Abstract: In one exemplary mode, a phacoemulsification system includes a phacoemulsification probe to be inserted into an eye, an irrigation line to provide irrigation fluid into the eye, an aspiration line to convey aspiration fluid from the eye, an aspiration pump to pump the aspiration fluid from the eye, a pump controller to control a flow direction and rate of the aspiration pump, and an aspiration rate user input device to provide a signal indicative of user actuation of the aspiration rate user input device, wherein the pump controller is configured to receive the signal provided by the aspiration rate user input device, and reverse the flow direction and set the flow rate of the aspiration pump at which to pump the aspiration fluid into the eye, the flow rate in the reverse flow direction being set responsively to an actuation rate at which the aspiration rate user input device is actuated.

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: Described embodiments include a system that includes a radiofrequency-current (RF-current) generator and a processor. The processor is configured to cause the RF-current generator to generate a plurality of pulses of RF current for application to tissue of a subject, each of the pulses having a power whose maximum value is greater than 80 W and a duration that is less than 10 s, and an intermission between successive ones of the pulses being less than 10 s. The processor is further configured to, while each one of the pulses is applied to the tissue, receive at least one signal that indicates a measured temperature of the tissue, and, in response to the measured temperature, control the power of the pulse. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a proximal shaft configured to mechanically couple to a motor, a first universal joint, a middle shaft coupled to the proximal shaft via the first universal joint, a housing having a bore, a second universal joint within the bore, a distal shaft coupled to the middle shaft via the second universal joint, and a connector disposed over the distal shaft. The bore limits a downward tilt of the distal shaft such that, as a rotor approaches the distal shaft, the distal shaft becomes axially aligned with the rotor by virtue of the proximal end of the rotor entering the connector or vice versa. A spring connected proximally to the connector and distally to the second universal joint is configured to decompress, thereby reversibly coupling the connector to the proximal end of the rotor, upon the motor rotationally aligning the connector with the proximal end of the rotor.

Abstract: A system for visualizing catheter irrigation, the system includes a fluid container, a pump, a schlieren imaging assembly and a processor. The fluid container is configured to: (i) contain a first fluid, which is at least partially transparent and has a first temperature, and (ii) receive into the first fluid a catheter having one or more irrigation holes. The pump is configured to inject, through the one or more irrigation holes, a second fluid, which is at least partially transparent and has a second different temperature. The schlieren imaging assembly is configured to acquire schlieren images of turbulence occurring in the first fluid when injecting the second fluid, and the processor is configured to visualize the irrigation using the schlieren images.

Abstract: A method, including receiving, from electrodes positioned within a heart, first signals from at least three of the electrodes indicating electrical activity in tissue with which the at least three of the electrodes engage, and second signals indicating locations of the at least three electrodes. The second signals are processed to compute the locations of the at least three electrodes and to determine a geometric center of the locations. Based on the signals, an electroanatomical map is generated for an area of the tissue including the geometric center, and an arrhythmia focus is determined in the map. A circle is presented, and within the circle, a region of the map is presented including the geometric center and the focus so that the geometric center on the map aligns with a center of the circle, the region within the circle indicating a spatial relationship between the geometric center and the focus.

Abstract: A system includes a needle, an actuator assembly and a generator. The needle is configured to be vibrated so as to emulsify a lens of an eye. The actuator assembly, includes a first actuator, a second actuator and a third actuator, which are distributed around a longitudinal axis of the needle and are configured to vibrate along the longitudinal axis in response to a first driving signal, a second driving signal and a third driving signal, respectively. The generator is configured to generate the first driving signal, the second driving signal and the third driving signal, so as to vibrate the needle in accordance with a predefined pattern.

Abstract: A method includes, receiving: (i) a selected three-dimensional (3D) section that has been ablated in a patient organ in accordance with a specified contour, and (ii) a dataset, which is indicative of a set of lesions formed during ablation of the selected 3D section. The selected 3D section is transformed into a two-dimensional (2D) map, and checking, on the 2D map, whether the set of lesions covers the specified contour.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification system, method and computer program product, the system comprising: a phacoemulsification probe having at its distal end a needle to be inserted into an eye, the probe comprising an ultrasonic transducer; an optical fiber transferring light from a source and having a distal end positioned in proximity to the tip of the needle for emitting light of predetermined frequency or pattern; a light sensor for detecting the light; and a processor, for repeatedly: receive from the sensor an indication of the detected light; determine whether the detected light complies with a condition indicating contact between the needle and a lens of the eye; subject to determining compliance with the condition and that the ultrasonic transducer being inactive, toggle the ultrasonic transducer ON; and subject to determining that the detected light does not comply with the condition and that the ultrasonic transducer being active, toggle the ultrasonic transducer OFF.

Abstract: A system for applying a series of pulse field ablation (PFA) pulse trains to tissue of a heart includes energy-generating circuitry and a processor. The processor is configured to apply one of the pulse trains using the energy-generating circuitry and a catheter in the heart, to store a location of the catheter at which the one of the pulse trains is applied, to track a position of the catheter following the application of the one of the pulse trains, to detect, based on the tracking, that the catheter is within a predefined distance from the location following a predefined minimum duration from a most recent one of the pulse trains, and to apply another one of the pulse trains, in response to the detecting, using the energy-generating circuitry and the catheter. Other examples are also described.

