A balloon is provided for selectively moving an esophagus away from an ablation site. The balloon is received through an oral cavity and into the esophagus of a patient. A deflecting member is provided in the tube, the balloon, or both, so as to selectively distort to bend the balloon and/or the tube to move the esophagus away from the ablation site. The deflecting member may comprise at least one of a strip made of a shape memory material that is responsive to the receipt of a stimulus to deflect to a predetermined shape, a strip that is made of or contains a ferrous material and that deflects in response to the presence of a magnetic field, and a selectively tensionable cable, wire, or string. The deflecting member may be supplemented by a stiffening strip that is located in the balloon and that causes the balloon to expand circumferentially and asymmetrically when inflated.

A balloon is provided for selectively moving an esophagus away from an ablation site. The balloon is received through an oral cavity and into the esophagus of a patient. A deflecting member is provided in the tube, the balloon, or both, so as to selectively distort to bend the balloon and/or the tube to move the esophagus away from the ablation site. The deflecting member may comprise at least one of a strip made of a shape memory material that is responsive to the receipt of a stimulus to deflect to a predetermined shape, a strip that is made of or contains a ferrous material and that deflects in response to the presence of a magnetic field, and a selectively tensionable cable, wire, or string. The deflecting member may be supplemented by a stiffening strip that is located in the balloon and that causes the balloon to expand circumferentially and asymmetrically when inflated.

A device for expanding tissue comprises at least one fluid delivery tube and at least one fluid delivery element in fluid communication with the at least one fluid delivery tube. The at least one fluid delivery tube comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therebetween. The device is constructed and arranged to perform a near full circumferential expansion of luminal wall tissue. Systems and methods are also provided, including a system for expanding tissue layers and treating tissue proximate to the expanded tissue layers.

A device for expanding tissue comprises at least one fluid delivery tube and at least one fluid delivery element in fluid communication with the at least one fluid delivery tube. The at least one fluid delivery tube comprises a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therebetween. The device is constructed and arranged to perform a near full circumferential expansion of luminal wall tissue. Systems and methods are also provided, including a system for expanding tissue layers and treating tissue proximate to the expanded tissue layers.

Interventional procedures on the carotid arteries are performed through a transcervical access while retrograde blood flow is established from the internal carotid artery to a venous or external location. A system for use in accessing and treating a carotid artery includes an arterial access device, a shunt fluidly connected to the arterial access device, and a flow control assembly coupled to the shunt and adapted to regulate blood flow through the shunt between at least a first blood flow state and at least a second blood flow state. The flow control assembly includes one or more components that interact with the blood flow through the shunt.

Interventional procedures on the carotid arteries are performed through a transcervical access while retrograde blood flow is established from the internal carotid artery to a venous or external location. A system for use in accessing and treating a carotid artery includes an arterial access device, a shunt fluidly connected to the arterial access device, and a flow control assembly coupled to the shunt and adapted to regulate blood flow through the shunt between at least a first blood flow state and at least a second blood flow state. The flow control assembly includes one or more components that interact with the blood flow through the shunt.

A medical device for the treatment of a sinus opening includes a handle, a grooming sheath, a rail, a guide wire, a balloon catheter and a balloon catheter movement mechanism. The handle has a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis along the length of the handle. The grooming sheath has a distal end and a proximal end with the proximal end of the grooming sheath being attached to the distal end of the handle. The rail has a distal end and a proximal end and disposed partially within the grooming sheath to define an annular lumen is between the rail and the grooming sheath. The guide wire operatively extends from the distal end of the rail and the balloon catheter is disposed at least partially in the handle and annular lumen. The balloon catheter movement mechanism operatively disposed on the handle and configured for advancement and retraction of the balloon catheter through both the handle and the annular lumen and along both the rail and guide wire by user operation of the balloon catheter movement mechanism. A method for treating a sinus opening includes inserting a medical device for the treatment of a sinus opening partially into a patient's anatomy and then positioning a guide wire operatively extending from a rail of a medical device into a sinus opening of the patient. The method further includes advancing a balloon catheter from an annular lumen of the medical device and along both the rail of the medical device and the guide wire. The method also includes treating the sinus opening via inflation of the balloon catheter. In the method, the annular lumen is between the rail and a grooming sheath of the medical device and the advancing is accomplished via user operation of a balloon catheter movement mechanism of the medical device.

In various embodiments, a device is provided comprising a balloon configured to expand to an expanded state in response to introduction of a fluid at a first pressure, wherein the fluid perfuses through the balloon above a second pressure, the second pressure being the same or greater than the first pressure. In various embodiments, a method comprising fabricating a balloon configured to expand to an expanded state in response to introduction of a fluid at a first pressure, wherein the fluid perfuses through the balloon above a second pressure, the second pressure being at or greater than the first pressure, disposing the balloon on an elongate member having a lumen, placing the lumen in fluid communication with an interior volume of the balloon.

In various embodiments, a device is provided comprising a balloon configured to expand to an expanded state in response to introduction of a fluid at a first pressure, wherein the fluid perfuses through the balloon above a second pressure, the second pressure being the same or greater than the first pressure. In various embodiments, a method comprising fabricating a balloon configured to expand to an expanded state in response to introduction of a fluid at a first pressure, wherein the fluid perfuses through the balloon above a second pressure, the second pressure being at or greater than the first pressure, disposing the balloon on an elongate member having a lumen, placing the lumen in fluid communication with an interior volume of the balloon.

A balloon catheter including a heating element disposed about a portion of an outer surface of a catheter shaft; a balloon mounted about the outer surface of the catheter shaft to coincide with the heating element; and thermally expandable material disposed inside the mounted balloon. The balloon catheter eliminating the need for pressurized liquid inflation media to be dispensed into/expelled from the balloon in order to inflate/deflate, respectively, the balloon.