Systems and methods for variable injection flow

Abstract

A medical device having a catheter and a fluid delivery conduit entirely disclosed within a portion of the catheter. The catheter may have a thermally transmissive region in fluid communication with the fluid delivery conduit and a rod disposed within at least a portion of the fluid delivery conduit. The medical device may control variable fluid flow with the ability to modify the effective cross-sectional area of the fluid delivery conduit available for fluid flow. Additional configurations provided herein may allow for the selective manipulation of a footprint or therapeutic pattern achievable with the medical device during a single procedure, negating the need for the removal and insertion of multiple devices to achieve the same variations in treatment geometry or characteristics.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical device, comprising:
 a catheter;   a fluid delivery conduit entirely disposed within a portion of the catheter, the catheter having a thermally transmissive region in fluid communication with the fluid delivery conduit; and   a rod disposed within at least a portion of the fluid delivery conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery conduit defines a tapered section. 
     
     
         3 . The medical device of  claim 2 , further comprising a fluid, the rod being a solid rod that is sized to at least partially obstruct a portion of the fluid delivery conduit to regulate a flow of the fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The medical device of  claim 3  wherein the rod is a solid rod that is sized to at least partially obstruct a portion of the fluid delivery conduit to regulate the flow of the fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The medical device of  claim 4 , wherein the rod may be advanced and retracted within the fluid delivery conduit to selectively control fluid flow through the fluid delivery conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the thermally transmissive region defines a chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The medical device of  claim 6 , wherein the fluid delivery conduit further includes an outlet, the outlet being in fluid communication with the chamber of the thermally transmissive region. 
     
     
         8 . A medical device comprising:
 a catheter body defining a distal portion;   a thermally transmissive region having an outer surface being coupled to the distal portion of the catheter body; and   at least one insulator movably coupled to the distal portion of the catheter body, each insulator from the at least one insulator obscuring at least a portion of the outer surface of the thermally transmissive region.   
     
     
         9 . The medical device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one insulator is movably coupled to the distal portion of the catheter body such that the at least one insulator is movable proximally and distally relative to the thermally transmissive region. 
     
     
         10 . The medical device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one insulator is movably coupled to the distal portion of the catheter body such that the at least one insulator is movable around a radial circumference of the thermally transmissive region. 
     
     
         11 . The medical device of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one actuation element, the at least one actuation element being configured to control the movement of the at least one insulator. 
     
     
         12 . The medical device of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one actuation element is a plurality of pull wires. 
     
     
         13 . The medical device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one insulator is composed of a thermally insulating material. 
     
     
         14 . The medical device of  claim 13 , wherein the thermally insulating material is flexible. 
     
     
         15 . A medical device comprising:
 a fluid delivery conduit within a delivery manifold in the medical device, the fluid delivery conduit defining a first plurality of openings and the delivery manifold defining a second plurality of openings;   a distal tip, a first thermally transmissive region, and a second thermally transmissive region, the first thermally transmissive region being proximate the delivery manifold and the second thermally transmissive region being disposed at the distal tip; and   the fluid delivery conduit being movable to a first position and a second position, in the first position the first plurality of openings is substantially aligned with the second plurality of openings and in the second position the second plurality of openings are obstructed by the fluid delivery conduit and at least one of the plurality of first openings is positioned outside the delivery manifold.   
     
     
         16 . The medical device of  claim 15 , wherein the second plurality of openings is asymmetrically disposed about a longitudinal axis of the delivery manifold. 
     
     
         17 . The medical device of  claim 15 , wherein the first thermally transmissive region includes an inflatable element. 
     
     
         18 . The medical device of  claim 15 , wherein the first thermally transmissive region includes at least one electrode. 
     
     
         19 . The medical device of  claim 15 , wherein the fluid delivery conduit includes a radiopaque marker. 
     
     
         20 . The medical device of  claim 15 , further including an actuator, the actuator being in communication with the fluid delivery conduit and movement of the actuator is configured to move the fluid delivery conduit.