Abstract: In one embodiment, a phacoemulsification system includes a phacoemulsification probe including a distal end including a needle, an irrigation channel to convey irrigation fluid to the distal end, an aspiration channel to convey eye fluid and waste matter away from the distal end, wherein the aspiration channel includes a first and second section, a valve including an inlet and outlet port, the first section of the aspiration channel being coupled with the inlet port and the distal end, the second section of the aspiration channel being coupled with the outlet port, the valve being configured to selectively control fluid connectivity in the aspiration channel between the inlet port and the outlet port, and a bypass channel coupled with the irrigation channel and the second section of the aspiration channel to allow a portion of the irrigation fluid in the irrigation channel to enter the second section of the aspiration channel.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a schlieren imaging assembly and a processor. The schlieren imaging assembly includes one or more two-dimensional (2D) schlieren imaging systems and is configured to acquire two-dimensional (2D) schlieren images of turbulence occurring in fluid media from a plurality of viewing angles. The processor is configured to produce, from the 2D schlieren images, a time-series of three-dimensional (3D) schlieren images corresponding to respective time instances.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification apparatus includes a phacoemulsification probe, an electromechanical valve, and an electromechanical mechanism. The probe having a fluid channel for exchanging fluid with a patient's eye. The electromechanical valve is coupled with the fluid channel and is configured to regulate a fluid flow through the fluid channel. The valve including a cylinder, a piston inside the cylinder, wherein the piston divides the cylinder into a first cavity that is in fluid communication with the fluid channel, and a second cavity, and one or more fluid communication links, which are formed between the first and second cavities. The piston is configured to move inside the cylinder to regulate the flow of the fluid, and the one or more fluid communication links are configured to allow the fluid to flow between the first and second cavities during motion of the piston. The electromechanical mechanism is configured to move the piston.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification system includes a phacoemulsification probe, an irrigation pump, an aspiration pump, circuitry, and a processor. The probe includes a piezoelectric crystal configured to vibrate at a mechanical resonance frequency of the crystal; a needle configured for insertion into an eye and be vibrated by the crystal to emulsify a lens of the eye; an irrigation channel for receiving irrigation fluid from an irrigation line and flowing the irrigation fluid into the lens capsule; and an aspiration channel for removing material from the lens capsule and evacuating the removed material to an aspiration line. The irrigation and aspiration pumps are coupled with the irrigation and the aspiration line, respectively. The circuitry is configured to measure electrical impedance of the crystal. The processor is configured to receive the measured electrical impedance, and to control an operation of the irrigation pump and the aspiration pump according to the measured electrical impedance.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical device includes an instrument including a distal end configured for inserting into a body part, and a position sensor comprising a flexible printed circuit, which comprises alternating conductive and dielectric layers and is wrapped around the distal end of the instrument, the conductive layers including at least one inner layer, which is patterned with traces forming a coil, and multiple outer layers overlying the at least one inner layer and configured for connection to an electrical ground so as to shield the coil from electromagnetic interference.

Abstract: A medical probe includes a shaft for insertion into a cavity of a patient body, and a distal-end assembly. The distal-end assembly is coupled to a distal end of the shaft and includes a hollow tube having (i) a first opening, located at a first section along a longitudinal axis of the hollow tube, and having a first size that limits bending of the first section by a first local radius of curvature (LROC), and (ii) a second opening, located at a second different section along the longitudinal axis of the hollow tube, and having a second different size that limits bending of the second section by a second different LROC.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification system includes a phacoemulsification probe and a sensing assembly. The phacoemulsification probe includes: (i) a needle, which is configured to be inserted into a lens capsule of an eye and to be vibrated to emulsify a lens of the eye, (ii) an irrigation channel, configured for flowing irrigation fluid into the lens capsule, and (iii) an aspiration channel, configured for removing at least eye fluid from the lens capsule. The sensing assembly is coupled with a proximal end of the phacoemulsification probe and is configured to sense a pressure of at least one of the irrigation fluid and the eye fluid.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a catheter introducer for compressing a distal end assembly of a catheter for insertion into a sheath includes a compression conduit having a truncated conical-form cavity, and including a distal and proximal opening, the proximal opening being configured to receive the distal end assembly, the cavity tapering from the proximal to the distal opening so that successive portions of the distal end assembly are compressed as the catheter is advanced distally, a distal connector connected to the distal opening, and configured to be reversibly coupled to the sheath and provide passage for the compressed portions of the distal end assembly into the sheath, and a proximal retainer disposed adjacent to the proximal opening and including opposing surfaces to at least partially prevent compression of portions of the distal end assembly while more distally disposed portions of the distal end assembly are compressed in the compression conduit.

Abstract: A flexible probe has an assembly in its distal end that includes a transmitter and a receiver that receives signals from the transmitter for sensing a position of the receiver relative to the transmitter. A resilient element disposed between the transmitter and the receiver is configured to deform in response to pressure exerted on the distal tip when the distal tip engages a wall of a body cavity.

Abstract: A flexible probe has an assembly in its distal end that includes a nitinol spring disposed in the distal end. The nitinol spring is configured to deform in response to pressure exerted on the distal tip when the distal tip engages a wall of the body cavity. The assembly also includes within the nitinol spring, a transmitter, receiver and single coil between the transmitter and receiver. The receiver is configured to receive signals from the transmitter for sensing a position of the receiver relative to the transmitter. The single coil spring is configured to deform commensurate with the nitinol spring in response to pressure exerted on the distal tip when the distal tip engages a wall of the body cavity and reduce the distance between the transmitter and the receiver as the nitinol spring and single coil spring deform.

