CPC A61N 1/0565 (2013.01) [A61N 1/205 (2013.01); A61N 1/37 (2013.01)] | 23 Claims |
1. A system for treating a passageway within a body comprising:
a catheter comprising a first electrode and at least one additional electrode disposed near its distal end, wherein the distal end of the catheter is configured to be positioned within the passageway so that the first electrode and the at least one additional electrode are able to transmit pulsed electric field energy to an inner circumference of the passageway which destroys at least a portion of cells within a cellular matrix along the inner circumference without destroying the cellular matrix; and
a generator in electrical communication with the first electrode and the at least one additional electrode, wherein the generator includes at least one energy delivery algorithm that
a) provides an electric signal of the pulsed electric field energy to the first electrode so as to prioritize energy delivery through the first electrode to create a first treatment area and
b) switches to individually provide an electric signal of the pulsed electric field energy to each of the at least one additional electrodes so as to prioritize energy delivery through each of the at least one additional electrodes when provided the electric signal so as to create an additional treatment area corresponding to each of the at least one additional electrodes,
wherein the first treatment area and the additional treatment areas extend along the inner circumference of the passageway so as to create a functionally continuous treatment area spanning the inner circumference.
|