Laser ablation catheters and methods of using same for efficient tissue ablation are disclosed. In some cases, laser ablation catheter embodiments may include expanded distal tips that allow for beam energy expansion and reduce dead space at the distal cutting surface of the laser ablation catheter.

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.

An apparatus (20) for treating a blockage in a body of a subject includes a tube (22) configured for insertion into the body and shaped to define: a first lumen (24), and a second lumen (26) having a distal opening (28). The apparatus further includes a pair of electrodes configured to apply an electric current to the blockage upon application of a voltage between the electrodes, the pair including an outer electrode (30) wrapped around the tube and an inner electrode (32) configured to pass through the first lumen. Other embodiments are also described.

The disclosure provides various embodiments of catheters having articulable ends that can be used for various procedures. Embodiments of methods are also provided that can be performed with catheters in accordance with the present disclosure.

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 device and method of using the device to detect the presence and composition of clots and other target objects in a circulatory vessel of a living subject is described. In particular, devices and methods of detecting the presence and composition of clots and other target objects in a circulatory vessel of a living subject using in vivo photoacoustic flow cytometry techniques is described.

Systems, devices, and methods for removing and/or treating obstructions in the vascular channels, such as blood clots, are provided. The systems may include a capture sock device including a shaft defining a lumen; and a mouth coupled to the shaft. The mouth includes a distal end portion defining a distal opening and is sized and configured to move between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration within a body channel. The mouth is formed of a mesh having porosity large enough to allow blood flow to pass through it but small enough to prevent an obstruction or a fragment of the obstruction from escaping from the mouth back into the body channel. In some embodiments, the mesh is folded to create at least two mesh layers at least at the distal opening to create a smooth atraumatic edge. In some embodiments, the system further includes a trap and/or retriever assembly.

Systems, device and methods treat target tissue to provide a therapeutic benefit to the patient. A tissue treatment device comprises a tissue treatment element constructed and arranged to treat target tissue, such as duodenal mucosa tissue.

The invention includes catheters that have therapeutic agent- and therapeutic energy-delivery capability. In particular embodiments, the catheters include only a single therapeutic energy transducer that is configured to deliver energy to over half of the circumference of the catheter. The therapeutic catheters of the invention allow for faster and more effective thrombus removal because of the simultaneous delivery of therapeutic agents and energy.

The present disclosure relates to a basket for a catheter designed to be deployed in complex vasculature to optimally treat vascular and arterial disease conditions such as blood clots, blood emboli, and deep vein thrombosis. The basket may comprise a shaft with a plurality of cuts along a portion of its length to form a plurality of tines that provide support for a plurality of porous tubes to form the limbs of the basket. The limbs of the basket expand radially away from the longitudinal axis of the basket when the longitudinal length of the basket is reduced. The limbs may also be connected to a drug delivery system, and in this manner, baskets of the present disclosure allow for the use of both mechanical and pharmaceutical means of thrombolysis.