Abstract: A tissue puncture system includes a guidewire and a handle. The guidewire is configured to be inserted into an organ of a patient and to puncture tissue of the organ by conducting an electrical signal from a power source and applying to the tissue electrical current induced between a distal surface of the guidewire and the tissue. The handle is configured to: (i) electrically connect between the power source and a proximal surface of the guidewire, and (ii) move the distal surface to the tissue.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a probe, which includes an insertion tube configured for insertion into a body cavity of a patient, and a distal assembly, which is connected distally to the insertion tube and includes a plurality of electrodes, which are configured to contact tissue within the body cavity. The apparatus further includes an electrical signal generator, which is configured to apply electrical pulses to a group of two or more of the electrodes with an amplitude sufficient to irreversibly electroporate the tissue contacted by the electrodes in the group, and a controller, which is coupled to measure a change in an electrical impedance between an electrode in the group and a further electrode as a result of application of the electrical pulses and to output a measure of ablation of the tissue responsively to the measured change in the electrical impedance.

Abstract: Apparatus, consisting of a probe configured to be inserted into contact with a myocardium, and an electrode attached to the probe. A temperature sensor, incorporated in the probe, is configured to output a temperature signal. A pump irrigates the myocardium, via the probe, with an irrigation fluid at a controllable rate, and a radiofrequency (RF) signal generator applies RF power via the electrode to the myocardium, so as to ablate the myocardium. The apparatus also has processing circuitry that measures a temperature of the probe, based on the temperature signal, while the RF power is applied and, when the measured temperature exceeds a preset target temperature, iteratively reduces the RF power applied by the signal generator and concurrently iteratively varies a rate of irrigation of the irrigation fluid provided by the pump, until the measured temperature is reduced to the preset target temperature.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a first representation of an internal surface of at least a portion of a wall of an organ of a patient, and a second representation of an external surface of at least the portion of the wall of the organ. The first and second representations are registered with one another. An exploded representation is generated from the first and second representations, that shows both the internal surface and the external surface. The exploded representation is presented to a user.

Abstract: An apparatus, including a flexible insertion tube having a distal end for insertion into a body cavity, and first and second conduits configured to deliver first and second fluids, respectively, to the distal end. The distal end includes a first balloon coupled to the first conduit so that the first fluid inflates the first balloon and is delivered, via one or more spray ports in the first balloon, to tissue in the body cavity, a second balloon contained within the first balloon and coupled to the second conduit so that the second fluid inflates the second balloon, and multiple splines including a flexible, resilient material and extending along a longitudinal axis of the distal end, and configured to constrain the second balloon so that inflation of the second balloon creates lobes that form, along the longitudinal axis between the lobes, channels that direct the first fluid to the spray ports.

Abstract: An electrical apparatus includes a spiral electrode and an interface circuit. The spiral electrode is disposed on a distal end of a probe for insertion into a body of a patient. The interface circuit is configured to (a) transfer a radiofrequency (RF) ablation signal to the electrode for ablating tissue in the body, (b) output a voltage that develops across the electrode in response to an external magnetic field, for measuring a position of the distal end in the body, and (c) transfer electrical current through the electrode for measuring a resistivity that is indicative of tissue temperature in a vicinity of the electrode.

Abstract: A method for applying bipolar ablation pulses, the method includes positioning multiple electrodes of a catheter in contact with tissue of an organ. The tissue is ablated using the multiple electrodes in accordance with a predefined pattern including a periodic set of time slots. Each of the time slots defines (i) an electrode-pair (EP), (ii) a waveform of one or more bipolar ablation pulses (BAPs) applied to the tissue by the EP, and (iii) a duration of the time slot. The time slots are applied sequentially, and the pattern further includes at least one time slot that is empty.

Abstract: A sinuplasty tool, consisting of a handle, and a rigid tube, containing a rigid tube lumen, having a rigid tube distal end and a rigid tube proximal end connected to the handle. The tool also has a resilient tube, containing a resilient tube lumen, having a resilient tube distal end and a resilient tube proximal end fixed to the rigid tube distal end so that the lumens align. The resilient tube has a multiplicity of separated openings partially encircling the resilient tube so as to form ribs in the resilient tube and permitting the resilient tube to bend. The resilient tube distal end may be inserted into a sinus of a living subject. The tool also has a wire, traversing the aligned lumens, connected to the resilient tube distal end and coupled to the handle, so that applying tension to the wire causes the resilient tube to bend.

Abstract: An irreversible electroporation (IRE) method includes receiving a total number of IRE pulses to be applied by one or more electrodes of a catheter placed in proximity to a tissue in an organ. An IRE protocol is defined by defining a partitioning of the total number of the IRE pulses into multiple pulse trains separated by pauses, the partitioning defined so as to reduce a total duration of the IRE protocol while meeting a safety criterion. The IRE protocol is applied to the tissue using the electrodes.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a probe configured for insertion into a body of a patient and including three or more electrodes arrayed along a distal portion of the probe and configured to contact tissue within the body. An electrical signal generator is configured to apply between a selected pair of the electrodes signals having an amplitude sufficient to ablate the tissue contacted by the pair of the electrodes. A controller is configured to measure an electrical current flowing through at least one of the electrodes not included in the selected pair while applying the signals, and to issue a notification indicating that the tissue was inadequately ablated if the measured electrical current exceeds a preset threshold.

