SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR ABLATION OF ENDOCARDIAL TISSUE

1 . A catheter for ablation of endocardial tissue through irreversible electroporation, the catheter comprising:

a catheter shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and a shaft lumen therethrough;

an inner shaft disposed within the shaft lumen;

a set of splines extending from the distal end of the catheter shaft, each spline of the set of splines including a set of ablation electrodes disposed thereon, wherein each of the splines has a proximal end attached to the distal end of the catheter shaft, a distal end attached to a distal end of the inner shaft, and an intermediate portion adapted to be radially displaceable away from the longitudinal axis,

wherein the inner shaft is movable within the shaft lumen along the longitudinal axis from a first inner shaft position defining a first configuration of the set of splines to a second inner shaft position defining a second configuration of the set of splines, and

wherein in the first configuration each spline of the set of splines extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the distal end of each spline is located at a first distance from the distal end of the catheter shaft, and

wherein in the second configuration:

the distal end of each spline is located at a second distance from the distal end of the catheter shaft at a second distance, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance, and

the set of splines are arranged as a set of loops with the intermediate portion of each spline extends radially away from the catheter shaft and the inner shaft, wherein each loop of the set of loops partially overlaps with an adjacent loop, and

wherein the ablation electrodes are positioned along each spline such that none of the ablation electrodes overlap with an ablation electrode on an adjacent spline when the set of splines is in the second configuration.

2 . The catheter of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator coupled to the set of splines and the second catheter, wherein the actuator is configured to transition the set of splines between the first configuration and the second configuration.

3 . The catheter of claim 2 , wherein the sets of ablation electrodes on adjacent splines are configured to have opposite polarities when in use.

4 . The catheter of claim 3 , wherein one or more of the ablation electrodes on each spline are jointly wired.

5 . The catheter of claim 3 , wherein the set of splines includes between 4 splines and 12 splines.

6 . The catheter of claim 5 , wherein each spline of the set of splines has a diameter of between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.

7 . The catheter of claim 6 , wherein each ablation electrode of the set of ablation electrodes has a diameter of between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.

8 . A catheter for ablation of endocardial tissue through irreversible electroporation, the catheter comprising:

a catheter shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and a shaft lumen therethrough;

an inner shaft disposed within the shaft lumen;

a set of splines extending from the distal end of the catheter shaft, each spline of the set of splines including a set of ablation electrodes disposed thereon, wherein each of the splines has a proximal end attached to the distal end of the catheter shaft, a distal end attached to a distal end of the inner shaft, and an intermediate portion adapted to be radially displaceable away from the longitudinal axis,

wherein the inner shaft is movable within the shaft lumen along the longitudinal axis from a first inner shaft position defining a first configuration of the set of splines to a second inner shaft position defining a second configuration of the set of splines, and

wherein in the first configuration each spline of the set of splines extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the distal end of each spline is located at a first distance from the distal end of the catheter shaft,

wherein in the second configuration the set of splines are arranged as a set of loops with the intermediate portion of each spline extending radially away from the catheter shaft and the inner shaft, and

wherein the ablation electrodes are positioned along each respective spline to prevent overlap of any ablation electrode on a respective spline with any ablation electrode on an adjacent spline when the set of splines is in the second configuration.

9 . The catheter of claim 8 , further comprising an actuator coupled to the set of splines and the second catheter, wherein the actuator is configured to transition the set of splines between the first configuration and the second configuration.

10 . The catheter of claim 9 , wherein the sets of ablation electrodes on adjacent splines are configured to have opposite polarities when in use.

11 . The catheter of claim 10 , wherein the set of splines includes between 4 splines and 12 splines.

12 . The catheter of claim 9 , wherein each spline of the set of splines has a diameter of between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.

13 . The catheter of claim 12 , wherein each ablation electrode of the set of ablation electrodes has a diameter of between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.

14 . A catheter for ablation of endocardial tissue through irreversible electroporation, the catheter comprising:

a catheter shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and a shaft lumen therethrough;

an inner shaft disposed within the shaft lumen;

a set of splines extending from the distal end of the catheter shaft, each spline of the set of splines including a set of ablation electrodes disposed thereon, wherein each of the splines has a proximal end attached to the distal end of the catheter shaft, a distal end attached to a distal end of the inner shaft, and an intermediate portion adapted to be radially displaceable away from the longitudinal axis,

wherein the inner shaft is movable within the shaft lumen along the longitudinal axis from a first inner shaft position defining a first undeployed configuration of the set of splines to a second inner shaft position defining a second fully deployed configuration of the set of splines,

wherein in the first undeployed configuration each spline of the set of splines extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the distal end of each spline is located at a first distance from the distal end of the catheter shaft, and

wherein in the second fully deployed configuration:

the distal end of each spline is located at a second distance from the distal end of the catheter shaft at a second distance, wherein the second distance is less than the first distance, and

each spline of the set of splines forms a twisted loop about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis and partially overlaps an adjacent spline, and

wherein the ablation electrodes are positioned along each spline such that none of the ablation electrodes overlap with an ablation electrode on an adjacent spline when the set of splines is in the second fully deployed configuration.

15 . The catheter of claim 14 , wherein the sets of ablation electrodes on adjacent splines are configured to have opposite polarities when in use.

16 . The catheter of claim 14 , wherein the set of splines includes between 4 splines and 12 splines.

17 . The catheter of claim 16 , wherein each spline of the set of splines has a diameter of between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.

18 . The catheter of claim 17 , wherein each ablation electrode of the set of ablation electrodes has a diameter of between about 1 mm and about 5 mm.

19 . The catheter of claim 18 , wherein the inner shaft includes a distal cap at its distal end, and the distal end of each spline is tethered to the distal cap.

20 . The catheter of claim 19 , wherein the proximal end of each spline is secured to the catheter shaft within the shaft lumen.