LUMINAL ORGAN SIZING DEVICES AND METHODS
Luminal organ sizing devices and methods. A method of the present disclosure includes the steps of introducing at least part of a first device into a luminal organ at an aperture or opening of an atrial appendage, the first device having a balloon positioned thereon, inflating the balloon at the aperture or opening until a point of apposition is achieved, and obtaining a first aperture or opening measurement based upon the point of apposition.
1 . A method, comprising the steps of:
introducing at least part of a first device into a luminal organ at an aperture or opening of an atrial appendage, the first device having a balloon positioned thereon;
inflating the balloon at the aperture or opening until a point of apposition is achieved; and
obtaining a first aperture or opening measurement based upon the point of apposition.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device is configured as a catheter having a lumen therethrough and defining a suction/infusion port so that the lumen is in communication with the balloon, and wherein the step of inflating is performed by introducing a fluid through the lumen, through the suction/infusion port, and into the balloon.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device further comprises at least one electrode positioned within the balloon, and wherein the step of obtaining the first aperture or opening measurement is performed by obtaining a size measurement within the balloon using the electrode.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein conductance data is obtained at various stages of balloon inflation during the inflating step.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
operating an ablation contact positioned upon or within a surface of the balloon while the balloon is in contact with the luminal organ to ablate the luminal organ.
6 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of:
determining various size measurements of the balloon corresponding to the conductance data obtained at the various stages of balloon inflation.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
determining compliance of the luminal organ at the opening or aperture based upon the various size measurements.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of:
treating a defect based upon the determined compliance of the luminal organ.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the atrial appendage comprises a left atrial appendage or a right atrial appendage.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
selecting an appropriately sized occluder to occlude the opening of the atrial appendage or the atrial appendage itself based upon the first aperture or opening measurement obtained using the first device.
11 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
selecting an appropriately sized occluder to occlude the opening of the atrial appendage or the atrial appendage itself based upon the various size measurements.
12 . A method, comprising the steps of:
introducing at least part of a first device into a luminal organ so that a balloon of the first device is positioned at an aperture or opening of an atrial appendage;
inflating the balloon at the aperture or opening and obtaining conductance data within the balloon at various stages of balloon inflation using a detector positioned within the balloon; and
determining various size measurements of the balloon corresponding to the conductance data obtained at the various stages of balloon inflation.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of:
determining compliance of the luminal organ at the aperture or opening based upon the various size measurements.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of inflating is performed to inflate the balloon so that the balloon contacts the luminal organ at the aperture or opening and to obtain conductance data at various stages of balloon prior to the balloon contacting the luminal organ at the aperture or opening and after the balloon contacts the luminal organ at the aperture or opening.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein compliance of the luminal organ is determined as being rigid or relatively rigid based upon at least some of the various size measurements corresponding to conductance data obtained after the balloon contacts the luminal organ at the aperture or opening being consistent with one another.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein compliance of the luminal organ is determined as being compliant or relatively compliant based upon an increase in the various size measurements corresponding to conductance data obtained after the balloon contacts the luminal organ at the aperture or opening being consistent with one another.
17 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of:
operating an ablation contact positioned upon or within a surface of the balloon while the balloon is in contact with the luminal organ to ablate the luminal organ.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the luminal organ comprises a renal artery, and wherein the method is performed to treat hypertension.
19 . A method, comprising the steps of:
introducing at least part of a first device into a luminal organ so that a balloon of the first device is positioned at an aperture or opening of an atrial appendage;
first inflating the balloon at the aperture or opening and obtaining first conductance data within the balloon at various stages of balloon inflation until the balloon contacts the luminal organ at the aperture or opening;
second inflating the balloon at the aperture or opening and obtaining second conductance data within the balloon at various stages of balloon inflation after the balloon contacts the luminal organ at the aperture or opening; and
determining various size measurements of the balloon corresponding to the second conductance data.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising the step of:
determining compliance of the luminal organ at the aperture or opening based upon the various size measurements;
wherein compliance of the luminal organ is determined as being compliant or relatively compliant based upon an increase in the various size measurements corresponding to the second conductance data; and
wherein compliance of the luminal organ is determined as being rigid or relatively rigid based upon a lack of change in the various size measurements corresponding to the second conductance data.