Apparatus for treating venous insufficiency

An apparatus for applying energy to cause shrinkage of a hollow anatomical structure, the apparatus comprising:

• a catheter having a shaft, an outer diameter and a working end, the outer diameter of the catheter is less than the inner diameter of the hollow anatomical structure;
• at least two electrodes located at the working end of the catheter so as to provide effective pairs of electrodes, wherein activation of the at least two electrodes causes shrinkage of the hollow anatomical structure adjacent to the electrodes;
• a plurality of bowable members located at the working end of the catheter, wherein the shrinkage of the hollow anatomical structure is limited to a diameter defined by the plurality of bowable members;
• and
• a balloon located between the bowable members and the catheter, the balloon configured to engage and force the bowable members radially outward when the balloon is inflated;
• wherein the at least two electrodes further include an even number of longitudinal electrodes and the longitudinal electrodes are arranged on the catheter so as to provide effective pairs of longitudinal electrodes.

An apparatus for applying energy to cause shrinkage of a hollow anatomical structure, the apparatus comprising:

• a catheter having a shaft, an outer diameter and a working end, the outer diameter of the catheter is less than the inner diameter of the hollow anatomical structure;
• at least two electrodes located at the working end of the catheter so as to provide effective pairs of electrodes, wherein activation of the at least two electrodes causes shrinkage of the hollow anatomical structure adjacent to the electrodes;
• and
• a plurality of bowable members located at the working end of the catheter, wherein the shrinkage of the hollow anatomical structure is limited to a diameter defined by the plurality of bowable members;
• a balloon is located between the bowable members and the catheter, wherein the balloon engages and forces the bowable members radially outward when the balloon is inflated;
• wherein each bowable member has a first end, a second end, and a flat section between the first and second end, wherein the first end is connected to the catheter, and the flat section contains the uninsulated portion.

An apparatus for applying energy to cause shrinkage of a hollow anatomical structure, the apparatus comprising:

• a catheter having a shaft, an outer diameter and a working end, the outer diameter of the catheter is less than the inner diameter of the hollow anatomical structure;
• at least one electrode located at the working end of the catheter, wherein activation of the at least one electrode causes shrinkage of the hollow anatomical structure adjacent to the electrode;
• a plurality of bowable members located at the working end of the catheter, wherein the shrinkage of the hollow anatomical structure is limited to a diameter defined by the plurality of bowable members;
• a balloon located between the bowable members and the catheter, wherein the balloon engages and forces the bowable members radially outward when the balloon is inflated;
• and
• at least one piezoelectric element located on the catheter adjacent to the electrode producing pulse-echo soundings of the hollow anatomical structure.