The invention relates to an ablation catheter for treatment of a patient's tissue by delivery of high-voltage pulses comprising a catheter shaft and an ablation portion being arranged at a distal end of the catheter shaft with a plurality of electrodes accommodated along the ablation portion, wherein the ablation portion forms a spiral and comprises a first loop section and a neighboring second loop section, wherein an inner diameter of the first loop section increases towards an inner diameter of the second loop section starting from a first end of the first loop section located opposite the second loop section, wherein the first loop section has a greater stiffness than the second loop section.

Novel and unique medical devices and associated methods are disclosed, for a medical device for puncturing tissue at a tissue site. The medical device is an elongate member having a proximal section, a distal section, and a rail section therebetween. The medical device includes an active tip at a distal end of the distal section and is operable to deliver energy to create a puncture through the tissue. The rail section is configured to both act as a rail for supporting installation of one or more tubular members thereupon, as well as be maneuverable for enabling access to the tissue site.

An exemplary catheter can be provided, which can include, for example a source fiber(s) configured to (i) receive a near infrared spectroscopic (NIRS) radiation, and (ii) provide the NIRS radiation to a portion(s) of a sample(s), a detection fiber(s) configured to receive a return radiation from the sample(s) that can be based on the NIRS radiation that was provided to the portion(s) of the sample(s), and an ablation electrode(s) configured to ablate the sample(s) based on the return radiation. The source fiber(s), the detection fiber(s), and the ablation electrode(s) can be integrated into the single sheath. The ablation electrode(s) can be a radiofrequency ablation electrode.

A system includes a catheter, a pulse generator and a controller. The catheter is configured for insertion into a body of a patient, and includes at least a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, which are disposed at a distal end of the catheter and are configured to contact tissue within the body. The pulse generator is configured to apply one or more bipolar ablation pulses between the first and second electrodes, for ablating the tissue in contact with the first and second electrodes. The controller is configured to: (i) control the pulse generator to apply the one or more bipolar ablation pulses between the first and second electrodes, (ii) receive a signal indicative of a voltage, measured between the third electrode and a reference during application of the ablation pulses, and (iii) issue a notification in response to detecting that the voltage violates a predefined criterion.

Apparatus and systems include an electrosurgical instrument with a unique jaw configuration and gripping surfaces that allow tangential gripping and ablation of tissue in a minimally invasive procedure. The electrosurgical instrument can include a shaft and hinge coupling the shaft to first and second jaws. The first jaw can be an anchor for the second jaw. The jaws can have respective first portions and second portions offset at an angle from the first portions. Each jaw can also include electrodes on their inner surfaces facing the other jaw. Each jaw can also include textured gripping surfaces. The gripping surfaces can be included on at least a portion of the base of each jaw, as well as on at least a portion of the inner surfaces of the jaws.

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to flexible catheters for both electrophysiology mapping and ablation using a high-density array of electrodes. These catheters may be used to detect electrophysiological characteristics of tissue in contact with the electrodes, and conduct monopolar and bipolar ablations of the tissue.

In some aspects, the disclosure relates methods for identifying ventricular tachycardia in subjects, e.g., subjects who have previously experienced a myocardial infarction. In some embodiments, methods of the disclosure comprise measuring action potential durations and/or expression levels of KCNE3 and/or KCNE4 in a subject. In some aspects, the disclosure relates to methods and compositions for reducing or inhibiting the activity of KCNE3 and/or KCNE4, for example, in subjects having ventricular tachycardia.

A medical device includes an elongate shaft extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion defining a distal end. The shaft includes a puncture device having a puncturing tip at the distal end, a distally facing camera in the distal portion, and a lighting system comprising distally facing light emitter in the distal portion.

A biological tissue monitoring system has control circuitry programmed or configured to monitor an impedance of biological tissue. The control circuitry is programmed or configured to receive or determine an impedance measurement of the biological tissue in response to power delivered to the biological tissue at a plurality of frequencies and a plurality of time points, and adjust or cause to be adjusted the power delivered to the biological tissue at a subsequent time point based on the impedance measurement at the plurality of frequencies and the plurality of time points.

Methods and devices described herein facilitate improved treatment of body organs.