Selectable eccentric remodeling and/or ablation

Abstract

A catheter and catheter system for eccentric remodeling and/or removal of atherosclerotic material of a blood vessel of a patient include an elongate flexible catheter body with a radially expandable structure. A plurality of electrodes or other electrosurgical energy delivery surfaces can radially engage atherosclerotic material when the structure expands. An atherosclerotic material detector near the distal end of the catheter body may measure circumferential atherosclerotic material distribution, and a power source selectively energizes the electrodes to eccentrically remodel the measured atherosclerotic material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for remodeling tissue about a body lumen, the system comprising:
 (a) an energy source; and   (b) a catheter coupled to the energy source, the catheter including an expandable device comprising a plurality of electrodes sequentially positioned along a length of the expandable device in a helical pattern, wherein the system is configured to remodel a target tissue while inhibiting damage to collateral tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the expandable device is configurable between an expanded condition and an unexpanded condition, wherein, when the expandable device is in the expanded condition, the plurality of electrodes are in the helical pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are positioned along an elongated body. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the elongated body includes at least one helical loop when the expandable device is in the expanded condition. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the elongated body includes a plurality of helical loops when the expandable device is in the expanded condition. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the elongated body is substantially straight when the expandable device is in the unexpanded condition. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the elongated body includes a nickel and titanium alloy. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the electrodes are longitudinally and circumferentially offset relative to adjacent electrodes. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein at least some of the electrodes are separated from adjacent electrodes by an insulative material. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electrodes comprise bipolar or monopolar electrodes. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one temperature sensor associated with the expandable device. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one irrigation lumen associated with the expandable device. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the expandable device is associated with a catheter proximate a distal end of the catheter. 
     
     
         14 . A system for remodeling tissue about a body lumen, the system comprising:
 (a) an energy source; and   (b) a catheter coupled to the energy source, the catheter including an expandable device comprising a plurality of electrodes sequentially arranged along the expandable device and longitudinally and circumferentially spaced relative to adjacent electrodes, wherein the system is configured to remodel a target tissue while inhibiting damage to collateral tissue.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged along an elongated body, wherein the elongated body is configurable between an un-expanded configuration in which the plurality of electrodes are arranged in a substantially straight line and an expanded configuration in which the elongated body is a helical shape. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the helical shape includes a plurality of helical coils. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of helical coils are sequentially arranged along the expandable device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the elongated body is a tube including at least one irrigation lumen. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein at least some of the plurality of sequentially spaced electrodes are separated from adjacent electrodes by an insulative material. 
     
     
         20 . A system for remodeling tissue about a body lumen, the system comprising:
 (a) an energy source; and   (b) a catheter coupled to the energy source, the catheter including an expandable device, comprising an elongated body associated with a distal portion of an elongated catheter, the elongated body including a plurality of electrodes sequentially positioned along the elongated body, wherein the elongated body is configurable between an expanded configuration and an un-expanded configuration, wherein, when in the expanded configuration, the elongated body is helical and includes at least one loop, and wherein, when in the un-expanded configuration, the elongated body is substantially straight.   
     
     
         22 . The system of claim  21 , wherein, when in the expanded configuration, the elongated body includes a plurality of loops. 
     
     
         23 . The system of claim  21 , wherein the elongated body is a tube including at least one irrigation lumen. 
     
     
         24 . The system of claim  21 , wherein the elongated body is at least partially formed from a nickel and titanium alloy. 
     
     
         25 . A system for remodeling tissue about a body lumen, the system comprising:
 (a) an energy source; and   (b) an expandable device associated with an elongated catheter coupled to the energy source, where the expandable device, when in an expanded configuration, includes at least one helical loop, wherein the helical loop includes a plurality of electrodes sequentially spaced along the helical loop.