Abstract: Embodiments of an actuated cannula seal are disclosed In some embodiments, a cannula seal includes a base portion that engages with a cannula; and a seal portion integrally formed with the base portion, the sealing portion capable of engaging with an instrument shaft, the sealing portion capable of being actuated by an actuator so that the sealing portion is continually in motion relative to the instrument shaft. The actuation of the sealing portion can be accomplished by rotation or vibration of the sealing portion relative to the instrument shaft.

Abstract: A medical robotic system has a robotic arm holding a medical device, and a control system for controlling movement of the arm according to operator manipulation of an input device. If the medical device is being commanded to a state exceeding a limitation by a threshold amount, then the control system disengages control of the medical device by the input device, servos the arm so that it remains in its current state, servos the input device so that it is set at a position such that a force being applied on the input device remains at its current level, requests the operator to lighten hold of the input device, sets a parameter associated with the input device upon detecting such lightened hold so that the medical device is commanded to a different state that does not exceed the limitation, and reengages control of the medical device by the input device.

Abstract: A catheter is adapted to ablate tissue and provide lesion qualitative information on a real time basis, having an ablation tip section with a generally omni-directional light diffusion chamber with one openings to allow light energy in the chamber to radiate the tissue and return to the chamber. The chamber is irrigated at a positive pressure differential to continuously flush the opening with fluid. The light energy returning to the chamber from the tissue conveys a tissue parameter, including without limitation, lesion formation, depth of penetration of lesion, cross-sectional area of lesion, formation of char during ablation, recognition of char during ablation, recognition of char from non-charred tissue, formation of coagulum around the ablation site, differentiation of coagulated from non-coagulated blood, differentiation of ablated from healthy tissue, tissue proximity, and recognition of steam formation in the tissue for prevention of steam pop.

Abstract: Embodiments of this disclosure include systems, methods, and kits for sterilizing in vivo catheters using an optical fiber to deliver UV light. In an embodiment, a method for sterilizing a catheter with at least a first lumen, includes inserting a distal end of a fiber optic cable into a fiber insertion port of a catheter connector attached to a hub of the first lumen, flushing the first lumen with fluid from a fluid source, inserting the fiber optic cable into the first lumen until a stopper of the fiber optic cable is adjacent to the fiber insertion port, providing light to the fiber optic cable from a light source after the fiber optic cable is inserted into the first lumen, withdrawing the fiber optic cable from the first lumen while the light is provided, and ceasing to provide light to the fiber optic cable after the fiber optic cable is withdrawn from the first lumen. The disclosure is also applicable to catheters with multiple lumens and to catheters accessed through subcutaneous ports.

Abstract: A handpiece can treat biological tissue using electromagnetic radiation, which can be substantially fluorescent light. The handpiece includes a source of electromagnetic radiation and a waveguide. The waveguide is adjacent the source, receives electromagnetic radiation from the source, and delivers the electromagnetic radiation to the biological tissue. The handpiece also includes a system for moving a fluorescent substance through the waveguide. The fluorescent substance includes a fluid base and a fluorescing agent and is capable of modulating at least one property of the electromagnetic radiation. A method is described for removing the fluorescing agent from the fluorescing substance and replacing it with a second, different fluorescing agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cells and cell tissue treatment device and use thereof.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members moveable relative to one another between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. In the approximated position, the jaw members cooperate to define a cavity that is configured to house tissue grasped between the jaw members. An injectable material configured for injection into the cavity defined by the jaw members is also provided. The injectable material is configured to substantially surround tissue housed within the cavity. The injectable material is transitionable from a first state, facilitating injection of the injectable material into the cavity, to a second state, wherein the injectable material forms about tissue housed within the cavity to occlude tissue.

Abstract: An ophthalmic laser ablation system is described with various optional features, some especially suitable for non-penetrating filtration on an eye. In one example, focusing of an ablation laser uses a movable lens coupled to a pair of converging light sources, which converge at the focal distance of the lens. In another example, laser ablation settings are selected for optimal ablation and minimal amount of thermal damage of a layer of percolating scleral tissue.

Abstract: A system for ophthalmic surgery on an eye includes: a pulsed laser which produces a treatment beam; an OCT imaging assembly capable of creating a continuous depth profile of the eye; an optical scanning system configured to position a focal zone of the treatment beam to a targeted location in three dimensions in one or more floaters in the posterior pole. The system also includes one or more controllers programmed to automatically scan tissues of the patient's eye with the imaging assembly; identify one or more boundaries of the one or more floaters based at least in part on the image data; iii. identify one or more treatment regions based upon the boundaries; and operate the optical scanning system with the pulsed laser to produce a treatment beam directed in a pattern based on the one or more treatment regions.

Abstract: A telescopic insertion axis, a robotic surgical system including the telescopic insertion axis, and a method of instrument insertion are provided. In one embodiment, a telescopic insertion axis includes a base link operably coupled to a distal end of a manipulator arm, and a carriage link movably coupled to the base link along a lengthwise axis, the carriage link including an instrument interface.

