A catheter has at least a first transducer located in an interior of at least a first balloon, the first transducer configured to be operated at an operational frequency. The first transducer transmits an acoustic signal that provides a first acoustic field with multiple lobes along a longitudinal axis of the first transducer, each of the lobes has a spatial intensity maximum in a spatial intensity distribution of the first acoustic field, the spatial intensity distribution being at a surface of the first balloon and parallel to a surface of the first transducer, the spatial intensity distribution of the first acoustic field having one or more reduced spatial acoustic intensity locations where the spatial intensity of the acoustic field of the first transducer is 50% or less of a value of one of the spatial intensity maxima of the first transducer, each of the reduced spatial acoustic intensity locations being between the spatial intensity maxima for lobes that are adjacent to one another along the longitudinal axis of the first transducer, and each of the reduced spatial acoustic intensity locations being on the surface of the first balloon between the spatial intensity maxima that are adjacent to one another along the longitudinal axis of the first transducer. The catheter further comprises at least a first electrode configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal, the first electrode being positioned on the first balloon at one of the reduced spatial acoustic intensity location of the first transducer.

Various examples of an ablation end effector are shown and described with two balloons independently inflatable so that a distal balloon can be used to ensure stability of the second balloon for electrical ablation in a beating heart. Methods and techniques to operate the ablation end-effectors are also described.

A device for therapeutic neuromodulation in a nasal region can include, for example, a shaft and a therapeutic element at a distal portion of the shaft. The shaft can locate the distal portion intraluminally at a target site inferior to a patient's sphenopalatine foramen. The therapeutic element can include an energy delivery element configured to therapeutically modulate postganglionic parasympathetic nerves at microforamina of a palatine bone of the human patient for the treatment of rhinitis or other indications. In other embodiments, the therapeutic element can be configured to therapeutically modulate nerves that innervate the frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal, and maxillary sinuses for the treatment of chronic sinusitis.

A method includes cutting a septal wall between a right atrium and left atrium of a heart of a patient to form a multi-cuspid valvular shunt, and ablating septal wall tissue of at least a portion of the multi-cuspid valvular shunt to cause the ablated portion of the multi-cuspid valvular shunt to be biostable.

Plasma delivery tips of medical-grade plasma generating devices are configured to exclude potential contaminants while operating within body cavities. In some embodiments, delivery tips are provided with an antechamber, which is optionally filled by pressure of ionizing gas to prevent contamination. Some embodiments are provided with one or more interior and/or exterior valves configured to prevent proximal ingress of contamination to the longitudinal position of the discharge electrode, or at all into the gas delivery lumen. In some embodiments, an expandable distal section of the plasma delivery tip acts as a valve which seals when closed, and when open expands to generate an inflated antechamber into which plasma is delivered.

Systems and methods for tumor ablation with controlled precision of a temperature profile utilizing a tumor ablation probe device may include disposing a distal end of the tumor ablation probe device in a tissue, the distal end including a plurality of electrothermal modules (ETMs) on probe arm(s), each ETM including a first surface component electrically connected to a second surface component; supplying a first voltage of a first polarity or a second voltage of a second polarity to at least one ETM, and repeatedly alternating between the first polarity and the second polarity based on a time sequence cycle. When the first polarity is supplied, the ETM heats the first surface component and cools the second surface component, and when the second polarity is supplied, the ETM cools the first surface component and heats the second surface component. Each ETM and/or probe arm is configured for independent control.

The present invention is directed to a method of endoscopically ablating/resecting/excluding (A/R/E) the mucosa of the gastric fundus and body. The method of the present invention is intended to cause cellular death to the X/A-like, ghrelin producing and other hormone cells. This is in contrast to present methods to provide only transient ischemia. The use of the method of the present invention results in a more permanent and robust method of reducing ghrelin and other hormone levels. In addition, a method according to the present invention can be used to induce scarring of the gastric fundus which will reduce gastric accommodation of excess food and result in early satiety.

Systems and methods deploy an electrode structure in contact with the tissue region. The electrode structure carries a sensor at a known location on the electrode structure to monitor an operating condition. The systems and methods provide an interface, which generate an idealized image of the electrode structure and an indicator image to represent the monitored operating condition in a spatial position on the idealized image corresponding to the location of the sensor on the electrode structure. The interface displays a view image comprising the idealized image and indicator image. The systems and methods cause the electrode structure to apply energy to heat the tissue region while the view image is displayed on the display screen.

Devices and systems for the selective positioning of an intravascular neuromodulation device are disclosed herein. Such systems can include, for example, an elongated shaft and a therapeutic assembly carried by a distal portion of the elongated shaft. The therapeutic assembly is configured for delivery within a blood vessel. The therapeutic assembly can include a pre-formed shape and can be transformable between a substantially straight delivery configuration; and a treatment configuration having the pre-formed helical shape to position the therapeutic assembly in stable contact with a wall of the body vessel. The therapeutic assembly can also include a mechanical decoupler operably connected to the therapeutic assembly that is configured to absorb at least a portion of a force exerted on the therapeutic assembly by the shaft so that the therapeutic assembly maintains a generally stationary position relative to the target site.

Methods for treating a patient using therapeutic renal neuromodulation and associated devices, system, and methods are disclosed herein. One aspect of the present technology is directed to neuromodulating nerve tissue in selected anatomical regions. In one embodiment, the method can include intravascularly advancing an elongate shaft of a catheter to renal vasculature of a human patient and locating a first neuromodulation element of the catheter within a distalmost portion of a main renal artery. The method includes locating a second neuromodulation element of the catheter within a branch vessel of the renal artery distal to a bifurcation at a distal end of the main renal artery. Neuromodulation of the nerve tissue surrounding the selected anatomical treatment locations can inhibit sympathetic neural activity in nerves proximate a portion of a renal artery and/or a renal branch artery proximate a renal parenchyma.