Abstract: A device and method to treat an overgrowth of yeast in a body cavity and inflammatory and/or hemorrhagic conditions of a body cavity. The device comprising a shell, removal means, and a freezable filler contained in a chamber within the shell. When the filler is frozen and the device inserted into the body cavity, the shell cools the body cavity to a temperature that inhibits the replication of yeast and provides relief to symptoms. An external cooling component extending from the shell provides cooling at the body cavity opening. An expandable bladder in the shell provides tamponade treatment for body cavity hemorrhaging.

Abstract: A mist generator improves sterility of blowers having controlled forced air for patient warmers and lifters. The mist generator has a main body including a top wall with an opening, that traverses into a chamber adapted to receive a disinfectant, side walls and a bottom wall. The main body further includes an inlet duct adapted for attachment to a first hose which, in turn, is adapted for attachment to an output opening of the blower for delivery into the chamber of forced air carrying misted disinfectant. The main body also includes an output duct adapted for attachment to a second hose which, in turn, is adapted for attachment to an inlet opening of the blower for delivery of disinfectant misted air through internal components of the blower. The mist generator improves sterility of the blower, thereby mitigating microbial contamination of patient warmers and lifters, and hospital environments.

Abstract: A portable heating/cooling device for clinical hypo/hyperthermia with cuffs especially designed for arterial cooling/heating for raising or lowering the body temperature of a patient is operable by battery power or a wide range of available external power, and is usable in the field or in medical transport where such external power sources are not available. The small size, weight, and robust nature of the device allows it to be transported with the patient without the need for additional conveying devices.

Abstract: Cold plates through which refrigerant flows define a slot between them that can receive a cassette through which sterile working fluid with a relatively low flow rate flows from an intravascular heat exchange catheter. The working fluid from the catheter is heated or cooled by heat exchange with the cold plates through the walls of the cassette to maintain the sterility of the working fluid. On the other hand, high flow rate working fluid chambers surround the cold plates and non-sterile working fluid from an external heat exchange pad flows through the high flow rate working fluid chambers to exchange heat through direct contact with the cold plates.

Abstract: A mist generator improves the sterility of blowers having controlled forced air systems. In one embodiment, the mist generator has a chamber adapted to receive a disinfectant adapted for attachment to an output opening of a blower for delivery into the chamber of forced air carrying misted disinfectant. The main body also includes an output duct or aperture adapted for attachment to a second hose which, in turn, is adapted for attachment to an inlet opening of the blower for delivery of disinfectant misted air through internal components of the blower. Alternatively, there is used a disinfectant filter formed as a sterilizing grid having a screen coated with a soft porous surface material impregnated with a liquid disinfectant. The soft porous surface material releases said liquid disinfectant when forced air moves through the filter. In both embodiments, sterile water is introduced to take up residual disinfectant and the vapor captured in a dry filter or desiccant material and removed from the system.

Abstract: A surgical instrument is configured to concurrently dissect and coagulate tissue. The surgical instrument includes a handle and a shaft extending distally from the handle. The shaft includes an outer hypotube, a lumen coaxially-disposed within the hypotube and extending beyond a distal end thereof, a coaxial feedline coaxially-disposed within the lumen, and having an inner conductor and an outer conductor disposed coaxially about the inner conductor, and a coolant tube coaxially-disposed between the lumen and the coaxial feedline to form an inflow conduit and an outflow conduit. The instrument further includes a dissecting head assembly coupled to a distal end of the shaft. The dissecting head assembly includes a dielectric core having a substantially planar radiating surface and at least one non-radiating surface, a reflective coating disposed on the at least one non-radiating surface of the dielectric core, and a blade extending from the radiating surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for delivering microwave energy to skin are provided, such that a focal zone of destructive heat is generated in the upper sub-dermis, mid-dermis, and/or lower dermis. This microwave therapy may be used for hair removal, treatment of acne, skin tightening, treatment of toe nail fungus, or sweat reduction. According to one embodiment, a system can include a microwave applicator having a distal treatment portion that includes at least one microwave antenna, a cooling system, and vacuum features. In some embodiments, the interaction between incident waves transmitted from the microwave applicator and reflected waves may be used to generate a standing wave with a peak energy density in selected regions of the dermis.

Abstract: Described herein is a system including a patient support unit having a patient environment, a heating module, a sensor module, and a control system. The control system is configured to selectively operate the system in a pre-programmed warm-up mode configured to gradually warm the patient in the patient environment according to a series of stepped skin temperature increases performed over a series of stepped time durations to achieve a goal skin temperature. Related apparatus, system, methods and/or articles are described.

Abstract: A catheter has at least two irrigated ablation electrodes and a coaxial irrigation tubing to transport fluid to the electrodes by separate and dedicated flow paths. A valve is used to control flow of fluid into the coaxial irrigation tubing by means of a plunger assembly that allows fluid to flow through one lumen of the coaxial irrigation tubing while regulating the flow into the other lumen of the coaxial irrigation tubing in response to the fluid flow rate and pressure applied to the plunger assembly.

