PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an irrigated balloon catheter for use in an ostium of a pulmonary vein.SOLUTION: The catheter includes a flex circuit electrode assembly adapted for circumferential contact with the ostium when the balloon is inflated. Adapted for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications and procedures, the balloon catheter may be used with a lasso catheter or focal catheter. The flex circuit electrode assembly includes: a substrate; a contact electrode on an outer surface of the substrate, the contact electrode having a "fishbone" configuration with a longitudinally elongated portion and a plurality of transversal fingers; a wiring electrode on an inner surface of the substrate, and conductive vias extending through the substrate electrically coupling the contact electrode and the writing electrodes. Microelectrodes with exclusion zones are positioned relative to the electrodes in sufficient consideration of various conditions and effects. The electrodes may also be split into electrode portions.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Irrigated balloon catheter with flexible circuit electrode assembly

Implantable devices and/or sensors can be wirelessly powered by controlling and propagating electromagnetic waves in a patient's tissue. Such implantable devices/sensors can be implanted at target locations in a patient, to stimulate areas such as the heart, brain, spinal cord, or muscle tissue, and/or to sense biological, physiological, chemical attributes of the blood, tissue, and other patient parameters. The propagating electromagnetic waves can be generated with sub-wavelength structures configured to manipulate evanescent fields outside of tissue to generate the propagating waves inside the tissue. Methods of use are also described.

Multi-element coupler for generation of electromagnetic energy

Cardiac ablation is carried out by introducing a catheter into the left atrium, extending a lasso guide through the lumen of the catheter to engage the wall of a pulmonary vein, and deploying a balloon over the lasso guide. The balloon has an electrode assembly disposed its exterior. The electrode assembly includes a plurality of ablation electrodes circumferentially arranged about the longitudinal axis of the catheter. The inflated balloon is positioned against the pulmonary vein ostium, so that the ablation electrodes are in galvanic contact with the pulmonary vein, and electrical energy is conducted through the ablation electrodes to produce a circumferential lesion that circumscribes the pulmonary vein.

Balloon for ablation around pulmonary veins

An induction coil vapor generator is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the vapor generator is that it can inductively generate high quality condensable vapor. The vapor generator can comprise an outer assembly that supports a coil wire, and an inner assembly disposed in the outer assembly. The inner assembly can house a plurality of microtubes configured to be inductively heated by the coil wire to convert a fluid to condensable vapor. The generator can be disposed in a medical device to treat tissue with vapor. One feature of the medical device is that it can apply condensable vapor energy to tissue, such as a prostrate, to shrink, damage, denaturate the prostate. Methods associated with use of the vapor generator are also covered.

Induction coil vapor generator

A neurostimulation system having an external or an implantable pulse generator programmed to innervate a specific nerve or group of nerves in a patient through an electrode as a mode of treatment, having a patient remote that wirelessly communicates with the pulse generator to increase stimulation, decrease stimulation, and provide indications to a patient regarding the status of the neurostimulation system. The patient remote can allow for adjustment of stimulation power within a clinically effective range and for turning on and turning off the pulse generator. The patient remote and neurostimulation system can also store a stimulation level when the pulse generator is turned off and automatically restore the pulse generator to the stored stimulation level when the pulse generator is turned on.

Patient remote and associated methods of use with a nerve stimulation system

Embodiments of the present invention describe a system and method of stimulating nerves during a medical procedure including positioning one or more electrodes in electrical contact with one or more nerves of a patient and electrically stimulating the one or more nerves during a lower urinary, rectal or medical procedure affecting the bowel sufficient to affect one or more of bladder activity, prostate function, incontinence, or pain.

Gregory James Fluet

Papers

Neuromodulation system and related methods