DESCRIPTION

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[001] This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/675,244, filed on July 24, 2012, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Technical Field

[002] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to devices and methods for treating tissue in a cavity or passageway of a body. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to devices and methods employing electrodes for treating tissue in an airway of a body, among other things.

Background

[003] The anatomy of a lung includes multiple airways. As a result of certain genetic and/or environmental conditions, an airway may become fully or partially obstructed, resulting in an airway disease such as emphysema, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma. Certain obstructive airway diseases, including, but not limited to, COPD and asthma, are reversible. Treatments have accordingly been designed in order to reverse the obstruction of airways caused by these diseases.

[004] One treatment option includes management of the obstructive airway diseases via pharmaceuticals. For example, in a patient with asthma, inflammation and swelling of the airways may be reversed through the use of short-acting bronchodilators, long-acting bronchodilators, and/or anti-inflammatories. Pharmaceuticals, however, are not always a desirable treatment option because in many cases they do not produce permanent results, or patients are resistant to such treatments or simply non-compliant when it comes to taking their prescribed medications.

[005] Accordingly, more durable/longer-lasting and effective treatment options have been developed in the form of energy delivery systems for reversing obstruction of airways. Such systems may be designed to contact an airway of a lung to deliver energy at a desired intensity for a period of time that allows for the airway tissue (e.g., airway smooth muscle, nerve tissue, etc.) to be altered and/or ablated. However, energy delivery through these systems to the airway tissue is not always uniform due to the contact between the systems and the tissue. Uniform delivery of energy to the airway tissue is important for enabling consistent treatment and lowering the impedance level of the tissue. There is accordingly a need for an energy delivery system that enables uniform contact between the system and the tissue of an airway.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[006] In accordance with the present disclosure, energy delivery devices and methods of use are disclosed. The energy delivery device may include an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, and an energy emitting portion coupled to the distal end of the elongate member. The energy emitting portion may be configured to transition between a first, collapsed configuration and a second, expanded configuration. In addition, the energy emitting portion may include a plurality of legs forming a basket, such that when the energy emitting portion is in the second, expanded configuration a central portion of at least one of the legs includes a substantially straight or linear configuration. [007] Embodiments of the energy delivery device may include the following features either alone or in combination: the central portion of the at least one leg may be between proximal and distal portions of the at least one leg, and the central portion may be stiffer than each of the proximal and distal portions; the central portion may include a modulus of elasticity that is greater than a modulus of elasticity of each of the proximal and distal portions; the central portion may include a cross-section dimension that is larger than a corresponding cross-section dimension of both the proximal and distal portions; at least a portion of the central portion may be surrounded by one of a hypotube or a heat shrink tube; at least one piece of material may be attached to a radially inner surface of the central portion, and the at least one piece of material may be substantially the same length as the length of the central portion, such that the at least one piece of material may include a first material, and the central portion may include a second material different from the first material; the central portion may include a folded configuration; the central portion of the at least one leg may be between proximal and distal portions that are curved in the second, expanded configuration; and the central portion of at least one leg may include a plurality of layers formed by at least two angled bends in the leg.

[008] Additional objects and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure. The objects and advantages of the disclosure will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

[009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the present disclosure and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[010] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a system for delivering energy to tissue within a cavity or passageway of a body.

[011] Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a distal portion of a therapeutic energy delivery device, according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[012] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of an electrode of the therapeutic energy delivery device of Figure 2.

[013] Figure 4 is an enlarged view of an electrode of a therapeutic energy delivery device, according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[014] Figure 5A is an enlarged view of an electrode of a therapeutic energy delivery device, according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[015] Figure 5B is an enlarged view of an electrode of a therapeutic energy delivery device, according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[016] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

[017] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to devices and methods for applying energy to tissue within a wall or cavity of a body. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to devices and methods for applying energy to tissue in the airway of a lung in order to treat reversible obstructive airway diseases including, but not limited to, COPD and asthma. It should be emphasized, however, that embodiments of the present disclosure may also be utilized in any procedure where heating of tissue is required, such as, for example cardiac ablation procedures.