Abstract: A system for ophthalmic surgery on an eye includes: a pulsed laser which produces a treatment beam; an OCT imaging assembly capable of creating a continuous depth profile of the eye; an optical scanning system configured to position a focal zone of the treatment beam to a targeted location in three dimensions in one or more floaters in the posterior pole. The system also includes one or more controllers programmed to automatically scan tissues of the patient's eye with the imaging assembly; identify one or more boundaries of the one or more floaters based at least in part on the image data; iii. identify one or more treatment regions based upon the boundaries; and operate the optical scanning system with the pulsed laser to produce a treatment beam directed in a pattern based on the one or more treatment regions.

Abstract: A system for ophthalmic surgery on an eye includes: a pulsed laser which produces a treatment beam; an OCT imaging assembly capable of creating a continuous depth profile of the eye; an optical scanning system configured to position a focal zone of the treatment beam to a targeted location in three dimensions in one or more floaters in the posterior pole. The system also includes one or more controllers programmed to automatically scan tissues of the patient's eye with the imaging assembly; identify one or more boundaries of the one or more floaters based at least in part on the image data; iii. identify one or more treatment regions based upon the boundaries; and operate the optical scanning system with the pulsed laser to produce a treatment beam directed in a pattern based on the one or more treatment regions.

Abstract: A planning device produces control data for a treatment device for eye surgery which produces at least one cutting surface in a cornea of the eye using a laser device. The planning device includes a calculation module for establishing a cornea cutting surface. The calculation module is configured to establish the cornea cutting surface based on data of a refraction correction, to produce a control data set for actuating the laser device for the cornea cutting surface, and to determine the cornea cutting surface in such a way that it consists of a plurality of sub-surfaces, each of which make a contribution to the refraction correction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the cosmetic (non-therapeutic) treatment of oily skin, including the steps: a) exposing the oily skin to a first quasi-monochromatic light of artificial origin having a dominant wavelength peak between 300 and 700 nm, better still between 400 and 600 nm, even better still between 560 and 620 nm, and in particular of around 590 nm, and b) applying to the oily skin a cosmetic composition comprising at least 1% by weight of hollow particles and preferably from 2% to 6% by weight of hollow particles, relative to the total weight of said composition, the hollow particles being hydrophobic silica aerogel particles.

Abstract: A handpiece can treat biological tissue using electromagnetic radiation, which can be substantially fluorescent light. The handpiece includes a source of electromagnetic radiation and a waveguide. The waveguide is adjacent the source, receives electromagnetic radiation from the source, and delivers the electromagnetic radiation to the biological tissue. The handpiece also includes a system for circulating a fluorescent substance through the waveguide. The fluorescent substance is capable of modulating at least one property of the electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: An apparatus has a pump module providing pump energy, a resonator and a controller. The resonator includes a gain medium receiving the pump energy from the pump module and producing light; reflective surfaces reflecting light produced by the gain medium back toward the gain medium; and a variable light attenuator receiving light produced by the gain medium. The controller controls the amount of light attenuated by the variable light attenuator such that the apparatus emits windows of pulses of laser light at spaced time intervals, each window containing a plurality of pulses of laser light and each interval between windows being larger than an interval between pulses within a window. The emitted windows of pulses of laser light heat tissue to a temperature that causes coagulation without vaporization.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical instrument is provided for the control of flows of one or more fluids into and out of a surgical site. The robotic surgical instrument may include a housing, a flow control system, a hollow tube, and one or more hose fittings. The housing to couple the instrument to a robotic arm. The flow control system mounted in the housing includes one or more controlled valves to control the flow of one or more fluids. The hollow tube has a first end mounted in the housing coupled to the flow control system. A second end of the hollow tube has one or more openings to allow the flow of fluids into and out of the surgical site. The hose fittings have a first end coupled to the flow control system and a second end to couple to hoses.

Abstract: The method of treating varicose veins and other vascular diseases provides sclerosant fluid through a catheter into the body vessel to be treated. The catheter has a lumen and a plurality of sidewall exits. The sclerosant fluid is provided under sufficient pressure so that it comes out of each exit as a jet of fluid with sufficient velocity to impinge on the vessel wall substantially orthogonal to the wall and thus minimize dilution of the sclerosant fluid and optimize coverage. A movable sheath on the catheter permits selecting a portion of the exits to be uncovered and thus create an infusion zone for the jets of sclerosant fluid which approximately match a desired treatment zone.

Abstract: This invention relates to phototherapy lights, in particular for a combination of Bright Light Therapy and Dawn Simulation. A phototherapy light source having two operational modes, a first dawn simulator mode; and a second, bright light therapy mode; the light comprising a controller coupled to a light source; and wherein, in said first mode said light source is controlled to provide variable illumination with a minimum light intensity of less than 1 lux at 50 centimeters, and in said second mode said light source is controlled to provide illumination with a light intensity of at least 1000 lux at 50 centimeters.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for stimulating activation of heat shock proteins and facilitating protein repair in cells and tissues in order to take advantage of the remediative and restorative nature of the increased heat shock protein activation or production and the facilitation of protein repair, while not damaging the cells and tissues. This is accomplished by treating a specified target area with an ultrasound or electromagnetic radiation source which is pulsed and applied or focused to one or more small areas in order to achieve the necessary temperature rise or sufficiently stress the cells and tissue to stimulate heat shock protein production or activation and facilitate protein repair, while allowing the temperature to decay sufficiently quickly so as not to damage or destroy the treated tissue.