An ablation system for treating atrial fibrillation in a patient comprises an elongate shaft having proximal and distal ends, a lumen therebetween and a housing adjacent the distal end of the elongate shaft. An energy source is coupled to the housing and is adapted to deliver energy to a target tissue so as to create a zone of ablation in the target tissue that blocks abnormal electrical activity thereby reducing or eliminating the atrial fibrillation in the patient. A sensor is adjacent the energy source and adapted to detect relative position of the energy source to the target tissue or characteristics of the target tissue. The system also has a reflecting element operably coupled with the energy source and adapted to redirect energy emitted from the energy source in a desired direction or pattern.

A catheter system (100) for placement within a treatment site (106) at a vessel wall (208A) or a heart valve includes an energy source (124), a balloon (104), an energy guide (122A), and a tissue identification system (142). The energy source (124) generates energy. The balloon (104) is positionable substantially adjacent to the treatment site (106). The balloon (104) has a balloon wall (130) that defines a balloon interior (146). The balloon (104) is configured to retain a balloon fluid (132) within the balloon interior (146). The energy guide (122A) is configured to receive energy from the energy source (124) and guide the energy into the balloon interior (146) so that plasma is formed in the balloon fluid (132) within the balloon interior (146). The tissue identification system (142) is configured to spectroscopically analyze tissue within the treatment site (106). A method for treating a treatment site (106) within or adjacent to a vessel wall (208A) or a heart valve can utilize any of the catheter systems (100) described herein.

A method for operating an ultrasonic reentry device, includes: providing an ultrasound transmission member having a proximal end and a distal end; providing a catheter body having a lumen surrounding the ultrasound transmission member; providing a dilator slidably disposed within the lumen of the catheter body, the dilator surrounding the ultrasound transmission member; and exposing the distal end of the ultrasound transmission member from a distal end of the dilator.

The present invention provides methods and devices for treating endovascular disease. Vibrational energy is delivered to change compliance and increase permeability at the treatment area. To improve clinical outcomes, one or more therapeutic drugs may be delivered to the treatment area.

Devices, assemblies, systems, and techniques described herein may deliver a pressure wave to structures of a heart, such an aortic valve. For example, a medical assembly may include an expandable member configured to expand from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration, the expandable member configured to at least partially define a channel through the expandable member in the expanded configuration and one or more electrodes carried by the expandable member. The one or more electrodes may be configured to transmit an electrical signal through a fluid to cause the fluid to undergo cavitation that generates a pressure wave within the fluid.

Embolism treatment devices, systems, and methods are provided. In one embodiment, an embolism treatment system includes a flexible elongate member configured to be positioned within a blood vessel of a patient, the flexible elongate member comprising a distal portion and a proximal portion; an ultrasound imaging component positioned at the distal portion and configured to emit ultrasound energy towards a blood clot within the blood vessel and collect an image signal representative of the blood clot; a treatment component positioned at the distal portion and configured to treat the blood clot; and a flow sensing component positioned at the distal portion and configured to determine a blood flow measurement within the blood vessel associated with the blood clot.

The invention provides a filter assembly including a string or wire such that a lasso type cincture is effected, said filter being openable and closeable while in deployed within a bodily vessel. A string lengthen or shorting adjustment mechanism, such as a ratchet or reel allows more length of string into the device or alternatively to shorten the length of available string in the system. The described invention, when used to ameliorate venous clots and most arterio-venous dialysis grafts, a filter-tipped aspirator is used downstream from the clot to capture and remove dislocated emboli. A method of using same is disclosed.

An endoluminal punch and introducer sheath. The endoluminal punch includes a secondary blade, or fin blade affixed to the distal end of the endoluminal punch to increase the size of an incision.

Disclosed herein shock wave catheters comprising one or more shock wave electrodes for cracking calcifications located within blood vessels. In some variations, a shock wave catheter has first and second shock wave electrodes each circumferentially disposed over the outer surface of the catheter. In certain variations, the first electrode has a recess and the second electrode has a protrusion that is received by the recess and a spark gap is located along the separation between the recess and the protrusion. The second electrode can also have a recess that receives a protrusion from a third shock wave electrode, where the separation between the second and third electrodes along the separation between the recess and the protrusion forms a second spark gap. A shock wave can be initiated across these spark gaps when a voltage is applied over the electrodes.

A medical device catheter comprises a cavitation bubble chamber configured to contain a cavitation solution, and at least two electrodes positioned within the cavitation bubble chamber to be in contact with the cavitation solution and to form an electrode gap. A proximal end of the medical device catheter is adapted to remain outside the body of the patient during use of the catheter, and a first lumen is in fluid communication with the cavitation bubble chamber and the proximal end, configured to deliver the cavitation solution from the proximal end of the medical device catheter to the cavitation bubble chamber.