Balloon catheter with fluid injection elements

A medical system comprising:

• a cryoablation device defining a longitudinal axis and including:
• an elongate body having a distal portion and a proximal portion;
• an elongate shaft disposed within the elongate body, the elongate shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion;
• a first balloon coupled to the distal portion of the elongate shaft, the first balloon having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• a second balloon disposed about the first balloon and being coupled to the distal portion of the elongate shaft and the and the distal portion of the elongate body, the second balloon having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• and
• one or more splines disposed between the first balloon and second balloon, each spline defining a length within the treatment element, the length having a distal portion and a proximal portion, a circumference, and three fluid delivery ports symmetrically radially spaced around an entirety of the circumference at each of a plurality of locations along the distal portion of the length, at least one of the three fluid delivery ports at each of the plurality of locations along the length being configured to direct a fluid such that the fluid impinges directly against the inner surface of the second balloon;
• and
• a control unit being in communication with the cryoablation device and including:
• a first fluid supply in fluid communication with the one or more splines.

A method for creating radial-linear lesions, the method comprising:

• positioning a cryoablation device in contact with pulmonary vein antrum tissue of a patient's heart, the cryoablation device including:
• an elongate body having a distal portion;
• an elongate shaft disposed within the elongate body;
• one or more conduits within the elongate body and the elongate shaft;
• and
• a treatment element having:
• an inner balloon coupled to the elongate shaft and being in fluid communication with the one or more fluid conduits within the elongate shaft;
• an outer balloon disposed about the inner balloon and being coupled to the elongate shaft and the elongate body and being in fluid communication with the one or more fluid conduits within the elongate body;
• and
• one or more longitudinal splines radially disposed between the inner balloon and the outer balloon, each spline defining a circumference and a length extending within the treatment element, the length having a distal portion and a proximal portion, and three fluid delivery ports symmetrically radially spaced around an entirety of the circumference of the spline at each of a plurality of locations along the distal portion of the length, the one or more splines being in fluid communication with a coolant source;
• and
• opening the one or more fluid conduits within the elongate body to the coolant source, coolant from the coolant source passing into the one or more splines and being ejected from the three fluid delivery ports at each of the plurality of locations into an interstitial space defined between the inner balloon and the outer balloon.