An apparatus (20) includes one or more longitudinal elements (28a, 28b, 30, 60) configured to pass through a sheath (22) within a body of a subject, and one or more expandable multilayered electrode elements (24) coupled to the longitudinal elements. The electrode elements are configured to advance to a thrombus in the body while collapsed inside the sheath and to expand distally to the sheath following the advance to the thrombus. Each of the electrode elements includes one or more reference electrodes (34) and one or more active electrodes (36) configured to attract the thrombus, following the expansion of the electrode elements, upon application of a voltage between the active electrodes and the reference electrodes. Other embodiments are also described.

Retrieval of material from vessel lumens can be improved by electrically enhancing attachment of the material to the thrombectomy system. The system can include a catheter having a distal portion configured to be positioned adjacent to a thrombus in a blood vessel, an electrode disposed at the distal portion of the catheter, and an interventional element configured to be delivered through a lumen of the catheter. The electrode and the interventional element are each configured to be electrically coupled to an extracorporeal power supply.

A catheter system (100) for placement within a blood vessel (108) having a vessel wall (108A) for treating a treatment site (106) within or adjacent to the vessel wall (108A) within a body (107) of a patient (109) includes a system console (123), one or more energy guides (122A), and an optical connector assembly (251). The system console (123) includes an energy source (124) and a console connection aperture (148). The one or more energy guides (122A) are configured to receive energy from the energy source (124). The optical connector assembly (251) includes a guide coupling housing (250) that retains at least a portion of each of the one or more energy guides (122A). The guide coupling housing (250) is configured to be mechanically connected to the system console (123) with at least a portion of the guide coupling housing (250) being configured to fit and be selectively retained within the console connection aperture (148) so that the one or more energy guides (122A) are adjustably and more precisely aligned within the guide coupling housing (250) and relative to the energy from the energy source (124) to receive the energy from the energy source (124).

Provided is a plasma guide wire including a core shaft, a coil, a tip, a coil-core shaft joining region, and first to third insulating resin tubes. The first insulating resin tube is disposed on the outer periphery of the coil, and extends proximally from the tip to beyond the coil-core shaft joining region. The second insulating resin tube is disposed on the outer periphery of the core shaft, is joined to the proximal end of the first insulating resin tube, and extends from the proximal end of the first insulating resin tube to the proximal side of the core shaft. The second insulating resin tube is harder than the first insulating resin tube. The third insulating resin tube is disposed on at least a portion of a region of the inner periphery of the first insulating resin tube, proximal to a location facing the proximal end of the coil.

A medical device can include an elongate manipulation member, and a thrombectomy device connected to the elongate manipulation member. The thrombectomy device can have a first configuration and a second configuration, the thrombectomy device being expandable from the first configuration to the second configuration. The thrombectomy device can include an arcuate marker-mounting projection attached to a portion of the thrombectomy device configured to contact a thrombus. A marker can be coupled to, and extending around, the arcuate marker-mounting projection with the marker and the arcuate marker-mounting projection contacting each other at three discrete locations. A method for engaging a thrombus can include advancing a thrombectomy device to a location radially adjacent to a thrombus in a blood vessel. The thrombectomy device can be positioned such that a marker, disposed at a proximal end of a working length of thrombectomy device, is proximal to or longitudinally aligned with a proximal end of the thrombus, and can be expanded into the thrombus.

A catheter system (100) for treating a treatment site (106) within or adjacent to a vessel wall (108A) or a heart valve. In various embodiments, the catheter system (100) includes a balloon (104) and an inflation tube (219, 319). The balloon (104) has a balloon interior (146). The inflation tube (219, 319) is configured to guide a flow of an inflation fluid (132) into the balloon interior (146). The inflation tube (219, 319) has an inflation lumen (319A). The inflation tube (219, 319) is movable between (i) an first configuration (319F) wherein the inflation lumen (319A) has a first cross-sectional area, and (ii) a second configuration (319S) wherein the inflation lumen (319A) has a second cross-sectional area that is less than the first cross-sectional area. In various alternative embodiments, the inflation tube (219, 319) can be biased toward the second configuration (319S) or the first configuration (319F). The inflation tube (219, 319) can include a tube wall (319W) that varies in thickness

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a fiber optic guidewire having a hypotube with a plurality of openings that provide variable stiffness and tracking characteristics between at least one proximal segment and one distal segment of the guidewire. In some embodiments, the guidewire further comprises a mandrel disposed within the hypotube, the mandrel cooperating with the optical fibers to permit the distal end of the hypotube to be shaped as desired by a user. Methods of manufacturing and using the guidewire are also disclosed.

Intravascular devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some instances, the intravascular device is a guide wire with electrical conductors embedded within a core wire. In some instances, the electrical conductors are coupled to conductive bands adjacent a proximal portion of the guide wire and a sensing element adjacent a distal portion of the guide wire. Methods of making, manufacturing, and/or assembling such intravascular devices and associated systems are also provided.

Disclosed herein is a system and method for characterizing adventitial tissue. In one aspect, a system and method are disclosed that characterizes tissue types within the adventitial tissue including nerve bundles and blood vessels. In a further aspect, the adventitia is imaged and characterized to provide guidance for crossing lesions within an occluded vessel.

Various aspects of the invention relate to methods and devices for treating diseases and conditions including atherosclerosis and endocarditis using low-temperature, non-equilibrium plasmas. A device may be, for example, a catheter that carries electrodes and a dielectric material for generating a localized, non-equilibrium plasma in a bodily fluid such as blood.