion member. There is also provided a method of fabricating a device for inserting into a body cavity.

Methods and apparatus are provided for thermally-induced renal neuromodulation. Thermally-induced renal neuromodulation may be achieved via direct and/or via indirect application of thermal energy to heat or cool neural fibers that contribute to renal function, or of vascular structures that feed or perfuse the neural fibers. In some embodiments, parameters of the neural fibers, of non-target tissue, or of the thermal energy delivery element, may be monitored via one or more sensors for controlling the thermally-induced neuromodulation. In some embodiments, protective elements may be provided to reduce a degree of thermal damage induced in the non-target tissues. In some embodiments, thermally-induced renal neuromodulation is achieved via delivery of a pulsed thermal therapy.

This relates to methods and devices for achieving contact between the wall of a cavity or passageway and a medical device when used in tortuous anatomy.

Materials and methods for producing localized hypothermia in a patient (e.g., for treatment of acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer).

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.

Devices, systems and methods for controlling the temperature of all or part of the body of a human or animal subject.

Methods and apparatus are provided for thermally-induced renal neuromodulation. Thermally-induced renal neuromodulation may be achieved via direct and/or via indirect application of thermal energy to heat or cool neural fibers that contribute to renal function, or of vascular structures that feed or perfuse the neural fibers. In some embodiments, parameters of the neural fibers, of non-target tissue, or of the thermal energy delivery element, may be monitored via one or more sensors for controlling the thermally-induced neuromodulation. In some embodiments, protective elements may be provided to reduce a degree of thermal damage induced in the non-target tissues.