Abstract: A flexible probe has an assembly in its distal end that includes a compressible spring, the compressible spring arranged in a helix having flat surfaces with at least one leg at each end of the spring. The compressible spring is configured to deform in response to a compressive force acting against the legs at the ends of the spring from pressure exerted on the distal tip when engaging a wall of the body cavity. The compressible spring further includes at least one flexible transmitter coil disposed on the flat surface at one end of the spring and at least one flexible receiver coil on the flat surface at the other end of the spring. The at least one of flexible receiver coil is configured to receive signals from the at least one flexible transmitter coil for sensing a position of the coils relative to each other.

Abstract: A flexible probe has an assembly in its distal end. The assembly has a distal side and a proximal side. The assembly includes first and second flat spring coils having internal edges that mate with first and second retainers, respectively. The first and second flat coils are disposed in the probe distal end proximal to the electrode and separated by a spacer. The first and second flat coils are configured to deform in response to pressure exerted on the distal tip when the tip engages a wall of the body cavity. A transmitter is disposed on one of the distal side or the proximal side of the assembly and a receiver is disposed on the opposite side. The receiver is configured to receive signals from the transmitter for sensing a position of the receiver relative to the transmitter.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a phacoemulsification system includes a phacoemulsification probe configured to be inserted into an eye, an ophthalmic curette, including a handle, a tube having a proximal end connected to a distal end of the handle, and having a distal tip configured to be inserted into the eye, an irrigation channel extending from the proximal end to the distal tip of the tube, and a pressure sensor disposed at the distal tip of the tube, and configured to be inserted into the eye and provide a signal responsively to intraocular pressure inside the eye, and comprising a sensing surface, and an irrigation-aspiration sub-system coupled with the irrigation channel and configured to convey irrigation fluid along the irrigation channel, and wherein the irrigation channel is shaped, and positioned with respect to the pressure sensor, to direct a flow of the irrigation fluid over the sensing surface of the pressure sensor.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a calibration apparatus includes a jig body, a camera, an elongated strip which is deflectable and resilient, a lower groove which is disposed in the jig body, and is configured to receive and grasp the camera therein, an upper groove, which is disposed in the jig body above the lower groove, and is configured to receive and grasp the elongated strip therein so as to position the elongated strip above, and in a fixed relation to, the camera, the upper groove being wider than the lower groove, and an alignment element, which is disposed in the jig body, and is configured to align an end of the camera with an end of the elongated strip.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification system includes a phacoemulsification probe and a processor. The phacoemulsification probe includes (a) a needle configured for insertion into a lens capsule of an eye, and to be vibrated to emulsify a lens of the eye, (b) an irrigation channel for flowing irrigation fluid into the lens capsule, (c) an aspiration channel for removing material from the lens capsule, (d) a bypass channel fluidly coupled with the irrigation channel and with the aspiration channel, (e) a processor-controlled valve configured to control a level of fluid communication between the irrigation channel and the aspiration channel via the bypass channel, and (f) one or more sensors configured to measure fluid pressure at a distal portion of one or both of the irrigation channel and the aspiration channel. The processor is configured to adaptively adjust the valve based on the fluid pressure measured by the one or more sensors.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an ophthalmic curette device includes a handle having a distal end, a tube having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the handle, and having a distal end, and configured to be inserted through a cataract incision into a chamber of an eye of a living subject, and a pressure sensor disposed inside the tube at the distal end of the tube, and configured to provide a signal responsively to pressure inside the chamber of the eye.

Abstract: A medical probe includes a shaft for insertion into a cavity of a patient body, and a distal-end assembly. The distal-end assembly is coupled to a distal end of the shaft and includes a hollow tube having (i) a first opening, located at a first section along a longitudinal axis of the hollow tube, and having a first size that limits bending of the first section by a first local radius of curvature (LROC), and (ii) a second opening, located at a second different section along the longitudinal axis of the hollow tube, and having a second different size that limits bending of the second section by a second different LROC.

Abstract: A manipulator, including an elongated chassis containing a U-shaped channel defining a distal direction and a proximal direction. The manipulator also includes an adjuster that is configured to slide in the U-shaped channel. The adjuster includes a first wheel which on rotation translates a guidewire positioned in the adjuster along an axis of the guidewire, and a second wheel which on rotation rotates the guidewire positioned in the adjuster about the axis of the guidewire. The adjuster also includes a port, distal to the first and the second wheel, that is configured to accept a tubular balloon and the guidewire.

Abstract: A method for producing a guidewire, the method includes producing a position sensor by providing a shaft-section having a solid profile, which is sized and shaped to move in an anatomical material transportation system. A wire is wound around an axis of the shaft-section and first and second ends of the wire are coupled to respective first and second locations on an outer surface of the shaft-section. A guidewire-shaft is provided, and the position sensor is coupled to a distal end of the guidewire-shaft.

Abstract: A jig includes a base and one or more movable blocks. The base has an upper surface, which is configured to receive a substrate shaped as a flattened polyhedron having multiple facets. The one or more movable blocks are configured to move on the base so as to fold respective ones of the multiple facets, and to hold the substrate in a folded three-dimensional configuration.