A catheter for prevention of stroke by diverting and filtering the blood flow to carotid and vertebral arteries is provided. The catheter includes at least one balloon with an outer mesh cover that expands upon the balloon inflation and stays expanded after the balloon is deflated. The inflation of the balloon in the aortic arch or head vessels provides the deflection of embolic particles from the cerebral circulation and expands the outer mesh that provides for filtering and deflection of cerebral emboli after the balloon is deflated. An associated method of prevention of cerebral emboli and embolic stroke is provided.

One disclosed embodiment comprises a method for treating lesions in the carotid artery of a mammalian body. The method comprises transcervical access and blocking of blood flow through the common carotid artery (with or without blocking of blood flow through the external carotid artery), shunting blood from the internal carotid artery and treating the lesion in the carotid artery.

Interventional procedures on the carotid arteries are performed through a transcervical access while retrograde blood flow is established from the internal carotid artery to a venous or external location. A system for use in accessing and treating a carotid artery includes an arterial access device, a shunt fluidly connected to the arterial access device, and a flow control assembly coupled to the shunt and adapted to regulate blood flow through the shunt between at least a first blood flow state and at least a second blood flow state. The flow control assembly includes one or more components that interact with the blood flow through the shunt.

Balloon catheters and methods are provided for selectively occluding blood flow into a right atrium of a patient's heart communicating with an inferior vena cava (IVC) and superior vena cava (SVC). In one embodiment, a catheter includes first and second balloons adjacent one another on a distal end of the catheter shaft. During use, the distal end is introduced into the right atrium and positioned such that the first balloon is located within the right atrium. The first balloon is expanded within the right atrium and the catheter shaft directed such that the expanded first balloon engages at least a portion of the IVC to prevent substantial inflow into the right atrium from the IVC. The second balloon is then expanded to limit inflow into the right atrium from the SVC, and a medical procedure is performed within the patient's body.

One disclosed embodiment comprises a method for treating lesions in the carotid artery of a mammalian body. The method comprises transcervical access and blocking of blood flow through the common carotid artery (with or without blocking of blood flow through the external carotid artery), shunting blood from the internal carotid artery and treating the lesion in the carotid artery.

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.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to devices, systems, and methods for tissue resection in a body lumen of a patient, and may include a body extending along an axis and a distal cap positioned distally of the body and coupled to a shaft extending along the axis. The body and the distal cap may be movable relative to each other. An anchoring mechanism may be capable of engaging the body and the distal cap proximate a selected tissue for resection in the body lumen. A tissue capture device may be deployable from the tissue resection device such that a selected tissue for resection is securable by the tissue capture device. The tissue resection device may further include a tissue resecting device for resecting the selected tissue for resection.

Interventional procedures on the carotid arteries are performed through a transcervical access while retrograde blood flow is established from the internal carotid artery to a venous or external location. A system for use in accessing and treating a carotid artery includes an arterial access device, a shunt fluidly connected to the arterial access device, and a flow control assembly coupled to the shunt and adapted to regulate blood flow through the shunt between at least a first blood flow state and at least a second blood flow state. The flow control assembly includes one or more components that interact with the blood flow through the shunt.

A method of implanting an occlusive device in a perforator vessel may include introducing a needle through skin of a patient, and advancing the needle into a perforator vessel, the perforator vessel extending between a superficial vein and a deep vein. The method may further include distally advancing a delivery component from within the needle until a distal end of the delivery component extends into the deep vein and releasing a distal portion of the occlusive device into the deep vein. The needle may then be proximally withdrawn from the perforator vessel such that the device is exposed within the vessel, and the proximal portion of the device may be released into the superficial vein such that the device blocks flow through the vessel.

Electrophysiology mapping and visualization systems are described herein where such devices may be used to visualize tissue regions as well as map the electrophysiological activity of the tissue. Such a system may include a deployment catheter and an attached hood deployable into an expanded configuration. In use, the imaging hood is placed against or adjacent to a region of tissue to be imaged in a body lumen that is normally filled with an opaque bodily fluid such as blood. A translucent or transparent fluid, such as saline, can be pumped into the imaging hood until the fluid displaces any blood, thereby leaving a clear region of tissue to be imaged via an imaging element in the deployment catheter. A position of the catheter and/or hood may be tracked and the hood may also be used to detect the electrophysiological activity of the visualized tissue for mapping.