Balloon catheters with an elongate shaft defining a hollow body have an inflatable balloon at a distal end thereof. The balloon has a plurality of internal chambers that are inflatable to differing pressures. When inflated, the balloon has a generally hourglass shape having a neck between a distal end and a proximal end and a port at the neck that is in open communication the hollow body of the shaft and in open communication with an environment external to the balloon. The balloon catheter is inflated in a lumen of a patient to its hourglass shape with its proximal and distal ends in direct contact with normal endothelium juxtaposed to a target lesion with the neck of the balloon at the target lesion. A cutting tool is deployed through the port and an opening having a flap is cut into the target lesion and the plaque is removed thereof.

Devices and methods for the treatment of heart conditions, hypertension, and other medical disorders are described. For example, this document describes devices and methods for treating atrial fibrillation by performing thoracic vein ablation procedures, including pulmonary vein myocardium ablation. In some embodiments, the ablation is performed in coordination with the delivery a pharmacological agent that can abate the formation of tissue stenosis or neointimal hyperplasia caused by the ablation. Additionally, in some embodiments, particulate matter, such as thrombus or crystalline drug compounds, created during the ablation is captured and removed from the patient using devices and methods provided herein. Further, devices and methods for non-thermal methods of causing cell death, such as tissue suction and tissue stretching, are also described.

Exemplary embodiments of devices and method for affecting at least one anatomical tissue can be provided. A configuration can be provided that includes a structure which is expandable (i) having and/or (ii) forming at least one opening or a working space through which the anatomical tissue(s) is placed in the structure. For example, the structure, prior to being expanding, can have at least one partially rigid portion. In addition, or as an alternative, upon a partial or complete expansion thereof, the structure can be controllable to have a plurality of shapes. Further, the structure can be controllable to provide the working space with multiple shapes and/or multiple sizes.

A device and method for intravascular treatment of atherosclerotic plaque prior to balloon angioplasty which microperforates the plaque with small sharp spikes acting as serrations for forming cleavage lines or planes in the plaque. The spikes may also be used to transport medication into the plaque. The plaque preparation treatment enables subsequent angioplasty to be performed at low balloon pressures of about 4 atmospheres or less, reduces dissections, and avoids injury to the arterial wall. The subsequent angioplasty may be performed with a drug-eluting balloon (DEB) or drug-coated balloon (DCB). The pre-angioplasty perforation procedure enables more drug to be absorbed during DEB or DCB angioplasty, and makes the need for a stent less likely. Alternatively, any local incidence of plaque dissection after balloon angioplasty may be treated by applying a thin, ring-shaped tack at the dissection site only, rather than applying a stent over the overall plaque site.

A balloon catheter includes a catheter (1) and a balloon body (2) sleeved on the catheter (1). The balloon body (2) includes an inner layer balloon (21) and an outer layer balloon (22). The inner layer balloon (21) and the outer layer balloon (22) are both directly wrapped and fixed on the catheter (1). The inner layer balloon (21) is located inside the outer layer balloon (22). A medium channel (23) is formed between the inner layer balloon (21) and the outer layer balloon (22). An outer layer medium inlet hole (11) and a medium backflow hole (12) both in communication with the medium channel (23) are provided in the catheter (1). In the balloon catheter, the double-layer balloon body (2) is provided, so that a medium can flow in the medium channel (23) between the inner layer balloon (21) and the outer layer balloon (22), the medium flows into the medium channel (23) through the outer layer medium inlet hole (11), and then the medium in the medium channel (23) flows out through the medium backflow hole (12) to implement circulation. In this way, more medium can exchange heat on the inner surface of the outer layer balloon (22) and the flow rate distribution is relatively uniform, to increase the flowing quality of the medium on the surface of the balloon body, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

Balloon catheters, sleeves, cages, and endoluminal prostheses are provided with stress-applying and spacing features coupled to expandable surfaces thereof. The stress-applying features may have blunt and/or rounded contact regions which contact tissue or calcified regions in the vasculature. The contact regions dent or fracture occlusive material on the wall of a vascular lumen and/or patient valve leaflets when expanded. The spacing features permit blood, drug, and contrast perfusion past structures expanded in the vasculature, particularly balloon catheters.

The disclosure provides for a device and method for dilation. The dilation device may include a catheter body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a dilation expandable body in fluid communication with a first opening on the distal portion of the catheter body, and an occlusion anchor expandable body in fluid communication with a second opening on the distal portion of the catheter body. The method for dilating a stricture site may include inserting the dilation device into a stricture site of a patient, expanding the occlusion anchor expandable body at the stricture site, and expanding the dilation expandable body at the stricture site.

Systems and methods for Endovascular Perfusion Augmentation for Critical Care (EPACC) are provided. The system may include a catheter having an expandable aortic blood flow regulation device disposed on the distal end of the catheter for placement within an aorta of a patient. The system may also include a catheter controller unit that causes the expandable aortic blood flow regulation device to expand and contract to restrict blood flow through the aorta. The system may also include one or more sensors for measuring physiological information indicative of blood flow through the aorta, and a non-transitory computer readable media having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor coupled to the one or more sensors, cause the processor to compare the measured physiological information with a target physiological range associated with blood flow through the aorta such that the catheter controller unit automatically adjusts expansion and contraction of the expandable aortic blood flow regulation device to adjust an amount of blood flow through the aorta if the measured physiological information falls outside the target physiological range.

Plasma delivery tips of medical-grade plasma generating devices are configured to exclude potential contaminants while operating within body cavities. In some embodiments, delivery tips are provided with an antechamber, which is optionally filled by pressure of ionizing gas to prevent contamination. Some embodiments are provided with one or more interior and/or exterior valves configured to prevent proximal ingress of contamination to the longitudinal position of the discharge electrode, or at all into the gas delivery lumen. In some embodiments, an expandable distal section of the plasma delivery tip acts as a valve which seals when closed, and when open expands to generate an inflated antechamber into which plasma is delivered.

An apparatus includes a shaft including a distal shaft end. At least a portion of the shaft defines a first axis. The apparatus also includes a sleeve slidably coupled to the shaft. The sleeve includes a distal sleeve end. The apparatus further includes a colpotomy cup fixedly secured to the distal sleeve end, and a movable member extending distally from the distal shaft end. The movable member is configured to move relative to the shaft between a first state in which the movable member extends substantially along the first axis and a second state in which the movable member extends at least partially along a second axis transverse to the first axis for manipulating an anatomical structure.