Abstract: An apparatus is described for irradiating a stenosed region of an artery by use of a sliding or floating radiation source inserted into or onto a catheter or onto a guide wire within a catheter, delivered to the treatment site by a mechanical or hydraulic fluid and housed at the site for the irradiation procedure.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of spinal cord transection using low level laser therapy in combination with allogenic implants. In one embodiment, embyronal nerve cells are cultured in vitro and transplanted to a site of spinal cord transection. The site is surgically closed and LLLT applied to a treatment point on the skin adjacent the transection site. To apply LLLT, a therapist applies pressure adequate to blanch the skin at the treatment point, and applies laser energy having a wavelength of about 630 nm to about 904 nm, with laser apparatus having a mean power output of about 100 mW to about 500 mW, at a dosage of about 1 joule/point, up to and including about 30 joules/point. Treatment times, total dosage, and number of treatment points are determined by the therapist or clinician trained in LLLT.

Abstract: A device for tanning the feet of athletes who develop tanned legs while wearing shorts to participate in outdoor activities. The tanning device also includes a fungicidal mechanism for killing foot funguses as well as a foot massaging mechanism for providing soothing vibrations to the feet while the user is receiving a tanning treatment.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a diagnostic method for identifying psoriatic plaques in which Porphyrins, particularly protoporphyrin IX, are elevated as compared to normal skin and skin of patients with other dermatological diseases, including other forms of psoriatic plaque. Psoriatic plaques with elevated porphyrin levels may be detected by fluorescence and spectral analysis. Endogenous porphyrins in psoriatic plaques may be activated with visible light to treat psoriatic plaques having elevated porphyrin concentrations. Skin conditions may be optimized to increase the endogenous concentration of porphyrins in psoriatic plaques. A topical formulation may be applied to psoriatic plaques to optimize skin conditions such as pH, iron concentration, temperature, hydration, calcium concentration, oxygenation, electrical conductivity and estrogen concentration to increase the concentration of endogenous porphyrins.

Abstract: A method of hair depilation using an Nd:YAG laser which causes local heating at the hair bulb due to the absorption of the oxyhemoglobin contained in the capillaries. The Nd:YAG laser operates at 1060 nanometers. Each pulse is a special pulse having a first portion and a second portion, where power output in the first portion is 20 times greater than power output in the second portion. That way, the first portion of each pulse is used to quickly heat up the tissue to a damaging temperature, and the second portion maintains that temperature to cause hair removal for the tissue.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of musculoskeletal injury using low level laser therapy. In one embodiment, a therapist applies pressure adequate to blanch the skin at a treatment point on skin adjacent a site of musculoskeletal injury, and applies laser energy having a wavelength of about 630 nm to about 904 nm, with laser apparatus having a mean power output of about 100 mW to about 500 mW, for a treatment time sufficient to deliver at a laser energy dosage of about 1 joule/point to about 10 joules/point. Treatment times, total dosage, and number of treatment points are determined by the therapist trained in LLLT.

Abstract: A hearing assistance system includes multiple middle ear transducers for sensing vibrations of an ossicle or other auditory element. The hearing assistance system is configured to accommodate an unknown or variable direction of the vibration. Two transducers are arranged to transduce nonidentical directional components of the vibration into electrical signals which are then combined. The combined electrical signal is approximately independent of the direction of the vibration, or has improved frequency response, or has an amplitude that is approximately independent of the direction of the vibration. The combined electrical signal may result from a square root of sum-of-squares, sum of individually filtered signals, differentiation, or other techniques. The hearing assistance system analogously accommodates three dimensional variability of the direction of vibration using three middle ear transducers.

Abstract: An electrosurgical system including an electrode assembly having two electrodes for use immersed in an electrically conductive fluid has a generator with control circuitry for rapidly reducing the delivered radio frequency output power by at least 50% within at most a few cycles of the peak radio frequency output voltage reaching a predetermined threshold limit. In this way, tissue coagulation can be performed in, for example, saline without significant steam Generation. The same peak voltage limitation technique is used in a tissue vaporisation or cutting mode to limit the size of the steam pocket at the electrodes and to avoid electrode burning.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a C-shaped thermal heat pack for heating the female breast during post partum nursing and, more particularly, to a thermal heat pack which readily conforms to the contours of different sized female breasts to provide therapeutic heat to an adjacent breast to reduce swelling and irritation. The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a bendable thermal heat unit which assumes a cup or cone shape upon application to the breast. The present invention adjusts and conforms to various sizes of the female breasts to which it is to be applied. The present invention provides a layered conformable member with a C-shape having a selected indentation to permit formation of various sized rounded conical cups. A centrally located hole is provided for insertion of a nipple therethrough.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for determining the probability of a patient burn under a return electrode in a momopolar electrosurgical system comprising calculating a heating factor adjacent the return electrode utilizing a first algorithm, calculating a cooling factor adjacent the return electrode utilizing a second algorithm, subtracting the calculated cooling factor from the calculated heating factor to obtain a difference value, comparing the difference value to a threshold value, and adjusting the power dependent on the relationship of the difference value to the threshold value.