Abstract: A cerebrospinal-fluid-pressure-measuring device including a pressure gauge including a hollow cylindrical body for inserting through a skull and having a lower and upper end, and an inner surface, a membrane attached to the lower end and to move under a pressure of cerebrospinal fluid within the skull, and coils including a stationary coil disposed in the cylindrical body and connected to the inner surface so as to remain stationary, and a moving coil disposed in the cylindrical body and connected to the membrane so that the moving coil moves when the membrane moves under the pressure, one of the coils being configured as a transmitting coil and another of the coils being configured as a receiving coil, and a control unit to apply an input signal to the transmitting coil and receive an output signal from the receiving coil, and to generate an indication of the pressure.

Abstract: A medical system includes a probe, an electro-optical measurement unit, and a processor. The probe is configured for insertion into a blood vessel of a brain, and includes two optical fibers, which include each an optical diffuser at distal ends thereof. One fiber is configured to guide an optical signal to a location along the blood vessel and to diffuse the optical signal so as to interact with a brain clot in the blood vessel. The other fiber is configured to collect the diffused optical signal that interacted with the brain clot at another location along the blood vessel. The electro-optical measurement unit is configured to transmit the optical signal to one optical fiber, and to receive and measure the diffused optical signal from the other optical fiber. The processor is configured to identify a composition of the brain clot by analyzing the measured diffused optical signal.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification method includes specifying a target intraocular pressure (IOP) level to be maintained in an eye of a patient during a phacoemulsification procedure. A phacoemulsification probe is inserted into the eye. The eye is irrigated with irrigation fluid and material is aspired from the eye while aiming to maintain the target IOP level, including controlling IOP fluctuations by (i) when an actual IOP in the eye is in a defined high range, limiting the IOP fluctuations to a given value, and (ii) when the actual IOP is in a defined low range that is lower than the high range, allowing the IOP fluctuations to exceed the given value.

Abstract: A catheter includes a shaft for insertion into an organ of a patient, and an expandable distal-end assembly, which is coupled to the shaft and to an apex of the catheter, and includes multiple splines. In at least a given spline among the multiple splines, at least sixty percent of a length of the given spline is non-insulated and is configured to make contact with tissue of the organ and to apply radiofrequency (RF) pulses to the tissue.

Abstract: Medical apparatus includes a probe with a basket assembly at its distal end, including a plurality of resilient spines with multiple electrodes arrayed along a length of each of the spines. Processing circuitry is configured to acquire a first bipolar electrical signal from the tissue between first and second electrodes at first and second locations along a first spine of the basket assembly, and to acquire a second bipolar electrical signal from the tissue between the first electrode and a third electrode in a third location on a second spine of the basket assembly, and to interpolate, based on the first and second bipolar electrical signals, a vectorial electrical property of the tissue along an axis that passes through the first location and between the second and third locations.

Abstract: A catheter includes a shaft for insertion into an organ of a patient, an expandable distal-end assembly, and one or more electrodes. The expandable distal-end assembly is coupled to the shaft and to an apex of the catheter, and includes multiple splines. In at least a given spline among the multiple splines, at least sixty percent of a length of the given spline is non-insulated and is configured to make contact with tissue of the organ and to apply radiofrequency (RF) pulses to the tissue. The one or more electrodes are coupled to at least one of (i) an insulated section of one or more of the splines, and (ii) the apex, and, when placed in contact with the tissue, the one or more electrodes are configured to sense electrical signals in the tissue.

Abstract: A system includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to receive a lesion parameter indicative of a specification of a lesion intended to be formed in tissue of an organ using at least one of first and second ablation modes intended to be applied sequentially to multiple sections of the tissue. The processor is configured to (i) select, for the first and second ablation modes, first and second sets of parameters, respectively, that when applied to the tissue, form the lesion having the lesion parameter, (ii) detect, for a section selected among the multiple sections, whether the first or second ablation mode has been selected, and (iii) control a catheter having at least an ablation electrode, to apply to the section ablation signals that are based on the selected ablation mode and are corresponding to the first or second ablation modes.

Abstract: In one exemplary mode, a phacoemulsification system includes a phacoemulsification probe, an irrigation tube to provide irrigation fluid into an eye, an irrigation pump to pump irrigation fluid into the eye, an aspiration tube convey aspiration fluid from the eye, an aspiration pump to pump the aspiration fluid from the eye, a sensor to provide a signal indicative of current intraocular pressure in the eye, and a pump controller to receive the signal provided by the sensor, compute a value of intraocular pressure at a future time responsively to the provided signal and an indicator of change in the intraocular pressure over time, and control the irrigation pump to adjust a flow rate of the irrigation fluid to maintain the intraocular pressure at a given intraocular pressure responsively to the computed value of the intraocular pressure at the future time.

Abstract: Fast recovery electrocardiogram (ECG) signal method and apparatus are provided. In one embodiment, an ECG apparatus includes an input for receiving a biometric cardiogram signal, such as a Wilson Central Terminal (WCT) signal, and a combiner, such as an adder, for producing a compensated signal. Processing circuitry produces an ECG reflective of the compensated signal and also outputs a signal corresponding to high frequency response of the compensated signal to compensate for low response of the biometric cardiogram signal to high frequency spikes. A resultant ECG is produced by the processing circuitry having pacing signal contribution within the biometric cardiogram signal cancelled.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification system, method and computer program product, the system comprising: a phacoemulsification probe having a needle at its distal end, the needle configured to be inserted into an eye of a patient, the probe comprising an ultrasonic transducer; a signal generator, meter, and impedance determination module for determining an impedance between a tip of the needle and an electrode attached to the patient; and a processor, configured to repeatedly: obtain the impedance from the impedance detector; subject to the impedance complying with a condition and the ultrasonic transducer being inactive, toggling the ultrasonic transducer to transmit ultrasonic waves; and subject to the impedance not complying with a condition and the ultrasonic transducer being active, toggling the ultrasonic transducer to stop transmitting ultrasonic waves.