Abstract: Co-manipulation robotic systems are described herein that may be used for assisting with laparoscopic surgical procedures. The co-manipulation robotic systems allow a surgeon to use commercially-available surgical tools while providing benefits associated with surgical robotics. Advantageously, the surgical tools may be seamlessly coupled to the robot arms using a disposable coupler while the reusable portions of the robot arm remain in a sterile drape. Further, the co-manipulation robotic system may operate in multiple modes to enhance usability and safety, while allowing the surgeon to position the instrument directly with the instrument handle and further maintain the desired position of the instrument using the robot arm.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a multi-core optical fiber cable (MCF). In some embodiments, an MCF comprises a plurality of cores surrounded by a cladding and a coating surrounding the cladding, wherein a refractive index of one or more of the plurality of cores is greater than a refractive index of the cladding. The MCF further comprises a probe comprising a probe tip coupled with a distal end of the MCF and a lens located at a distal end of the probe tip. In some embodiments, the lens is configured to translate laser light from the distal end of the MCF to create a multi-spot pattern of laser beams on a target surface and a distal end of the MCF terminates at an interface with the lens.

Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument configured for connection to a supply apparatus for operation. The instrument has an end opening at the distal end and supports at least one electrode in the area of the end opening to which an alternating voltage potential can be applied. Directly adjoining the end opening, a liner of the electrosurgical instrument limits a flow chamber inside the liner. With distance to the end opening a flushing channel opens out into the flow chamber via an exit opening and a suction channel opens out into the flow chamber via an inlet opening. A flushing fluid can be introduced in the flow chamber via the flushing channel and can be extracted by suction via the suction channel.

Abstract: A Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator (WCD) system has a processor that performs two different analyses to an ECG of the patient. A first-level analysis can be computationally economical, while a fuller second-level analysis can give shock/no-shock advice with more certainty. In some of these embodiments the second-level analysis of the ECG is performed only if the first-level analysis of the ECG detects a possible shockable condition. As such, the first-level analysis may operate as a gatekeeping function, often preventing the more computationally intensive second-level analysis from being performed. An advantage can be that the WCD system needs to store less charge, for powering the processor. In turn, this permits portions of the WCD system to be less bulky and weigh less.

Abstract: A light irradiating medical device 1 includes a catheter shaft 2 extending in a longitudinal direction; a balloon 5 disposed at a distal portion of the catheter shaft 2; a light guiding tool 10 disposed in a lumen of the catheter shaft 2 and movable in the longitudinal direction, the light guiding tool 10 including an optical fiber 11 extending in the longitudinal direction and a tubular member 15 covering the optical fiber 11 and having light transparency, the optical fiber 11 including a core 12, a cladding 13 and a cladding absent portion 14 disposed at a part of a distal portion of the core 12; a first radiopaque marker 21 disposed at the distal portion of the catheter shaft 2; and a second radiopaque marker 22 disposed at the tubular member 15 at a position distal to a distal end 12a of the core 12.

Abstract: Connector assemblies for connecting a robotic arm with a medical end effector are disclosed. An example apparatus for connecting a robotic arm with a medical end effector may include a connector housing. An actuation mechanism may be disposed within the connector housing. The actuation mechanism may include a plurality of linkage members and a gear assembly coupled to the linkage members. Each of the plurality of linkage members may be configured to shift between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. At least one of the plurality of linkage members may include a first linkage member having an end region. A roller member may be disposed adjacent to the end region of the first linkage member. An actuator may be coupled to the actuation mechanism.

Abstract: The amount of energy to provide optical breakdown can be determined based on mapped optical breakdown thresholds of the treatment volume, and the laser energy can be adjusted in response to the mapped breakdown thresholds. The mapping of threshold energies can be combined with depth and lateral calibration in order to determine the location of optical breakdown along the laser beam path for an amount of energy determined based on the mapping. The mapping can be used with look up tables to determine mapped locations from one reference system to another reference system.

Abstract: A dental procedure performed on target tissue without anesthetic or anesthesia including preconditioning the target tissue using a laser device constructed to produce light in a wavelength range of 2750 nm to 11500 nm, to provide an energy fluence in a range of 50 J/cm2 to 100 J/cm2, and to operate in a free running pulsed mode providing 60 ?m bursts at a frequency of at least 50 Hz. Preconditioning includes selecting a combination of average optical output power and preconditioning time to administer low level laser therapy. The laser device is adjusted to deliver light through the light guide of the laser device at the selected average optical output power. Light delivered through the light guide of the adjusted laser device is directed toward the target tissue for the selected preconditioning time providing analgesia to the target tissue. Oral tissue is removed from the preconditioned target tissue during analgesia.

Abstract: A transapical removal device that can be deployed in a catheter procedure to capture for removal or alteration a mitral valve clip or heart tissue, such as the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve, and methods of use are disclosed. The removal device includes a delivery catheter configured to be deployed near a mitral valve using a guide catheter. The delivery catheter has a snare head at the distal end, which assumes a collapsed state during movement of the delivery catheter through the guide catheter and deployed state for capturing a mitral valve clip or anterior leaflet. The snare head has one or more ablation delivery catheters configured to ablate tissue surrounding the pre-positioned mitral valve clip or anterior leaflet. In some arrangements within the scope of the present disclosure, the removal device includes a deployment mechanism for deploying a new transcatheter valve into the mitral valve.

