Ablation catheters and systems include multiple inline chambers for containing and heating an ablative agent. The heating chamber includes one or more channels to increase the contact surface area of the ablative agent with the walls of the heating chamber to provide more efficient heating. Induction heating is used to heat a chamber and vaporize a fluid within by wrapping a coil about a ferromagnetic chamber and providing an alternating current to the coil. A magnetic field is created in the area surrounding the chamber which induces electric current flow in the chamber, heating the chamber and vaporizing the fluid inside. Positioning elements help maintain the device in the proper position with respect to the target tissue and also prevent the passage of ablative agent to normal tissues.

Devices for therapeutic nasal neuromodulation and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A system for therapeutic neuromodulation in a nasal region configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, a shaft and a therapeutic element at a distal portion of the shaft. The shaft can locate the distal portion intraluminally at a target site inferior to a patient's sphenopalatine foramen. The therapeutic element can include an energy delivery element configured to therapeutically modulate postganglionic parasympathetic nerves at microforamina of a palatine bone of the human patient for the treatment of rhinitis or other indications. In other embodiments, the therapeutic element can be configured to therapeutically modulate nerves that innervate the frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal, and maxillary sinuses for the treatment of chronic sinusitis.

Provided herein are ablation systems having an ablation component with an ablation chamber and an insulation chamber, wherein the ablation chamber comprises a plurality of channels defined there. Other embodiments include ablation systems having a substrate source, a cooling component, and an ablation component. Certain systems are closed-loop systems that reuse the cooling substrate.

Ablation catheters and systems include coaxial catheter shafts with an inner lumen for delivering an ablative agent and an outer lumen for circulation of a cooling element about the catheter. Induction heating is used to heat a chamber and vaporize a fluid within by wrapping a coil about a ferromagnetic chamber and providing an alternating current to the coil. A magnetic field is created in the area surrounding the chamber which induces electric current flow in the chamber, heating the chamber and vaporizing the fluid inside. Positioning elements help maintain the device in the proper position with respect to the target tissue and also prevent the passage of ablative agent to normal tissues.

A device, system and method for temperature-based lesion formation assessment and mapping functionality using an accessory usable with an over-the-wire balloon catheter. The device may include a first annular element, a plurality of wires coupled to the first annular element, and a second annular element, the plurality of wires passing from the first annular element through the second annular element and into an elongate wire conduit coupled to the second annular element. At least one of the plurality of wires may include at least one temperature sensor and/or at least one mapping electrode. The first annular element coupled to an outer surface of a sheath. As a balloon catheter is advanced out of the sheath lumen, the distal tip of the catheter engages the second annular element and pushes the wires out of the sheath lumen, everting them over the balloon of the catheter.

Methods of inducing apoptosis in a tissue may include providing a tissue separation and equalization device having a generally elongated tissue insertion member, providing an incision in tissue, inserting the tissue insertion member of the tissue separation and equalization device through the incision into the tissue reducing a temperature of the tissue insertion member and removing the tissue insertion member from the tissue.

The present invention relates to steerable access sheath assembly including at least one electrode. Moreover, the present invention relates to a steerable sheath access device for use in cardiovascular procedures. Embodiments of the present invention including steerable access sheaths or introducers may provide cardiovascular access for various ablation tools and devices for the performance of various ablation procedures or procedures involving alternate energy sources.

A resurfacing device for removing a thin layer of diseased tissue while minimizing damage to the underlying tissue layers may include an expandable scaffold attached to a catheter shaft, at least one electrode disposed on the expandable scaffold, and a plurality of debridement elements disposed on an outer surface of the expandable scaffold. The expandable scaffold is positioned in apposition to the target tissue, the scaffold is expanded and the electrodes are activated to ablate diseased tissue. The scaffold is rotated to remove the ablated tissue.

An elongated medical assembly includes a first elongated medical device configured to be inserted, at least in part, into the patient, and also configured to be maneuvered proximate to the biological feature. A second elongated medical device is configured to be received, at least in part, in the first elongated medical device, and also configured to be selectively extended, at least in part, from the first elongated medical device toward, and proximate to, the biological feature. A biological-removal device is mounted to the second elongated medical device, and configured to cut a portion of the biological feature after the second elongated medical device has been positioned proximate to the biological feature.

A device, system, and method for performing a variety of treatment procedures safely with a single treatment device. For example, a system is provided that includes a treatment device with a highly conformable balloon that is inflated at a constant pressure and that remains “soft” during use, which enhances balloon-tissue contact, treatment efficacy, and patient safety. In one embodiment, a system for ablating tissue comprises: a treatment device including a highly conformable balloon; a control unit including a fluid supply reservoir in fluid communication with the highly conformable balloon, the control unit being configured to deliver fluid from the fluid supply reservoir to the highly conformable balloon such that the highly conformable balloon is maintained at a balloon pressure of between 0.2 psig and 3.0 psig.