Abstract: An electrode catheter is introduced into a hollow anatomical structure, such as a vein, and is positioned at a treatment site within the structure. Tumescent fluid is injected into the tissue surrounding the treatment site to produce tumescence of the surrounding tissue which then compresses the vein. The solution may include an anesthetic, and may further include a vasoconstrictive drug that shrinks blood vessels. The tumescent swelling in the surrounding tissue causes the hollow anatomical structure to become compressed, thereby exsanguinating the treatment site. Energy is applied by an electrode catheter in apposition with the vein wall to create a heating effect. The heating effect causes the hollow anatomical structure to become molded and durably assume the compressed dimensions caused by the tumescent technique. The electrode catheter can be moved within the structure so as to apply energy to a large section of the hollow anatomic structure.

Abstract: A selective organ heat transfer device with deep irregularities in a turbulence-inducing exterior surface. The device can have a plurality of elongated, articulated segments, each having a turbulence-inducing exterior surface. A flexible joint connects adjacent elongated, articulated segments. The flexible joint may be a rubber tube or a metal tube of a predetermined thickness. An inner lumen is disposed within the heat transfer segments. The inner lumen is capable of transporting a pressurized working fluid to a distal end of the heat transfer element.

Abstract: A hand sanitizer generally includes an ozone producing, germicidal ultraviolet lamp for oxidizing organic debris and inactivating bacteria and viruses on the surface and subsurface of hands. In addition, a polychromatic light source is provided for destruction of residual ozone and photoreactivating, or photorepairing, ultraviolet induced effects on the skin. The lamps may be disposed in a free standing housing having a chamber for containing the produced ozone and receiving hands in a vertical orientation. Fans may be provided for circulating the ozone and atmospheric gas throughout the chamber and for evaporating residual moisture from the skin. A light source for destroying excess ozone is also provided which may be operated after the organic debris has been oxidized. Shields are provided within the chamber in order to protect a user's eyes from exposure to the ultraviolet light. The apparatus may be powered entirely by conventional solar panels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for relaxing a person in a stressful environment, such as a health care, business, hospitality or educational setting, provides a person with a choice of selecting for viewing one or more high resolution spatially open, serene natural landscape scenes to which the person is believed to have an innate positive (biophilic) affinity, upon a fabric frame display member mounted upon a flexible wall partition, such as a hospital curtain, a ceiling, a stand or other display member. In one embodiment, the spatially open, serene natural landscape scene is a savanna-type landscape or a like scene to which humans are believed to have a biophilic affinity. The biophilic landscape picture is printed preferably on a flexible fabric by a high resolution sublimation printing process, wherein an image is first scanned into a computer and then transformed by state-of-the-art technology to the fabric herein. The image may also be printed directly on all or a portion of a curtain itself.

Abstract: A catheter which may be configured as a loop during an ablation procedure, and a method of use for such a catheter, are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an ablation catheter includes a flexible distal member arranged to inserted into a first vessel in the body of a patient, and an elongated flexible tubular member with a distal portion which is coupled to a proximal portion of the flexible distal member. The elongated flexible tubular member has a flexibility that is greater than or equal to the flexibility of the flexible distal member. The catheter also includes a transmission line which is at least partially disposed within the elongated flexible tubular member. A proximal end of the transmission line is suitable for connection to an electromagnetic energy source. The catheter further includes a transducer that is coupled to the transmission line, and is arranged to generate an electric field sufficiently strong to cause tissue ablation.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and device for selectively controlling the temperature of a selected organ of a patient for performance of a specified application. The method includes introducing a guide catheter into a blood vessel. The guide catheter may have a soft tip and a retaining flange, and may be used to provide treatments such as administration of thrombolytic drug therapies, stenting procedures, angiographic procedures, etc. A supply tube is provided having a heat transfer element attached to a distal end thereof. The heat transfer element having a plurality of exterior surface irregularities, these surface irregularities having a depth greater than the boundary layer thickness of flow in the feeding artery of the selected organ. The supply tube and heat transfer element may be inserted through the guide catheter to place the heat transfer element in the feeding artery of the selected organ.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for substantially reducing the size of a thrombus in a blood vessel in which blood is flowing. The method includes delivering a heat transfer element to a blood vessel in fluid communication with a thrombosed blood vessel. The temperature of the heat transfer element is adjusted such that the same is sufficient to remove heat from the flowing blood. Heat is transferred from a volume including the thrombus to the heat transfer element. In a separate embodiment, heat may be delivered to the volume including the thrombus from the heat transfer element. The resultant temperature of the volume may be sufficient to substantially reduce the size of a thrombus. For example, the resultant temperature of the volume may be sufficiently high to substantially enhance plasminogen activation near the thrombus.

Abstract: A tonometer, for determining intraocular pressure, has a body, which can be a transparent, substantially tubular body. A plunger is located within the body and a coil spring acts between the body and the plunger. A marker member is frictionally retained within the body and is displaced relative to an external scale on the body. In use, the tonometer is brought up against the eyelid of a closed eye and the body displaced relative to the head of the plunger, until the pressure is sufficient to create a pressure phosphene. The device is then removed and the displacement of the marker member, indicative of the applied pressure is read. This reading corresponds to the intraocular pressure.

Abstract: A cryoprobe system with a vented high pressure gas supply line. Venting of the gas supply line upon cut-off of high pressure gas quickens the warming process of the cryoprobe.

Abstract: A device for providing therapy to the perineal and rectal areas of a patient is provided. The device can be used alone or in conjunction with an absorbent pad. The device is particularly useful for alleviating post-partum swelling and pain. Different embodiments of the device can be used to provide either hot or cold therapy to a patient.