[018] Fig. 1 illustrates a system for delivering energy 10, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure. The system may include an energy generator 12, a controller 14, a user interface surface 16, and an energy delivery device 18. Energy generator 12 may be any suitable device configured to produce energy for heating and/or maintaining tissue in a desired temperature range. In one embodiment, for example, energy generator 12 may be an RF energy generator. The RF energy generator may be configured to emit energy at specific frequencies and for specific amounts of time in order to reverse obstruction in an airway of a lung.

[019] In certain obstructive airway diseases, obstruction of an airway may occur as a result of narrowing due to airway smooth muscle contraction. Accordingly, in one embodiment, energy generator 12 may be configured to emit energy that reduces the ability of the smooth muscle to contract, increases the diameter of the airway by debulking, denaturing, and/or eliminating the smooth muscle or nerve tissue, and/or otherwise alters airway tissue or structures. That is, energy generator 12 may be configured to emit energy capable of killing smooth muscle cells or nerve tissue, preventing smooth muscle cells or nerve tissue from replicating, and/or eliminating smooth muscle or nerve tissue by damaging and/or destroying the smooth muscle or nerve tissue.

[020] More particularly, energy generator 12 may be configured to generate energy with a wattage output sufficient to maintain a target tissue temperature in a range of about 60 degrees Celsius to about 80 degrees Celsius. In one embodiment, for example, energy generator may be configured to generate RF energy at a frequency of about 400 kHz to about 500 kHz and for treatment cycle durations of about 5 seconds to about 15 seconds per treatment cycle. Alternatively, the duration of each treatment cycle may be set to allow for delivery of energy to target tissue in a range of about 125 Joules of RF energy to about 150 Joules of energy. In one embodiment, for example, when a monopolar electrode is used, the duration of treatment may be about 10 seconds, and the target tissue temperature may be about 65 degrees Celsius. In another embodiment, when a bipolar electrode is used, the duration of treatment may be about 2 to 3 seconds, with the target tissue temperature being approximately 65 degrees Celsius.

[021] Energy generator 12 may further include an energy operating mechanism 26. Energy operating mechanism 26 may be any suitable automatic and/or user operated device in operative communication with energy generator 12 via a wired or wireless connection, such that energy operating mechanism 26 may be configured to enable activation of energy generator 12. Energy operating mechanism 26 may therefore include, but is not limited to, a switch, a push-button, or a computer. The embodiment of Fig. 1 , for example, illustrates that energy operating mechanism 26 may be a footswitch 26. Footswitch 26 may include a conductive cable 70 coupled to a proximal coupler 72 which is configured to be electrically coupled to an interface coupler 30 disposed on user interface surface 16.

[022] Energy generator 12 may be coupled to controller 14. Controller 14 may include a processor 22 configured to receive information feedback signals, process the information feedback signals according to various algorithms, produce signals for controlling the energy generator 12, and produce signals directed to visual and/or audio indicators. For example, processor 22 may include one or more integrated circuits, microchips, microcontrollers, and microprocessors, which may be all or part of a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an analogy processor, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other circuit known to those skilled in the art that may be suitable for executing instructions or performing logic operations. That is, processor may include any electric circuit that may be configured to perform a logic operation on at least one input variable. In one embodiment, for example, processor 22 may be configured use a control algorithm to process a temperature feedback signal and generate control signals for energy generator 12. Alternative or additional control algorithms and system components that may be used in conjunction with processor 22 may be found in U.S. Patent No. 7,104,987 titled CONTROL SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR APPLICATION OF ENERGY TO AIRWAY WALLS AND OTHER MEDIUMS, issued September 12, 2006, and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0030477 titled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING POWER BASED ON IMPEDANCE DETECTION, SUCH AS CONTROLLING POWER TO TISSUE TREATMENT DEVICES, published on January 29, 2009, each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[023] Controller 14 may additionally be coupled to and in communication with user interface 16. The embodiment of Fig. 1 illustrates that controller 14 may be electrically coupled to user interface 16 via a wire connection. In alternative embodiments, however, controller 14 may be in wireless communication with user interface 16. User interface 16 may be any suitable device capable of providing information to an operator of the energy delivery system 10. Accordingly, user interface 16 may be configured to operatively couple to each of the components of energy delivery system 10, receive information signals from the components, and output at least one visual or audio signal to a device operator in response to the information received. The surface of user interface 16 may therefore include, but is not limited to, at least one switch 74, a digital display 32, visual indicators, audio tone indicators, and/or graphical representations of components of the energy delivery system 60, 68. Embodiments of user interface 16 may be found in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0247746 A1 titled CONTROL METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ENERGY DELIVERY, published November 2, 2006, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[024] Fig. 1 illustrates that user interface 16 may be coupled to energy delivery catheter 18. The coupling may be any suitable medium enabling distribution of energy from energy generator 12 to energy deliver device 18, such as, for example, a wire or a cable 38. Energy delivery device 18 may include an elongate member 34 having a proximal end 34A and a distal end 34B. Elongate member 34 may be any suitable longitudinal device configured to be inserted into a cavity and/or passageway of a body. Elongate member 34 may further include any suitable stiff or flexible material configured to enable movement of energy delivery device 18 through a cavity and/or passageway in a body. In one embodiment, for example, elongate member 34 may be sufficiently flexible to enable elongate member to conform to the cavity and/or passageway through which it is inserted.