Abstract: A medical device that includes a handle including a plurality of actuators. The handle defines a longitudinal axis extending through a distal end of the handle. The device includes a shaft extending from the handle and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft. A first actuator of the plurality of actuators is configured to actuate the end effector in response to translation of the first actuator relative to the handle along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. A second actuator of the plurality of actuators is configured to deflect the end effector relative to the shaft in response to pivoting the second actuator about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. A third actuator of the plurality of actuators is configured to rotate the end effector relative to the shaft in response to rotation of the third actuator relative to the handle about the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems for providing updates to a surgical robot in which a surgical robot receives a notification that there is an update available or detects a new hardware component that has been attached to the surgical robot. The surgical robot then determines if it is currently in use or is inactive and if inactive the surgical robot downloads the latest update. Additionally, the system provides a process of remote monitoring of telesurgical robots for safety and redundancy, in which the surgical robot collects data representing at least one assistance parameter of the surgical robot during a surgical procedure. The data is assessed, and it is determined if non-surgical assistance is required and connecting the medical professional to a technician to resolve the potential issue.

Abstract: A sterile holder for sterile surgical implants. The implant holder is an ergonomically shaped body of deformable material having an implant-receiving cavity similar in size and shape to the implant. To remove the implant from the holder, the surgeon mates a sterile tool to the implant and gently pries the implant out of the holder by deforming the body. Preferably the tool used to pry the implant out of the body is an insertion tool mated to the implant which is also used to insert the implant in a patient. In this way the surgeon retrieves the implant from its container without touching the container and directly inserts the implant in the patient without risking contamination: sterility is maintained for both the surgeon and the implant. In a preferred embodiment, the implant holder is configured to hold two pedicle screws and their set-screws.

Abstract: An illustrative method of treating a patient having an eye condition includes determining that the patient has a closed-angle or narrow-angle glaucoma. The method further includes treating the closed-angle or narrow-angle glaucoma during a surgical procedure performed on the patient. The method further includes, during the surgical procedure, treating the patient with an excimer laser to create a plurality of perforations in the trabecular meshwork by applying a plurality of shots to the trabecular meshwork from the excimer laser.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable medium tracks locations of one or more surgical instruments. The method includes detecting a plurality of markers disposed on a distal end of a first surgical instrument within a field of view of a camera, calculating a position of the first surgical instrument based on a location of the plurality of markers within the field of view of the camera, determining the position of the first surgical instrument in relation to a second surgical instrument.

Abstract: A method of determining a location of a user input device of a surgical robotic system within a surgical workspace using a virtual workspace including determining, by one or more processors communicatively coupled to a user input device, that a user is engaging with the user input device within a surgical workspace; in response to determining the user is engaging with the user input device, displaying a virtual user input device within a first virtual workspace boundary, wherein at least a portion of the first virtual workspace boundary is operable to move in response to a movement of the user input device; displaying a second virtual workspace boundary that represents a second workspace limit beyond which the user input device is inoperable to control the surgical robotic instrument in the teleoperation mode; and determining a location of the user input device within the surgical workspace.

Abstract: A system includes a catheter, a pulse generator and a controller. The catheter is configured for insertion into a body of a patient, and includes at least a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, which are disposed at a distal end of the catheter and are configured to contact tissue within the body. The pulse generator is configured to apply one or more bipolar ablation pulses between the first and second electrodes, for ablating the tissue in contact with the first and second electrodes. The controller is configured to: (i) control the pulse generator to apply the one or more bipolar ablation pulses between the first and second electrodes, (ii) receive a signal indicative of a voltage, measured between the third electrode and a reference during application of the ablation pulses, and (iii) issue a notification in response to detecting that the voltage violates a predefined criterion.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method of treating a skin surface of a subject comprises heating a skin surface, abrading native skin tissue of a subject using a microdermabrasion device, wherein using the microdermabrasion device comprises moving the microdermabrasion device relative to the skin surface while simultaneously delivering at least one treatment fluid to the skin surface being treated and cooling the abraded skin surface.

Abstract: A robotic surgical instrument comprising a shaft, an articulated section and a drive mechanism. The articulated section extends from the shaft and terminates at its distal end in a tip. The tip has an attachment for an end effector. The drive mechanism drives the articulated section via flexible driving elements thereby altering the angular orientation of the tip relative to the shaft. The drive mechanism is controlled so as to always fully compress the articulated section along at least one extent by which the articulated section connects the tip and the shaft whilst driving the articulated section from any one configuration to any other configuration. The drive mechanism constrains movement of the articulated section so as to permit the tip to move with two degrees of rotational freedom and no degrees of translational freedom relative to the shaft.

Abstract: A robotic system comprises a display that is viewable by an operator. An operator reference frame is defined relative to the display or the operator viewing the display. The robotic system also includes an input device movable by the operator and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to present, in the display, a first image of a first tool captured by an imaging device, receive, from the operator, a first indication that a first axis of the input device is aligned with a corresponding axis of the first tool in the first image, and in response to the first indication, determine a first alignment relationship between the imaging device and the first tool based on a second alignment relationship between the operator reference frame and the input device.

Abstract: A medical instrument including a shaft and an actuated structure mounted at a distal end of the shaft can employ a pair of tendons connected to the actuated structure, extending down the shaft, and respectively wound around a capstan in opposite directions. A passive preload system may maintain minimum tensions in the tendons.