A treatment tool includes a tubular member including an opening and a tubular member main body that has a tubular shape. The tubular member is configured to suction a tissue piece through the opening. The treatment tool includes a blade member provided on an opening edge of the opening.

The present invention is an ablation device having an arcuate configuration for the ablation of tissue. The device includes a probe having a nonconductive elongated shaft including at least one lumen therethrough and a nonconductive distal portion extending from the shaft. The nonconductive distal portion includes a plurality distal ports and a plurality of proximal ports in communication with the at least one lumen of the shaft. The device further includes an electrode array including a plurality of independent conductive wires extending through the lumen and positioned along an external surface of the nonconductive distal portion, each of the plurality of wires passes through at least an associated one of the proximal ports and through at least a corresponding one of the distal ports.

A partially-masked electrode includes a conductive material and an insulated coating having an outer surface. The insulated coating defines a contoured opening that exposes or reveals an area of the conductive material, wherein the contoured opening has an upper perimeter at the outer surface of the insulated coating. When the upper perimeter of the insulated surface coating is placed in contact with a tissue of interest, wherein the tissue of interest is proximate a blood pool, the insulated coating creates a seal between the blood pool and the contoured opening so that no blood in the blood pool can contact the conductive material. This seal reduces or eliminates the reception of far field effects in the blood pool by the electrode, making it easier to locate and diagnose unhealthy tissue.

Flexible circuit strips of a catheter balloon may comprise a substrate and a contact electrode disposed on the substrate. A cover may be disposed over a peripheral portion of the contact electrode and an adjacent portion of the substrate The cover is intended to increase robustness of the contact electrode in response to fatigue that might arise from repeated expansion and contraction of the catheter balloon.

A catheter balloon comprises an ellipsoidal membrane. A plurality of flexible circuit strips, each of which comprises a substrate and a contact electrode, are disposed about the membrane. A coating is disposed atop at least the outer surface of the membrane and may also be disposed atop a portion of each of the substrates. The coating may comprise a dielectric material, such as parylene. The coating may increase the smoothness of the balloon. When subject to internal pressures that expand the balloon, the coating may also increase the resilience of the balloon relative to a balloon that lacks the coating as determined by changes in the balloon's diameter before and after expansion.

A system for use in a renal denervation procedure includes a catheter having proximal and distal end portions, a sensor configured to sense a condition of one or more nerves, the sensor operatively associated with the distal end portion of the catheter, and at least one electrode disposed on the distal end portion of the catheter for delivering energy to renal tissue. A catheter includes a catheter body defining a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, and a sensor for sensing a renal sympathetic nerve, the sensor disposed on the distal end portion of the catheter body, wherein the sensor is configured to sense an electromagnetic signal from the renal sympathetic nerve.

Methods and systems provide a body surface electrode, such as a patch, and, for example, a backpatch, which automatically detects detachment from the skin and/or proximity thereto, within a predetermined limit, and hence, the electrode coming out of contact with and/or proximity to the skin. Once the detachment is detected, the disclosed system instantaneously terminates pulse delivery to a pulse delivery electrode from an IRE generator, which generates the delivered pulses. By instantaneously terminating pulse delivery, damage to body tissues from overheating caused by pulses is minimized or eliminated.

Apparatus comprises: (a) a longitudinal member (32), having a distal portion (34); (b) a plurality of electrodes (38) disposed on the distal portion of the longitudinal member, such that a first electrode (38a) of the plurality of electrodes is disposed distally along the longitudinal member from a second electrode (38b) of the plurality of electrodes; and (c) a controller (40). The controller comprises an actuator, and circuitry (42) electrically connected to the electrodes via the longitudinal member. The actuator is configured to move the longitudinal member in discrete incremental movements such that for each incremental movement, (i) before the incremental movement the first electrode is disposed in a starting position, (ii) during each incremental movement the actuator moves second electrode toward the starting position, and (iii) at the end of each incremental movement the second electrode is stationary at the starting position.

An electrode assembly for an electrosurgical instrument includes an active electrode and retainer arrangement that are inserted to a cavity of an insulator and then welded together to secure the active electrode in the insulator for use in tissue treatment. The active electrode and retainer are configured to interlock with at least one internal retention surface of the cavity. Once assembled in the cavity, both the active electrode and the retainer may have a portion that extends out of the cavity to protrude from the insulator. This allows opposing biasing forces to be exerted on the active electrode and the retainer respectively so as to push the two components against a retention surface within the cavity. When the active electrode and the retainer are welded together, any clearance with the retention surfaces inside the cavity, caused by variations between parts during the manufacturing process, is removed or at least minimized.

An electrosurgical instrument end effector comprises a rotary shaver arrangement, and an active electrode for supplying radio-frequency (RF) power to a surgical site. The rotary shaver arrangement comprises a rotatable shaver blade, and a stator that partially surrounds the rotatable shaver blade. At least part of the stator is electrically non-conductive.