[025] Elongate member 34 may be any suitable size, shape, and or configuration such that elongate member 34 may be configured to pass through a lumen of a bronchoscope. Elongate member may be solid or hollow. In one embodiment, for example, elongate member 34 may include one or more lumens or internal channels (not shown) for the passage of an actuation/pull wire 50 (as shown) and/or a variety of surgical equipment, including, but not limited to, imaging devices and tools for irrigation, insufflation, vacuum suctioning, biopsies, and drug delivery. Elongate member 34 may further include an atraumatic exterior surface having a rounded shape and/or coating. The coating be any coating known to those skilled in the art enabling ease of movement of energy delivery device 18 through a passageway and/or cavity within a body. Coating may therefore include, but is not limited to, a lubricious coating and/or an anesthetic.

[026] Fig. 1 further illustrates that an energy emitting portion 44 may be attached to distal end 34B of elongate member 34. Energy emitting portion 44 may be permanently or removably attached to distal end 34B of elongate member. In one embodiment, for example, energy emitting portion 44 may be permanently or removably attached to elongate member 34 via a flexible junction enabling movement of energy emitting portion 44 relative to distal end 34B of elongate member 34. Embodiments of a junction may be found, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0247618 A2 titled MEDICAL DEVICE WITH PROCEDURE IMPROVEMENT FEATURES, published November 2, 2006, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[027] Energy emitting portion 44 may be any suitable device configured to emit energy from energy generator 12. In addition, as illustrated in Fig. 2, energy emitting portion 44 may include a contact region 102 that may be configured to contact tissue 104 within a cavity and/or passageway 100 of a body. The contact region 102 may include at least a portion that is configured to emit energy from energy generator 12. Energy emitting portion 44 may further be a resilient member configured to substantially maintain a suitable size, shape, and configuration that corresponds to a size of a cavity and/or passageway in which energy delivery device 18 is inserted.

[028] In one embodiment, for example, energy emitting portion 44 may be an expandable member. The expandable member may include a first, collapsed configuration (not shown) and a second, expanded configuration (Fig. 2). The expandable member may include any size, shape, and/or configuration, such that in the second, expanded configuration, the contact region may be configured to contact tissue in a cavity and/or passageway of a body. The expandable member of energy emitting portion 44 may be any suitable expandable member known to those skilled in the art including, but not limited to, a balloon or cage. In one embodiment, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, energy emitting portion 44 may include an expandable basket having a plurality of legs 46. The plurality of legs 46 may be configured to converge at an atraumatic distal tip 48 of energy delivery device 18.