Abstract: A catheter adapted for ablation has multiple dedicated irrigation tubings to supply fluid to their respective electrode or set of electrodes. The tubings provide parallel flow pathways through the catheter where irrigation fluid is delivered to irrigated tip and/or ring electrodes which can accomplish uni-polar or bi-polar ablation. Such separate and dedicated fluid pathways allow fluid to be delivered to the corresponding electrode or set of electrodes at different flow rates. An integrated ablation system using such catheter has an ablation energy source and an irrigation pump with multiple pump heads that can operate independently of each other. An integrated irrigation tubing set is included to extend between the fluid source and the catheter, with each pump head being able to act on a different tubing that delivers fluid to a different electrode or set of electrodes.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for temperature management and ventricular defibrillation are disclosed. Methods, devices, and systems for positioning an electrode in the esophagus of a subject and managing the core body temperature of the subject are disclosed. The use of esophageal heat transfer devices to deliver an electrode for use in delivering an electrical shock to the myocardium is disclosed.

Abstract: Application systems, disposable interface assemblies and methods for cooling subcutaneous lipid-rich tissue. One embodiment of an application system includes a cooling unit, a cryoprotectant vessel, a contact member and an array of selectively addressable heating elements. The cryoprotectant vessel is configured to contain a fluidic cryoprotectant such that at least a portion of the cryoprotectant is cooled by the cooling unit to a desired base temperature. The contact member is attached to the cryoprotectant vessel and includes a backside in contact with the cryoprotectant and a front side opposite the backside. The contact member is configured to allow the cryoprotectant to flow from the backside to the front side. The array of selectively addressable heating elements is carried by the contact member.

Abstract: Particles and related methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Treatment systems include conformable applicators for performing cryotherapy are described. Aspects of the technology are further directed to methods and conformable applicators capable of affecting target regions. The conformable applicators can be applied a wide range of treatment sites. A strap assembly can hold applicator against the treatment site, and a holder assembly can be adhered to the subject's skin to inhibit, limit, or substantially prevent movement of the applicator along the subject's skin.

Abstract: Closed loop heat exchange catheters having bi-directional flow heat exchange regions and their methods of manufacture and use. The heat exchange region may be formed of expandable or non-expandable tubular conduit(s) that are configured in a series of loops or coiled configuration defining a supply flow path and a return flow path through which heat exchange medium is circulated. The individual loops of convolutions of the coiled configuration may be the same or different size. In some embodiments, the tubular conduit(s) may be passed through generally transverse bore holes formed in a catheter shaft so that the loops or convolutions of protrude from the catheter shaft.

Abstract: A cooling device and method inhibit the infectious growth of pathogens in a body cavity, primarily to cure VulvoVaginal Candidiasis (VVC) and Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) in the vagina, and to reduce biofilms. The device has a shell having an internal chamber containing a freezable or cooling filler that reduces the body cavity temperature. The device may be comprised of an optional coating compound (agent) covering at least a portion of an outer surface of the shell and an optional stainless steel sleeve that covers the shell or optional stainless steel particles that are impregnated into the shell material to enhance both thermal conductance and cooling efficacy. Pathogenic biofilms dissolve and bacteria colony counts decrease at lowered temperatures in body cavities, and infectious, temperature sensitive organisms (fungi, yeast, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and protozoans) become dormant, change morphology, or cease growing under the same lowered body cavity temperatures.

Abstract: An irrigated finned ablation head that provides enhanced cooling. The irrigated finned ablation head comprises a plurality of radial fins that are distributed about a central axis and that extend axially from a common base. The plurality of fins are arranged to define a central passageway along the central axis, as well as a plurality of slots therebetween, the slots extending in an axial direction along the irrigated finned ablation head. In one embodiment, the central passageway extends through the irrigated finned ablation head, defining an opening at the distal extremity, with the slots extending from the base to the opening. In another embodiment, the irrigated finned ablation head includes a cap portion at a distal portion that is common to all the radial fins, so that the slots are terminated at the distal portion of the irrigated finned ablation head. The radial flow distribution along the central axis can be tailored by the configuration of the central passageway.

Abstract: A thermotherapeutic pad includes a sealed envelope having a top layer of plastic and a bottom layer of textured plastic. The top layer of plastic and the bottom layer of textured plastic can be heat-sealed together. The bottom layer of textured plastic has an outer textured surface and is more thermally insulative than the top layer of plastic. A plurality of gel beads and liquid are contained inside the sealed envelope. The bottom layer of the pad can be placed against the skin or clothing to provide thermal therapy. Baffles can be provided inside the sealed envelope to promote even distribution of gel beads.

Abstract: A surgical ablation system features a source of ablation energy, a handle adapted to operably couple to the source of ablation energy, and an ablation probe adapted to operably couple to the handle. The handle includes a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, a hub included within the housing having a plenum defined therein, and a proximal feedline in fluid communication at a proximal end thereof with the plenum and joined at a distal end thereof to a first coupling member. The ablation probe includes a probe hypotube shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a second coupling member disposed at a proximal end of the probe hypotube shaft adapted to operably couple with the first coupling member, a distal tip adapted to penetrate tissue. Ablation energy is deliverable by the ablation probe when the source of ablation energy is operably coupled to the handle and the handle is operably coupled to the ablation probe.

Abstract: An intravascular heat exchange catheter has serpentine-like supply and return conduits circulating working fluid with a heat exchange system to warm or cool a patient in which the catheter is intubated.