A catheter-mounted balloon includes an inflatable chamber defining a volume expandable from a deflated state to an inflated state, the inflatable chamber having a distal transition portion, a proximal transition portion, and a cylindrical body portion disposed between the distal transition portion and the proximal transition portion. The cylindrical body portion of the inflatable chamber includes a pleat zone having a pleat when the inflatable chamber is in the deflated state. The catheter-mounted balloon further includes an electrode disposed along a wall of the inflatable chamber. The pleat traverses the electrode such that is electrode is pleated as well.

The invention provides an innovative low cost, efficient, short duration, and painless minimally invasive device and method for tightening sagging skin through linear tensing and stimulation of collagen production. More particularly still, the device and method not only allow applying heat directly in the dermis layer of the skin, but also allows for administering an anesthetic and optionally additional anti-inflammatory or collagen induction fluids through the same apparatus.

An electrical apparatus includes a spiral electrode and an interface circuit. The spiral electrode is disposed on a distal end of a probe for insertion into a body of a patient. The interface circuit is configured to (a) transfer a radiofrequency (RF) ablation signal to the electrode for ablating tissue in the body, (b) output a voltage that develops across the electrode in response to an external magnetic field, for measuring a position of the distal end in the body, and (c) transfer electrical current through the electrode for measuring a resistivity that is indicative of tissue temperature in a vicinity of the electrode.

Systems, devices, and methods for transvascular ablation of target tissue are disclosed herein. The devices and methods may, in some examples, be used for splanchnic nerve ablation to increase splanchnic venous blood capacitance to treat at least one of heart failure and hypertension. For example, the devices disclosed herein may be advanced endovascularly to a target vessel in the region of a thoracic splanchnic nerve (TSN), such as a greater splanchnic nerve (GSN) or a TSN nerve root. Also disclosed are method of treating heart failure, such as HFpEF, by endovascularly ablating a thoracic splanchnic nerve to increase venous capacitance and reduce pulmonary blood pressure.

Methods for using a surgical device integrating a suction mechanism with a coagulation mechanism for improving lesion creation capabilities. The device comprises an elongate member having an insulative covering attached about means for coagulating soft tissue with at least one diagnostic element coupled to an energy transfer element of the device. Openings through the covering expose regions of the coagulation-causing elements and are coupled to lumens in the elongate member which are routed to a vacuum source and a fluid source to passively transport fluid along the contacted soft tissue surface in order to push the maximum temperature deeper into tissue.

Systems, devices, and methods for transvascular ablation of target tissue are disclosed herein. The devices and methods may, in some examples, be used for splanchnic nerve ablation to increase splanchnic venous blood capacitance to treat at least one of heart failure and hypertension. For example, the devices disclosed herein may be advanced endovascularly to a target vessel in the region of a thoracic splanchnic nerve (TSN), such as a greater splanchnic nerve (GSN) or a TSN nerve root. Also disclosed are method of treating heart failure, such as HFpEF, by endovascularly ablating a thoracic splanchnic nerve to increase venous capacitance and reduce pulmonary blood pressure.

Devices, methods, and systems for the treatment of tissue using energy delivery. Specifically, certain embodiments may be used for the treatment of lung tissue, such as lung nodules, using RF ablation, via a catheter provided with a first electrode attached to a distal end of the catheter, wherein the first electrode is hollow, wherein the first electrode comprises a piercing tip configured to pierce through an airway wall and a second electrode received in a movable manner within the first electrode, wherein the second electrode is extendable from the first electrode to form a first extended configuration.

Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for positioning electrodes within a body. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus for slidably moving multiple features relative to a sheath insertable into a body and positionable relative to a reference point includes a primary actuator configured to move a primary electrode to a first position. A secondary actuator is configured to move a secondary electrode to a second position. A shrouding device is configured to selectively prevent access to the secondary actuator until the primary actuator has been manipulated to extend the primary electrode to the first position.

Visualization and ablation systems and catheters. The systems can capture a plurality of different 2D images of the patient's anatomy adjacent an expandable member, each of which visualizes at least one part of the patient that is in contact with the expandable membrane, tag each of the plurality of different 2D images with information indicative of the position and orientation of a locational element when each of the plurality of different 2D images was captured, create a patient map, wherein creating the patient map comprises placing each of the plurality of different 2D images at the corresponding tagged position and orientation into a 3D space, and display the patient map.

The present disclosure is directed to measuring impedance across a plurality of electrode pairs. The disclosed systems and methods may simultaneously provide drive signals between electrode pairs and then sense the voltage signals that develop at the electrodes. Digital signal processing may be used to synchronously demodulate the voltage signal at each electrode to determine impedances at the electrodes. Each electrode pair may be driven at a unique frequency to allow for significantly increasing a number of electrode pairs and/or increasing drive current magnitudes. Synchronous demodulation allows the unique frequencies to be detected independent of each other while minimizing crosstalk. Typically, the drive frequencies are made orthogonal by setting the drive frequencies at harmonics of a common base frequency and measuring a response over an integer number of cycles. In an embodiment, quadrature demodulation may occur providing a real component for resistive impedance and an imaginary component for reactive impedance.