Pulmonary vein isolation balloon catheter

1. An ablation balloon catheter apparatus comprising:

a catheter shaft including proximal and distal ends;

a balloon including proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the balloon coupled to a distal end of the catheter shaft; and

an electrode coil configured to transfer energy between the electrode coil and tissue in contact with the electrode coil, wherein the electrode coil includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the electrode coil extends circumferentially around a first half of the balloon, and the second portion of the electrode coil extends circumferentially around a second half of the balloon.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the balloon is configured to engage a pulmonary vein of a cardiac muscle along a length and circumference of the balloon, thereby placing the electrode coil into contact with a circumferential portion of the pulmonary vein, and the electrode coil is further configured to deliver a tissue ablation therapy to the circumferential portion of the pulmonary vein in contact with the electrode coil.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the balloon is further configured to insulate the pulmonary vein tissue engaged by the balloon from the tissue ablation therapy, the first portion of the electrode coil wraps around the balloon in a first direction, and the second portion of the electrode coil wraps around the balloon in a second direction opposite the first direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode coil is positioned at a central portion of the balloon relative to a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, and the electrode coil is further configured to deliver a tissue ablation therapy along a circumference of a pulmonary vein ostium in contact with the electrode coil.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode coil is situated at a distal end of the balloon relative to a longitudinal axis of the apparatus, and the electrode coil is configured and arranged to deliver a tissue ablation therapy along a circumference of a pulmonary vein antrum in contact with the electrode coil.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including

a signal generator configured to generate a signal; and

wherein the electrode coil includes a plurality of radio frequency electrodes, the radio frequency electrodes electrically coupled to the signal generator, and the radio frequency electrodes are configured to

engage a first length and circumference of a pulmonary vein, and

emit radio frequency waves, in response to the generated signal, that ablates the pulmonary vein tissue in contact with the radio frequency electrodes.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the balloon is configured to

engage a second length and circumference of the pulmonary vein adjacent to the first length and circumference of the pulmonary vein, and

shield the pulmonary vein tissue in contact with the balloon from the radio frequency waves transmitted by the radio frequency electrodes.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second portions of the electrode coil is coupled to the catheter shaft distal the balloon, and proximal the balloon.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode coil includes one or more of the following: diagnostic electrodes, thermocouples, and magnetic or impedance-based mapping sensors.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode coil includes diagnostic electrodes configured to detect electrophysiological characteristics of tissue in contact with the diagnostic electrodes.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein energy is transferred between the electrode coil and tissue in contact with the electrode coil via irreversible electroporation.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrode coil is configured to receive a cryogenic fluid that absorbs heat from tissue in contact with the electrode coil, and

the balloon is further configured to insulate the cryogenic fluid from heat associated with a blood pool and tissue in contact with the balloon.

13. A system for treating atrial fibrillation, the system comprising:

an introducer including a lumen extending through a length of the introducer;

a balloon delivery catheter configured to extend through the lumen of the introducer;

a balloon coupled to a distal end of the balloon delivery catheter; and

an electrode coil configured to

engage with a tissue wall of a pulmonary vein, and

deliver an ablation therapy along the tissue wall of the pulmonary vein engaged by the electrode coil;

wherein the electrode coil includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the electrode coil extends circumferentially around a first half of the balloon in a first direction, and the second portion of the electrode coil extends circumferentially around a second half of the balloon in a second direction opposite the first direction.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the balloon is configured to

engage with a length and circumference of the pulmonary vein adjacent to the tissue wall engaged with the electrode coil, and

insulate the length and circumference of the pulmonary vein engaged by the balloon from the ablation therapy.

15. The system of claim 13 , further including a signal generator, and wherein the electrode coil includes a plurality of radio frequency coils, the plurality of radio frequency coils electrically coupled to the signal generator via lead wires extending through a length of the balloon delivery catheter, and configured to receive a generated signal from the signal generator and emit a radio frequency signal.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the electrode coil is further configured to receive a cryofluid that absorbs heat from the tissue wall of the pulmonary vein engaged with the electrode coil; and

the balloon is configured to insulate the cryofluid from heat within the tissue wall of the pulmonary vein in contact with the balloon.

17. A balloon catheter for pulmonary vein isolation comprising:

a steerable balloon delivery catheter shaft configured to deploy a balloon into a pulmonary vein;

the balloon is coupled to a distal end of the steerable balloon delivery catheter shaft, and configured to

deploy from an undeployed configuration, and

engage a tissue wall of the pulmonary vein; and

a tissue ablation means including first and second portions coupled to the distal end of the catheter shaft and extending distally together along a surface of the balloon, wherein at a mid-point of the balloon, the first portion extends circumferentially about the balloon in a first direction and the second portion extends circumferentially about the balloon in a second direction opposite the first direction, and wherein the first and second portions meet at the opposite side of the balloon and extend distally together along a surface of the balloon and are coupled to the distal end of the balloon;

wherein the tissue ablation means is configured to deliver an ablation therapy to the tissue wall of the pulmonary vein in contact with the tissue ablation means.

18. The balloon catheter of claim 17 , wherein the tissue ablation means is one or more of the following: cryoablation, irreversible electroporation, laser energy, radio frequency energy, microwave energy, chemical reaction, and high-intensity focused ultrasound.

19. The balloon catheter of claim 17 , wherein the tissue ablation means is positioned near a distal portion of the balloon, and is further configured to engage and to conduct an ablation therapy of an antral circumference of the pulmonary vein, the proximal portion of the balloon configured and arranged to insulate a blood pool and the pulmonary vein tissue in contact with a proximal portion of the balloon.

20. The balloon catheter of claim 17 , wherein the balloon is configured to mitigate the delivery of the ablation therapy to the tissue wall of the pulmonary vein in contact with the balloon.