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.

The present invention provides balloon catheters and methods for using the same. Unlike existing balloon catheters in the art, the present balloon catheters expand in the proximal direction to enhance fit. The balloon catheters include sliding balloon catheters, preformed balloon catheters, super-elastic balloon catheters, and may be augmented with peripheral catheters.

Methods, devices, and systems employ cryolysis of oropharyngeal adipose tissues to selectively remove fat cells from the tissues causing obstructive sleep apnea. In various embodiments, a chilled liquide.g., a liquid or airis applied to the target tissue at a temperature and for a duration sufficient to cause cryolysis.

A balloon catheter for the endovascular temperature control of blood, with a catheter tube and at least one heat exchanger balloon which is convertible from an expanded operational state into a compressed insertion state. A temperature-control fluid can flow through the heat exchanger balloon, wherein the catheter tube includes at least one occlusion balloon which is arranged in series with the heat exchanger balloon.

The present invention provides methods and devices for making a cold slurry at a point of delivery. A point of delivery device delivers cold slurry components to a location at or near a target tissue. The components are combined to form the cold slurry at or near the point of delivery. This approach to generating a cold slurry at the point of delivery allows the characteristics of the cold slurry, such as temperature, particle shape and particle size, to be maintained and controlled.

A balloon catheter is used in a closed-loop heat exchange system for manipulating the temperature of a patient. The balloon catheter is positioned in the stomach of the patient, and then expanded with a heat exchange fluid delivered through a lumen formed in the shaft of the catheter. The balloon catheter comes into contact with the wall of the stomach, and the stomach substantially conforms around the expanded balloon catheter. The heat exchange fluid is allowed to flow continuously into and out of the balloon catheter. Heat is exchanged between the balloon catheter and the stomach so as to controllably alter the temperature of at least a portion of the patient. Anti-shivering mechanisms and automatic control based on temperature feedback from the patient may be used in connection with the heat exchange system.

The present invention provides methods and devices for controlling a cold slurry that is delivered to a target tissue and for limiting heat transferring from surrounding tissue to the target tissue. In particular, a balloon structure is deployed at or near a point of delivery to act as a physical and/or thermal barrier. In some instances, the balloon structure can act as a pressure device obstructing the flow of warm blood into a treatment area, which can melt the cold slurry.

Methods and apparatuses for temperature modification of a patient, or selected regions thereof, including an induced state of hypothermia. The temperature modification is accomplished using an in-dwelling heat exchange catheter within which a fluid heat exchange medium circulates. A heat exchange cassette of any one of several disclosed variations is attached to the circulatory conduits of the catheter, the heat exchange cassette being sized to engage a cavity within one of various described re-usable control units. The control units include a heater/cooler device, a user input device, and a processor connected to receive input from various sensors around the body and the system. The heater/cooler device may be thermoelectric to enable both heating and 15 cooling based on polarity. A temperature control scheme for ramping the body temperature up or down without overshoot is provided. The disposable heat exchange cassettes may include an integral pump head that engages with a pump drive mechanism within the re-usable control unit. More than one control unit may be provided to receive the same heat exchange cassette so that, for example, a large capacity control unit can be used initially, and a smaller, battery-powered unit can be substituted once the patient reaches the desired target temperature.

Thermal therapy systems, devices, and methods of using the same disclosed. A localized hypothermia of the pancreas with a delivery and placement procedure in the stomach of a patient comprising a cooling balloon system is disclosed that can be used for the treatment of pancreatitis in a patient. The cooling balloon system can have mechanisms for affecting the pancreas without impacting or inducing hypothermia in the patient in a systemic fashion. The localized hypothermia system can have a simplified delivery system and can be intended to reduce patient discomfort while reducing the metabolic activity of the inflamed pancreas of the patient.

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.