[029] Energy emitting portion 44 may further include at least one electrode. The at least one electrode may be any suitable electrode known to those skilled in the art configured to emit energy. The at least one electrode may be located along the length of at least one of the plurality of legs 46 and may include at least a portion of the contact region of energy emitting portion 44. Accordingly, the at least one electrode may include, but is not limited to, a band electrode or a dot electrode. Alternatively, the embodiment of Fig. 1 illustrates that at least one leg 46 of the energy emitting portion is made up of a single, elongate electrode 46. In one embodiment, for example, the elongate electrode 46 may have an electrical insulator material. In addition, at least a portion of the electrode 46 may be exposed, forming an active region for delivering energy to tissue.

[030] As previously discussed, and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, each of the plurality of legs 46 of energy emitting portion may be configured to form an expandable basket-type shape when in the second, expanded configuration. Accordingly, upon expansion of energy emitting portion 44, each of the plurality of legs 46 may be configured to bow radially outward from a longitudinal axis of energy delivery device 18. A central portion of each leg 46 may be configured to be the portion of the leg 46 that is the greatest distance from the longitudinal axis when the energy emitting portion 44 is in its second, expanded configuration. In some embodiments, the central portion of at least one leg 46 may form a rounded configuration upon expansion of energy emitting portion 44. Alternatively, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the central portion 46B of at least one leg 46 may be configured to maintain a substantially straight or linear configuration upon expansion of energy emitting portion 44, such that energy delivery device 18 may be configured to provide uniform and controlled energy delivery to tissue in a cavity and/or passageway within a body, and such that energy delivery device 18 may be configured to provide controlled tissue to leg 46 contact at all times regardless of the size of the cavity and/or passageway.

[031] Leg 46 may be configured to maintain the substantially flat configuration at central portion 46B as a result of mechanical properties of leg 46. For example, in one embodiment central portion 46B may have a higher modulus of elasticity than proximal and distal portions 46A of leg 46. That is, in some embodiments, central portion 46B may include a stiffer material than proximal and distal portions 46A. Alternatively, or in addition, in another embodiment, central portion 46B may have a higher moment of inertia than proximal and distal portions 46A of leg 46. The higher moment of inertia may be achieved, for example, by configuring central portion 46B to have a larger cross-sectional width and/or thickness than the proximal and distal portions 46A of leg 46.

[032] Central portion 46B of leg 46 may accordingly be any suitable size (e.g., length), shape, and/or configuration that maintains a substantially straight configuration. In some embodiments, for example, each leg 46 may include a central portion having a substantially similar central portion 46B. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the central portion 46B of each leg 46 may vary. The size, shape, and/or configuration of the central portion 46B may be determined based on multiple factors including, but not limited to, the location of treatment, desired treatment energy level, duration of treatment, and size of body lumen.

[033] Fig. 3 illustrates an example of a portion of a leg 46 of an expanded energy emitting portion 44 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in Fig. 3, central portion 46B may be configured to have a higher modulus of elasticity and/or a higher moment of inertia than proximal and distal portions 46A of leg 46. Leg 46 may include any suitable material known to those skilled in the art configured to emit energy and resiliently bow outward. Suitable materials may include, but are not limited to, metals and metal alloys. In one embodiment, for example, leg 46 may include stainless steel or nitinol.

[034] Leg 46 may further include a stiffer material at central portion 46B relative to remaining portions of leg 46. In one embodiment, for example, proximal and distal portions 46A of leg 46 may be permanently or removably connected to central portion 46B. In addition, proximal and distal portions 46A of leg 46 may include a metal or metal alloy having a lower modulus of elasticity than the metal or metal alloy of central portion 46B. Proximal and distal portions 46A of leg 46 may include the same or different materials, with the material determination of each of the proximal, distal, and central portions of leg 46 being determined by the desired shape of energy emitting portion 44 when energy emitting portion 44 is in the second, expanded configuration.

