Methods and apparatus for selective tissue ablation

A system for conducting bipolar pulsed field ablation of cardiac tissue of a heart of a patient through a process of irreversible electroporation, the system comprising:

• a catheter comprising an elongate member defining a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter further comprising at least a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, a fourth electrode, a fifth electrode, and a sixth electrode, wherein the second electrode is disposed between the third electrode and the first electrode;
• an electroporation system configured for electrical communication with the the first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, the fourth electrode, the fifth electrode, and the sixth electrode, the electroporation system comprising a generator;
• wherein the electroporation system comprises an interface configured to receive a selection by an operator of the first electrode and the second electrode as anode-cathode electrodes and of the first electrode and the third electrode as anode-cathode electrodes;
• wherein the generator is configured to generate at least one sequence of biphasic voltage pulses;
• wherein the electroporation system is configured to apply the at least one sequence of biphasic voltage pulses to the first electrode and the second electrode and to the first electrode and the third electrode to thereby generate an electric field of sufficient strength to cause irreversible electroporation of the cardiac tissue proximate the distal end of the elongate member;
• wherein the at least one sequence of biphasic voltage pulses has a progressively changing amplitude between about 0.5 kV to about 10 kV, such that the electroporation system is configured to apply a first amplitude to the first and third electrodes that is greater than a second amplitude that the electroporation system is configured to apply to the first and second electrodes.

A system for conducting bipolar pulsed field ablation of cardiac tissue through a process of irreversible electroporation, the system comprising:

• a catheter comprising an elongate member defining a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter comprising a plurality of electrodes coupled with the distal end of the catheter;
• a generator configured for electrical communication with the plurality of electrodes, the generator further configured to generate a first sequence of biphasic voltage pulses having an amplitude between about 0.5 kV to about 10 kV;
• an electrode controller configured to be operably coupled with the generator, the electrode controller including a pulse delivery module;
• wherein the electrode controller is configured to receive a selection by an operator of a first subset of anode-cathode electrodes from the plurality of electrodes and a second subset of anode-cathode electrodes from the plurality of electrodes, wherein the second subset of anode-cathode electrodes differs from the first subset of anode-cathode electrodes;
• wherein the pulse delivery module is configured to apply the first sequence of biphasic voltage pulses simultaneously to the first subset of anode-cathode electrodes and to the second subset of anode-cathode electrodes while the remaining electrodes of the plurality of electrodes are inactive.