Methods and devices described for improved catheters including those having a deflectable section to allow for expansion while maintaining flow through a vessel.

An ablation system comprises: an ablation catheter and a console. The ablation catheter comprises: a shaft including a proximal end, a distal portion and a distal end; an ablation element configured to deliver energy to tissue; and a force maintenance assembly comprising a force maintenance element and configured to control and/or assess contact force between the ablation element and cardiac tissue. The console is configured to operably attach to the ablation catheter and comprises: an energy delivery assembly configured to provide energy to the ablation element. Methods of ablating tissue are also provided.

A deflection system for deflecting a body lumen that includes a deflection mechanism, wherein the deflection mechanism includes: a beam having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the beam includes a neutral position and a deflected position, a pull wire coupled to the distal end of the beam, wherein the beam is configured to be placed in the deflected position when a tension force is applied to the pull wire, and wherein at least a portion of the pull wire is configured to move to a displacement distance away from the beam when the tension force is applied to the pull wire, and one or more constraint members operatively coupled to the beam, wherein each one of the one or more constraint members is configured to limit the displacement distance of the pull wire from the beam when the tension force is applied to the pull wire.

Devices, systems, and methods are provided for image-guided interventional procedures and other uses. Nested articulated catheter shaft systems may have an imaging catheter with an ultrasound transducer supported by a fluid-driven articulated sheath portion. Drive fluid can be transmitted distally along an asymmetric sheath via eccentric passages to an articulated portion of the imaging catheter distal of a port. An articulated shaft supporting a therapeutic tool can be advanced within a working lumen of the imaging sheath to the port so that the tool is within a field of view of the transducer. The fluid transmission channels may take much less cross-sectional area of the sheath than a mechanical pull-wire system, allowing the nested sheath/shaft system to provide safer access to a chamber of the heart and to facilitate precise independent control over 3D ultrasound imaging and image-guided structural heart therapies or the like.

A system and method for delivering a medicament including a catheter configured for implantation in different target tissue sites, extending from a proximal end to a distal end, and having a sidewall which defines an internal lumen. The distal end has one or more apertures in the sidewall for the release of the medicament into the target tissue site; the system also comprises a medicament reservoir fluidly communicable with the internal lumen of each catheter, an adhesive member configured to adhere to the skin of the patient around the exit wound and having an opening therein to allow the catheters to pass through the adhesive member and a retaining member configured to be overlaid on the adhesive member and comprising a guide surface configured to receive a length of the two or more catheters and a plurality of retaining portions to retain the catheters against the guide surface.

A catheter system includes a catheter having an elongate shaft, a balloon and a light guide. The balloon expands from a collapsed configuration to a first expanded configuration. The light guide is disposed along the elongate shaft and is in optical communication with a light source and a balloon fluid. A first portion of the light guide extends into a recess defined by the elongate shaft. A protection structure is disposed within the recess and is in contact with the first portion of the light guide. The light source provides pulses of light to the balloon fluid, thereby initiating plasma formation and rapid bubble formation within the balloon, thereby imparting pressure waves upon a treatment site. The protection structure can provide structural protection from the pressure waves to the first portion of the light guide.

A controllable stiffness endoscope overtube includes an overtube shaft including an inner sheath defining an access lumen and an outer sheath surrounding the inner sheath from proximal to distal end of inner sheath to define an annulus therebetween having a proximal portion with a vacuum connection. The sheath distal ends are longitudinally fixed to one another and sized to receive an endoscope. The outer sheath has a constant outer diameter over at least a distal portion of the annulus proximate to the distal ends of the sheaths. A vacuum device is fluidically connected to the vacuum connection and applies vacuum to the annulus. Responsive thereto, annulus pressure is lowered, the sheaths are drawn together, and the overtube shaft is stiffened over at least the distal portion to stiffen and maintain a current shape of the overtube shaft over at least the distal portion of the annulus.

A rigidizing device includes an elongate flexible tube, a stiffening layer positioned radially outwards of the elongate flexible tube, an outer layer over the elongate flexible tube and the stiffening layer, and a vacuum or pressure inlet between the elongate flexible tube and the outer layer and configured to attach to a source of vacuum or pressure. The elongate flexible tube includes a first reinforcement element and a second reinforcement element. The second reinforcement element is counterwound relative to the first reinforcement element. The rigidizing device is configured to have a rigid configuration when vacuum or pressure is applied through the inlet and a flexible configuration when vacuum or pressure is not applied through the inlet.

A system and method for delivering a medicament to a target tissue site in a patient over a period of time. A catheter is configured for implantation in different target tissue sites and extends from a proximal end to a distal end and has a sidewall which defines an internal lumen. The distal end has one or more apertures either in the sidewall or at a distal end for the release of the medicament into the target tissue site; the system also comprises a medicament reservoir fluidly communicable with the internal lumen of each catheter, an adhesive member configured to adhere to the skin of the patient around the exit wound and having an opening therein to allow the catheters to pass through the adhesive member and a retaining member configured to be overlaid on the adhesive member and comprising a guide surface configured to receive a length of the two or more catheters and a plurality of retaining portions to retain the catheters against the guide surface.

The present invention provides a variable stiffness catheter comprising a pneumatic actuator lumen system that allows manipulation of shape and curvature at one or more locations along the catheter.