[035] In an alternative embodiment, proximal, distal and central portions of leg 46 may include a continuous piece of metal or metal alloy. Central portion 46B may additionally be at least partially surrounded by a layer of material having a higher modulus of elasticity than the metal or metal alloy. The surrounding material may be any suitable material configured to maintain central portion 46B in a substantially straight configuration when energy emitting portion 44 is expanded. Suitable materials for the surrounding layer may include, but are not limited to, polymers, polymer alloys, metals, and metal alloys. In one embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 3, central portion 46B may be at least partially surrounded by a hypotube 52. Alternatively, central portion 46B may be at least partially surrounded by a PEEK tubing and/or a PEEK heat shrink tubing. Central portion 46B may be configured, however, such that at least a portion of the contact region 102 of leg 46 is not surrounded by any non-conductive material.

[036] Fig. 4 illustrates an example of a portion of a leg 146 of an expanded energy emitting portion 44 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Similar to the embodiment of Fig. 3, proximal portion 146A, central portion 146B, and distal portion 146B may be different pieces of material connected by any suitable means known to those skilled in the art. Alternatively, as illustrated in Fig. 4, leg 146 may be a single piece of material. At least one piece or layer of material 152 may be attached to at least one surface of the central portion 146B of leg 146. The at least one piece of material 152 may include a length that is substantially the same as a length of central portion 146B of leg 146. Piece 152 also may have a cross-sectional size that approximates a width of leg 146, if leg 146 is flat, or a diameter of leg 146 if leg 146 is round. Accordingly, the at least one piece of material 152 may act as a stiffener for central portion 146B of leg 146.

[037] Fig. 4 illustrates that the at least one piece of material 152 may be attached to a bottom surface of central portion 146B of leg 146. In alternative embodiments, however, the at least one piece of material may be attached to any surface (e.g., side, top, and/or bottom) such that central portion 146B of leg 146 may be configured to maintain a substantially straight configuration when energy emitting portion 44 is in the second, expanded configuration. [038] The at least one piece of material 152 may further be any suitable material known to those skilled in the art. Piece 152 may be conductive, especially if positioned on an outer tissue contacting surface of leg 146, or non-conductive, especially if positioned on an inner non-tissue contacting surface of leg 146. Suitable materials may include, but are not limited to, polymers and polymer alloys such as plastics, PEEK, and PET; and metals and metal alloys such as stainless steel. Similar to the embodiment of Fig. 3, the at least one piece of material 152 may be chosen based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, the desired stiffness of central portion 146B and the shape, size, and/or configuration of central portion 146B. In the embodiment of Fig. 4, for example, the at least one piece of material 152 may be a stainless steel ribbon wire.

[039] Moreover, the at least one piece of material 152 may be attached to the at least one surface of central portion 146B of leg 146 via any suitable means known to those skilled in the art. Suitable attachment means may enable the at least one piece of material 52 to be permanently or removably attached to central portion 146B of leg 146. Accordingly, suitable attachment means may include, but are not limited to, welding, gluing, soldering, or any other adhesive method known to those skilled in the art. In the embodiment of Fig. 4, for example, the at least one piece of material 152 may be attached to the at least one surface of central portion 146B by laser welding. In some embodiments, a coating, such as PET shrink may additionally be placed onto the at least one surface of central portion 146B of leg 146 in order to enhance attachment of the at least one piece of material 152 with central portion 146B. Similar to the embodiment of Fig. 3, however, central portion 146B may be configured such that at least a portion of the tissue contact region 102 of leg 146 is not surrounded by any non- conductive material. [040] Figs. 5A and 5B illustrate further examples of legs 246, 346 of expanded energy emitting portions 44 according to third and fourth embodiments, respectively, of the present disclosure. As previously discussed, one means of stiffening the central portion of a leg includes creating a cross-sectional width and/or thickness that is larger than the cross-sectional width and/or thickness of the proximal and distal portions of the leg. As illustrated in Figs. 5A and 5B, this may be accomplished by folding the leg in a manner such that the central portion of leg is provided with a thicker cross-section than that of the proximal and distal portions.

[041] Similar to the embodiment of Fig. 4, legs 246, 346 may include a single piece of material to be folded. Alternatively, however, central section 246B, 346B may include at least one different piece of material than that of proximal and distal portions 246A, 346A of leg 246, 346. For example, in one embodiment, the central portion may include multiple pieces of material connected to each other and to the proximal and distal portions of the leg in a hinge-like manner in order to facilitate folding.

