A system for controlling operation of a radiofrequency treatment device to apply radiofrequency energy to tissue to heat tissue to create lesions without ablating the tissue. The system includes a first treatment device having at least one electrode for applying radiofrequency energy to tissue, a controller including a connector to which a first treatment device is coupled for use, and a generator for applying radiofrequency energy to the electrodes. The controller controls application of energy so that the tissue is thermally treated to create lesions but preventing thermal treatment beyond a threshold which would ablate the tissue.

A base member includes: a base member having a longitudinal direction; a first linear member extending in the longitudinal direction; and a second linear member extending in the longitudinal direction. The first linear member is fixed to the base member at a first position, and is movable with respect to the base member in the longitudinal direction, on one side of the first position in the longitudinal direction. The second linear member is fixed to the base member at a second position, and is movable with respect to the base member in the longitudinal direction, on the one side of the second position in the longitudinal direction. The base member is capable of detecting curvature of the base member between the first position and the second fixed position based on change in a relative position between the first linear member and the second linear member.

A balloon catheter includes: a balloon; an outside shaft connected to a proximal end of the balloon; an inside shaft extending inside the outside shaft and into the balloon to be connected to a distal end of the balloon; and a heating member disposed in the balloon for heating a liquid in the balloon. A distance between a distal end of the outside shaft and a proximal end of the heating member is 0 mm to 5 mm.

An inflatable balloon includes a base balloon having a cylindrical section and a conical section and at least one circumferential fiber extending circumferentially around the conical section. The inflatable balloon includes a plurality of reinforcing strips in the conical section over the at least one circumferential fiber. Each reinforcing strip includes a plurality of fibers extending at an angle relative to the at least one fiber. Each reinforcing strip is positioned a set circumferential distance away from a neighboring reinforcing strip.

A system for controlling operation of a radiofrequency treatment device to apply radiofrequency energy to tissue to treat tissue to create lesions without ablating the tissue. The system includes a first treatment device having a plurality of electrodes. The electrodes are maintained in axial alignment and fixed radial spacing in retracted and extended positions. The device includes a basket having a plurality of arms. The arms are maintained in a fixed radial spacing in the collapsed position of the basket.

A method, system, and device for predicting lesion quality. Specifically, lesion quality may be predicted based on an assessment of pulmonary vein occlusion using injection of an impedance-modifying agent and evaluation of changes in impedance measurements recorded by an electrode located distal to an occlusion element of the treatment device used to inject the impedance-modifying agent. The quality of the occlusion may be rated based on the changes in impedance over time within the pulmonary vein. For example, the quality of the occlusion may be rated as being good, fair, or poor. This assessment may be quickly and easily communicated to an operator.

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.

Described is a method and device for dilating a tubular anatomical structure. The device and method can be useful for extracting a blood clot in an artery of a mammal by concentrically irradiating an inner wall of the occluded artery using an ultraviolet (UV) laser beam delivered by an optical fiber having an external or inverted conical tip. Dilation results from photophysical production and release of nitric oxide from the cells lining the arterial wall when UV laser light is projected as a ring beam onto the inner arterial wall. This “minimal contact persistent dilation system” prepares the artery for safer mechanical extraction by thrombectomy, owing to decrease in friction and dissolution of chemical bonding.

A catheter for intraluminal lithotripsy including a first lumen, an energy delivery member supported by the catheter body. The energy delivery member includes a passageway, a valve positioned in the passageway and an energy emitter configured to communicate energy to target tissue. A method for performing intraluminal lithotripsy is also disclosed.

A probe navigation methods and devices for use in medical diagnoses and procedures are provided. A probe that is inserted in a walled area within a subject has a distal end on which at least first and second opposing transducers are mounted. The transducers track movement of the probe end with respect to the walls of the walled area. The distal end of the probe may closely approach a wall to enter an area such that the first transducer is no longer able to properly sense it, commonly referred to as a blanking region. Tracking information of the movement of the probe away from an opposing wall generated by the second transducer is then used to provide tracking of the distal end of the probe relative to the wall the first transducer is no longer able to sense.