Aparato para realizar un tratamiento circunferencial no continuo a un paso interno del cuerpo

Un aparato (400) para el tratamiento de denervación y/o neuromodulación circunferencial discontinuo en un vaso sanguíneo de un paciente, el aparato (400) comprende: un catéter (402) que tiene una cesta de alambre activamente-expansible o auto-expansible (404) que tiene unos electrodos proximales (406) y unos electrodos distales (408) espaciados longitudinalmente aparte de los electrodos proximales (406), en donde los electrodos proximales (406) están colocados a lo largo de diferentes alambres de la cesta de alambre (404) que los electrodos distales (408), y en donde todos los electrodos proximales y distales (406, 408) de la cesta de alambre están desviados angularmente entre sí. Methods and apparatus are provided for non-continuous circumferential treatment of a body lumen. Apparatus may be positioned within a body lumen of a patient and may deliver energy at a first lengthwise and angular position to create a less-than-full circumferential treatment zone at the first position. The apparatus also may deliver energy at one or more additional lengthwise and angular positions within the body lumen to create less-than-full circumferential treatment zone(s) at the one or more additional positions that are offset lengthwise and angularly from the first treatment zone. Superimposition of the first treatment zone and the one or more additional treatment zones defines a non-continuous circumferential treatment zone without formation of a continuous circumferential lesion. Various embodiments of methods and apparatus for achieving such non-continuous circumferential treatment are provided.