[042] Central portion 246B, 346B of leg may further be folded in any suitable configuration known to those skilled in the art such that the folded central portion may be configured to maintain a substantially straight configuration upon expansion of energy emitting portion 44. As illustrated in Figs. 5A and 5B, folding of central portion 246B, 346B may be symmetrical or non-symmetrical about a plane perpendicular to central portion 246B, 346B at a midpoint of central portion 246B, 346B. For example, Fig. 5A illustrates a non-symmetrical fold of central portion 246B. That is, upon folding of central portion 246B, proximal and distal portions 246A of leg 246 are offset from one another. In the alternative, Fig. 5B illustrates a symmetrical fold, such that folding of central portion 346B creates a configuration of leg 346 where both the proximal and distal portions 346A of leg 346 are aligned radially. [043] Figs. 5A and 5B illustrate that central portion 246B, 346B may be folded in order to form a plurality of layers of leg 246, 346. Each central portion 246B, 346B may therefore include at least two angled bends. The at least two angled bends may form a z-shape. Accordingly, at least certain embodiments of legs with central portions having folded configurations each include at least one z-shape. For example, Fig. 5A illustrates a folded central portion 246B with one z-shape. Alternatively, Fig. 5B illustrates a folded central portion 346B with two z-shapes. Moreover, while the present disclosure describes the at least one z-shape in the leg 246, 246 as being "folded," it should be emphasized that the at least one z-shape in the leg 246, 346 may be formed by any suitable means known to those skilled in the art, including, but not limited to stamping and/or bending of leg 246, 346.

[044] Folded legs 246, 346 may additionally include retaining means for maintaining central portion 246B, 346B in the desired folded configuration. The retaining means may be any suitable means configured to prevent central portion 246B, 346B from unfolding. Suitable retaining means may include, but are not limited to, adhesives, tubing, and materials for tying down end portions 246C, 246D, 346C, 346D of the fold. In one embodiment, for example, central portion may be retained in PET shrink material, with the PET shrink material covering all or none of proximal and distal portions of leg. As with the prior disclosed embodiments, however, central portion 246B, 346B may be configured such that at least a portion of contact region 102 of leg 246, 346 may not be surrounded by a non-conductive material.

[045] With reference back to Figs. 1 to 3, the plurality of legs 46 include at least one electrode. The at least one electrode may be monopolar or bipolar. The embodiment of Fig. 1 illustrates an energy emitting portion 44 including monopolar electrodes. Accordingly, the embodiment of Fig. 1 further includes a return electrode component 62 configured to complete an electrical energy emission or patient circuit between energy generator 12 and a patient (not shown). Return electrode component 62 may include a conductive pad 24, a proximal coupler 64 and a conductive cable 66 extending between and in electrical communication with conductive pad 24 and proximal coupler 64.

[046] Conductive pad 24 may include a conductive adhesive surface configured to removably stick to a patient's skin. In addition, conductive pad 24 may include a surface area having a sufficient size in order to alleviate burning or other injury to the patient's skin that may occur in the vicinity of the conductive pad 24 during energy emission. Moreover, proximal coupler 64 may be configured to couple to an interface coupler 28 on user interface surface 16. As illustrated in Fig. 1 , interface coupler 28 may be disposed adjacent a graphical representation 68 of the electrode return 62 on the user interface surface 16, such that user interface surface 16 may be configured to provide at least a visual indicator in relation to return electrode component 62.

[047] Energy delivery device 18 may further include a handle 36. Handle 36 may be any suitable handle known to those skilled in the art configured to enable a device operator to control movement of energy delivery device 18 through a patient. In addition, in some embodiments, handle 36 may further be configured to control expansion of energy emitting portion 44.

[048] In one embodiment, for example, a push rod, cable, or wire may be located within handle and may extend through elongate member, connecting to a proximal end of energy emitting portion. Actuation of handle may allow for distal movement of push rod, cable, or wire, which may exert a distal force on proximal end of energy emitting portion 44. The force on proximal end of energy emitting portion 44 may cause each of the plurality of legs 46 to bow radially outward, thereby expanding energy emitting portion. Alternatively, as illustrated in Fig. 2, a pull wire, rod, or cable 50 may extend from handle 36 and connect to distal tip 48. Actuation of handle 36 may exert a proximal force of pull wire, rod, or cable 50, thereby causing the plurality of legs 46 to bow outward and expand energy emitting portion 44.

