Method for tissue cryotherapy

1. A method for performing cryotherapy on a target tissue region in a body, comprising:

positioning a first cooling element in a first location in the body adjacent the target tissue region;

positioning a second cooling element in a second location in the body adjacent the target tissue region; and

simultaneously cooling the respective first and second cooling elements so as to create a contiguous lesion in the target tissue region between the first and second locations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second positions are on the same surface of the target tissue region.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

repositioning the first cooling element to a third location on one side of the second location opposite the first location; and

simultaneously cooling the respective first and second cooling elements so as to expand the contiguous lesion between the first and third locations.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second cooling element is maintained at the second position while the respective first and second cooling elements are simultaneously cooled to expand the contiguous lesion between the first and third locations.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

positioning a third cooling element in a third location in the body adjacent the target tissue region; and

simultaneously cooling the respective first, second, and third cooling elements so as to create a contiguous lesion between the first, second, and third locations.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first location is on one side of an anatomical wall, the second location is on another side of the wall opposite the one side of the anatomical wall, and the contiguous lesion is a transmural lesion through the anatomical wall.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target tissue region is a heart tissue region.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein both the first and second locations are inside of the heart.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first location is inside of the heart, and the second location is outside of the heart.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising expanding at least one of the first and second cooling elements.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target tissue region is proximate an annulus of a mitral valve connecting a left atrium and left ventricle of a heart.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the target tissue region comprises a left atrial isthmus of the heart.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target tissue region is proximate an annulus of a tricuspid valve connecting a right atrium and right ventricle of a heart.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first location is in a coronary sinus and the second location is in a left atrium.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein positioning the first cooling element in the coronary sinus comprises:

inserting the first cooling element in the coronary sinus when the first cooling element is in a collapsed profile; and

expanding the first cooling element to an expanded profile that substantially occludes the coronary sinus.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second locations comprises an atrium or ventricle of a heart.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second location comprises a pulmonary vein or pulmonary vein opening.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning of the first cooling element comprises locating a portion of the first cooling element and verifying that the located portion is in contact with, or otherwise adjacent to, the target tissue region.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein cooling the first and second cooling elements comprises conveying a coolant to the respective first and second cooling elements, and controlling a temperature and/or flow rate of the conveyed coolant.