Tissue Visualization Device And Method Variations

Abstract

Tissue visualization devices and variations thereof are described herein where such devices may utilize a variety of methods for facilitating clearing of the device of opaque bodily fluids and sealing between the device and the underlying tissue surface. Additionally, methods and devices for enhancing navigation of the device through a patient body are also described.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A tissue treatment system, comprising:
 a catheter having a flexible length and a lumen therethrough;   a membrane extending from a distal end of the catheter, the membrane having a low-profile configuration and an expanded configuration defining an interior area, the membrane in the expanded configuration including a distal surface and a plurality of slit apertures defined in the distal surface; and   an imaging element extending within the lumen of the catheter for imaging a tissue region distal of the membrane through the distal surface of the membrane.   
     
     
         3 . The tissue treatment system of  claim 2  wherein each of the slit apertures is a unidirectional valve restricting in-flow to the interior area from an area distal of the membrane. 
     
     
         4 . The tissue treatment system of  claim 2  wherein each of the slit apertures is sized for through passage of an instrument extending distally from the catheter lumen. 
     
     
         5 . The tissue treatment system of  claim 4  further comprising the instrument, wherein the instrument is a guidewire articulatable to a first arrangement within the interior area to extend through a first of the plurality of slit apertures and articulatable to a second arrangement within the interior area to extend through a second of the plurality of slit apertures. 
     
     
         6 . The tissue treatment system of  claim 4  further comprising the instrument, wherein the instrument is an ablation instrument. 
     
     
         7 . The tissue treatment system of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a hood extending from the catheter, the hood having a low-profile configuration and an expanded configuration defining an open area, wherein the membrane is expandable within the open area of the hood. 
 
     
     
         8 . The tissue treatment system of  claim 7  wherein the hood constrains expansion of the membrane. 
     
     
         9 . The tissue treatment system of  claim 7  wherein the distal surface of the membrane in which the plurality of slit apertures are defined extends distally of the hood. 
     
     
         10 . The tissue treatment system of  claim 2  wherein the imaging element is extendable into the interior area of the membrane. 
     
     
         11 . The tissue treatment system of  claim 2  wherein the membrane is formed from a transparent material. 
     
     
         12 . A method of tissue treatment comprising:
 positioning a flexible catheter within a tissue region, the flexible catheter having a lumen therethrough and a membrane extending from a distal end of the catheter;   expanding the membrane from a low-profile configuration to an expanded configuration defining an interior area, the membrane in the expanded configuration including a distal surface and a plurality of slit apertures defined in the distal surface; and   and capturing an image of the tissue region distal of the membrane through the distal surface of the membrane.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein each of the slit apertures is a unidirectional valve restricting in-flow to the interior area from an area distal of the membrane. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising extending an instrument from the catheter lumen through a first one of the plurality of slit apertures in the distal surface. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the instrument is a guidewire and wherein the method further comprises:
 articulating the guidewire into a first arrangement within the interior area prior to extending through the first one of the plurality of slit apertures; 
 retracting the guidewire from the first one of the plurality of slit apertures; 
 articulating the guidewire to a second arrangement within the interior area; and 
 extending the guidewire in the second arrangement through a second one of the plurality of slit apertures, wherein the first and second ones of the slit apertures are different. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the flexible catheter remains in a fixed location when the guidewire is extending through the first and second ones of the plurality of slit apertures. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the instrument is an ablation instrument. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 expanding a hood extending from the catheter from a low-profile configuration to an expanded configuration defining an open area in which the membrane is expanded. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the hood constrains expansion of the membrane. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the distal surface of the membrane in which the plurality of slit apertures are defined extends distally of the hood. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising extending an imaging element into the interior area of the membrane prior to capturing the image.