[049] Handle 36 may accordingly include an actuator mechanism, including, but not limited to, a squeeze handle, a foot pedal, a switch, a push button, a thumb wheel, or any other known suitable actuation device. The embodiment of Fig. 1 , for example, illustrates that the actuator mechanism may be a sliding actuator 42. Sliding actuator 42 may be connected to pull wire 50 and may be any suitable device known to those skilled in the art configured to move along handle 36 in both the proximal and distal directions. Sliding actuator 42 may additionally include at least one of a stop and/or a locking mechanism. In one embodiment, for example, sliding actuator 42 may be ratcheted. Alternatively, sliding actuator may be configured to slide freely in both the proximal and distal directions until being acted on by one of the stop and/or locking mechanism. A further embodiment of handle 36 may be found in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0018538 titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DELIVERING ENERGY TO PASSAGEWAYS IN A PATIENT, published on January 15, 2009, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[050] Energy delivery device 18 may further include at least one sensor (not shown) configured to be in wired or wireless communication with the display and/or indicators on user interface surface 16. In one embodiment, for example, the at least one sensor may include a wire extending through elongate member 34 and handle 36, and being operatively connected to cable 38.

[051] The at least one sensor may be configured to sense tissue temperature and/or impedance level. In one embodiment, for example, energy emitting portion 44 may include at least one temperature sensor in the form of a thermocouple. Embodiments of the thermocouple may be found in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0100390 A1 titled MODIFICATION OF AIRWAYS BY APPLICATION OF ENERGY, published May 3, 2007, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[052] In addition, the at least one sensor may be configured to sense functionality of the energy delivery device. That is, the at least one sensor may be configured to sense the placement of the energy delivery device within a patient, whether components are properly connected, whether components are properly functioning, and/or whether components have been placed in a desired configuration. In one embodiment, for example, energy emitting portion 44 may include a pressure sensor or strain gauge for sensing the amount of force energy emitting portion 44 exerts on tissue in a cavity and/or passageway in a patient. The pressure sensor may be configured to signal energy emitting portion 44 has been expanded to a desired configuration such that energy emitting portion 44 may be prevented from exerting a damaging force on surrounding tissue or the device 44 (e.g., electrode inversion) or not enough force indicating that improved tissue electrode contact is needed for improved performance. Accordingly, the at least one sensor may be placed on any suitable portion of energy delivery device including, but not limited to, on energy emitting portion 44, elongate member 34, and/or distal tip 48.

[053] In addition, energy delivery device 18 may include at least one imaging device (not shown) located on one of the energy emitting portion 44, elongate member 34, and/or distal tip 48. The imaging device may include a camera or any other suitable imaging device known to those skilled in the art configured to transmit images to an external display. The energy delivery device may additionally include at least one illumination source. The illumination source may be integrated with the imaging device or controller, or a separate structure attached to one of the energy emitting portion 44, elongate member 34, and/or distal tip 48. The illumination source may provide light at a wavelength for visually aiding the imaging device. Alternatively, or in addition, the illumination source may provide light at a wavelength that allows a device operator to differentiate tissue that has been treated by the energy delivery device from tissue that that not been treated.

[054] Additional embodiments of the imaging or mapping device may be found in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2006/0247617 A1 titled ENERGY DELIVERY DEVICES AND METHODS, published November 2, 2006; 2007/0123961 A1 titled ENERGY DELIVERY AND ILLUMINATION DEVICES AND METHODS, published May 31 , 2007; and 2010/0268222 A1 titled DEVICES AND METHODS FOR TRACKING AN ENERGY DEVICE WHICH TREATS ASTHMA, published October 21 , 2010, each of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[055] Other embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the present disclosure disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the present disclosure being indicated by the following claims.