Systems and methods for delivering energy to passageways in a patient, such as airways in the lung of a patient for treating asthma. One embodiment of a method for delivering energy to a passageway comprises positioning an access device in a lung airway of a patient and advancing an elongated body of a treatment device along the access device until an energy delivery unit at a distal portion of the elongated body projects from the access device. The method can further include expanding the energy delivery unit such that energy delivery elements contact a sidewall of the airway and activating an energy supply coupled to the treatment device such that energy is delivered to the sidewall of the airway. A single person physically operates both the access device and the treatment device while expanding the energy delivery unit and activating the energy supply.

Disclosed are an extruded honeycomb catalyst, a process for preparing the catalyst, a method for reducing NOx in the exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine by using the catalyst, and a method for treatment of the emission gas generated from power plant comprising exposing the emission gas to the catalyst.

Neuromodulation catheter systems with controlled irrigation capabilities and methods for using such systems are disclosed herein. One such method includes, for example, positioning an irrigated neuromodulation catheter at a treatment site within a renal blood vessel of a human patient, delivering neuromodulation energy at the treatment site, and delivering irrigation fluid to the treatment site having characteristics coordinated with the delivered energy. The characteristics can be adjusted to maintain an energy delivery element and/or tissue of the blood vessel at a constant temperature as power is increased. The method can further include monitoring at least one parameter of the tissue and/or of the energy delivery element, and adjusting the neuromodulation energy and/or the characteristics of the irrigation fluid if the at least one parameter falls outside of a treatment range of values.

Neuromodulation catheter systems with controlled irrigation capabilities and methods for using such systems are disclosed herein. One such method includes, for example, positioning an irrigated neuromodulation catheter at a treatment site within a renal blood vessel of a human patient, delivering neuromodulation energy at the treatment site, and delivering irrigation fluid to the treatment site having characteristics coordinated with the delivered energy. The characteristics can be adjusted to maintain an energy delivery element and/or tissue of the blood vessel at a constant temperature as power is increased. The method can further include monitoring at least one parameter of the tissue and/or of the energy delivery element, and adjusting the neuromodulation energy and/or the characteristics of the irrigation fluid if the at least one parameter falls outside of a treatment range of values.

Electrophysiology mapping and visualization systems are described herein where such devices may be used to visualize tissue regions as well as map the electrophysiological activity of the tissue. Such a system may include a deployment catheter and an attached hood deployable into an expanded configuration. In use, the imaging hood is placed against or adjacent to a region of tissue to be imaged in a body lumen that is normally filled with an opaque bodily fluid such as blood. A translucent or transparent fluid, such as saline, can be pumped into the imaging hood until the fluid displaces any blood, thereby leaving a clear region of tissue to be imaged via an imaging element in the deployment catheter. A position of the catheter and/or hood may be tracked and the hood may also be used to detect the electrophysiological activity of the visualized tissue for mapping.

Exhaust removal apparatus and methods for cryogenic treatment are described herein. The apparatus may generally include a housing having an inlet for fluidly coupling to a source of water and an outlet for fluidly coupling to a drain, and a suction chamber in fluid communication with the housing, wherein the suction chamber is further configured to be detachably coupled to an exhaust collection reservoir having a volume of exhaust gas. Introduction of water through the inlet generates a pressure reduction within the suction chamber such that the volume of exhaust gas is drawn from the exhaust collection reservoir and into the housing for dissolving into the water and out through the drain.

Exhaust removal apparatus and methods for cryogenic treatment are described herein. The apparatus may generally include a housing having an inlet for fluidly coupling to a source of water and an outlet for fluidly coupling to a drain, and a suction chamber in fluid communication with the housing, wherein the suction chamber is further configured to be detachably coupled to an exhaust collection reservoir having a volume of exhaust gas. Introduction of water through the inlet generates a pressure reduction within the suction chamber such that the volume of exhaust gas is drawn from the exhaust collection reservoir and into the housing for dissolving into the water and out through the drain.

Devices and methods for treating rhinitis are provided. An integrated therapy and imaging device is provided for single handheld use. The device may have a hollow elongated cannula, a therapeutic element coupled to a distal portion of the cannula, an imaging assembly coupled to the cannula to provide visualization of the therapeutic element, and an articulating region operably coupled to the imaging assembly to articulate the imaging assembly. The imaging assembly may be articulated so as to translate vertically, laterally, axially, and/or rotationally.

Devices and methods for treating rhinitis are provided. An integrated therapy and imaging device is provided for single handheld use. The device may have a hollow elongated cannula, a therapeutic element coupled to a distal portion of the cannula, an imaging assembly coupled to the cannula to provide visualization of the therapeutic element, and an articulating region operably coupled to the imaging assembly to articulate the imaging assembly. The imaging assembly may be articulated so as to translate vertically, laterally, axially, and/or rotationally.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for generating three-dimensional tissue maps, and particularly fibrosis maps of cardiac tissue. An intravascular device includes an elongated member and a distal tip. An imaging assembly is integrated with the elongated member to enable imaging of the microstructure of tissue near the distal tip. One or more navigation electrodes are positioned at or near the distal tip. Electrical mapping and/or ablation assemblies may also be integrated with the device. Images may be characterized according to a level of fibrosis and, using the corresponding determined locations of the images, a three-dimensional map showing areas of differential fibrosis may be generated. Electrical mapping data may also be integrated with the fibrosis map to generate a composite fibrosis and voltage map.