Abstract: A system includes: (a) a switching unit including: (i) first sockets, which are configured to connect between the switching unit and channels of one or more catheters, (ii) second sockets, which are configured to connect, via the switching unit, between the first sockets and a console, and (iii) a switch, which is configured, based on a control signal, to route signals conducted in the channels, between the first and second sockets, and (b) circuitry, which is configured, based on information received from the one or more catheters, to produce the control signal for routing of the signals.

Abstract: A method of ablation includes storing in a memory a pre-determined relation between lesion size and amount of ablative energy, for each of one or more selected temperatures. Using a processor, user input is received, that indicates a lesion size and a tissue temperature. Based on the relation, an amount of energy is determined, that matches the lesion size and the tissue temperature. An ablation probe is controlled to apply the amount of ablative energy that matches the selected lesion size.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a catheter apparatus is configured to be inserted into a body part of a living subject, and including an elongated deflectable element including a distal end, an expandable basket assembly disposed at the distal end and comprising a plurality of splines and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the splines, an irrigation channel disposed in the elongated deflectable element, and an inflatable balloon disposed in the expandable basket assembly and including a plurality of irrigation holes in fluid connection with the irrigation channel.

Abstract: A medical probe includes a shaft and a distal-end assembly. The shaft is configured for insertion into an organ of a body. The distal-end assembly is fitted at a distal end of the shaft. The distal-end assembly includes (a) a substrate, (b) a two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound transducer array located on the substrate, and (c) a sensor, which is also located on the substrate, the sensor configured to output signals indicative of a position and an orientation of the 2D ultrasound transducer array inside the organ.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a 3D image of a portion of an organ including a cavity, the image comprising voxels having respective values. A wall of the cavity is identified in the image, by (i) positioning virtual solid objects inside respective sub-volumes of the cavity, (ii) moving the virtual solid objects inside the cavity according to a predefined rule of motion, (iii) while the virtual solid objects move inside the cavity, adapting the traversed voxels to predefined value indicative of the interior of the cavity, (iv) responsively to detecting that a virtual solid object comes into contact with the wall, rolling the virtual solid object over the wall, and adapting a surface of the virtual solid object with the values of the voxels over which the surface rolls, and (v) converting adapted voxel values that are lower than a threshold voxel value into the predefined value indicative of the interior.

Abstract: A sinuplasty tool, consisting of a handle, and a rigid tube, containing a rigid tube lumen, having a rigid tube distal end and a rigid tube proximal end connected to the handle. The tool also has a resilient tube, containing a resilient tube lumen, having a resilient tube distal end and a resilient tube proximal end fixed to the rigid tube distal end so that the lumens align. The resilient tube has a multiplicity of separated openings partially encircling the resilient tube so as to form ribs in the resilient tube and permitting the resilient tube to bend. The resilient tube distal end may be inserted into a sinus of a living subject. The tool also has a wire, traversing the aligned lumens, connected to the resilient tube distal end and coupled to the handle, so that applying tension to the wire causes the resilient tube to bend.

Abstract: A system includes a probe, a processor, and a bubble detector. The probe is configured for insertion into a lumen of a patient and is coupled to an irrigation pump. The processor is configured to control delivery of irrigation fluid to the probe by turning on and controlling the irrigation pump. The bubble detector is coupled to a proximal portion of the probe. In response to the irrigation pump being turned on, the bubble detector is configured to automatically start detection of gas bubbles in the irrigated fluid, and transmit fail-safe signals indicating fail-safe bubble detection is operational. The processor is further configured to monitor the fail-safe signals and, in absence of fail-safe signals, to automatically disable delivery of the irrigation fluid.

Abstract: A dual-action pump includes a cylinder, a piston and a controller. The cylinder includes first and second inlet-outlet ports, each of the first and second inlet-outlet ports is configured to alternately intake a fluid to the cylinder and output the fluid from the cylinder. The piston is configured to be moved within the cylinder in a periodic cycle that alternately reverses a direction of movement of the piston, so as to pump the fluid through the first and second inlet-outlet ports. The controller is configured to control the movement of the piston within the cylinder, including setting to the piston: (a) a first speed, during a first predefined interval that precedes reversing the direction of movement, (b) a second speed, larger than the first speed, during a second predefined interval that follows reversing the direction, and (c) a baseline speed, smaller than the first speed, outside the first and second intervals.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting the actual tip or tip type being used on a handpiece of an ophthalmic instrument. By detecting the tip type being used, the correct system settings can be used during the surgical procedure, and the surgical system may operate safely.

Abstract: An irreversible electroporation and radio frequency ablation (IRE/RFA) generator includes an IRE pulse generator, harmonic filtration circuitry, and a waveform interleaver. The IRE pulse generator is configured to generate biphasic IRE pulses. The harmonic filtration circuitry is configured to convert the IRE pulses into an RF signal. The waveform interleaver, which is configured to receive the IRE pulses and the RF signal and generate an output signal having a composition of the adapted IRE pulses having a final shape and repetition rate, the converted RF sinusoidal signal, or a combined IRE/RFA output signal, by switching between the received IRE square pulses and the received converted RF sinusoidal signal.