Abstract: A medical procedure system, including a medical instrument to be inserted into a body part, and including position-tracking transducers to provide position signals, a distal end, and at least one radiopaque marker, a position tracking sub-system to compute a position including at least one location and orientation of the distal end in a position-tracking sub-system coordinate frame responsively to the position signals, a fluoroscope to capture fluoroscopic images of an interior of the body part and the radiopaque marker(s), and a registration sub-system to render, to a display, the captured fluoroscopic images including at least one marker-image of the radiopaque marker(s), and at least one graphical representation indicative of the computed position of the distal end, receive user-alignment input aligning the graphical representation(s) with the marker-image(s), and register the position-tracking sub-system coordinate frame with a coordinate frame of the fluoroscope responsively to the received user-alignmen

Abstract: A catheter includes an insertion tube, a flexible substrate and one or more electrical devices. The insertion tube is configured for insertion into a patient body. The flexible substrate is configured to wrap around a distal end of the insertion tube and includes electrical interconnections. The electrical devices are coupled to the flexible substrate and are connected to the electrical interconnections.

Abstract: A ventilator system for a patient includes: an intubation tube configured to flow oxygen-enriched humidified air (OHA) toward patient lungs and to evacuate exhaust air exhaled from the lungs, the intubation tube includes: a distal end, configured to be inserted into patient trachea, and a proximal end, configured to be connected to tubes for receiving the OHA and evacuating the exhaust air; a first microgravity sensor, coupled to the intubation tube at a first position, and configured to produce a first signal indicative of a first micro-acceleration of the intubation tube at the first position; a second microgravity sensor, coupled to the intubation tube at a second different position, and configured to produce a second signal indicative of a second micro-acceleration of the intubation tube at the second position; and a processor, configured to control the ventilation system to apply a ventilation scheme responsively to the first and second signals.

Abstract: An apparatus may be used with an elongate member that includes an engagement member, a hollow shaft, a compression member, a compression element, and a resilient gripping member. The hollow shaft extends from the engagement member along a longitudinal axis. The compression member is slidably disposed over the hollow shaft. The hollow shaft is disposed over the resilient gripping member and supports the compression element. The compression member has a conical inner surface including a detent feature. The conical inner surface is configured to urge the compression element radially inwards as the collar advances from the unlocked position toward the locked position where the detent feature retains the compression element. The compression element deforms the resilient gripping member radially inwards to grip the elongate member and prevents translation of the elongate member. When unlocked, the resilient gripping member moves radially away from the elongate member allowing translation.

Abstract: An apparatus, including a pump body having an internal shaft, and a piston disposed within the shaft and having a piston head that includes a first ferromagnetic element. The apparatus also includes a motor coupled to drive a reciprocal longitudinal motion of the piston within the shaft, and a pump chamber configured to be removably attached to the pump body and having a rigid wall defining a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and an aperture. The apparatus additionally includes a flexible diaphragm fixed across the aperture and having a second ferromagnetic element, which engages the first ferromagnetic element when the pump chamber is attached to the pump body so that the reciprocal longitudinal motion of the piston causes alternating stretching and contraction of the flexible diaphragm, thereby modifying a volume of the pump chamber.

Abstract: A medical procedure system, including a medical instrument to be inserted into a body part, and including position-tracking transducers to provide position signals, a distal end, and at least one radiopaque marker, a position tracking sub-system to compute a position including at least one location and orientation of the distal end in a position-tracking sub-system coordinate frame responsively to the position signals, a fluoroscope to capture fluoroscopic images of an interior of the body part and the radiopaque marker(s), and a registration sub-system to render, to a display, the captured fluoroscopic images including at least one marker-image of the radiopaque marker(s), and at least one graphical representation indicative of the computed position of the distal end, receive user-alignment input aligning the graphical representation(s) with the marker-image(s), and register the position-tracking sub-system coordinate frame with a coordinate frame of the fluoroscope responsively to the received user-alignmen

Abstract: A system (11) includes a medical probe (36) for insertion into a cavity of an organ, which includes a position and direction sensor (60) and a camera (45), both operating in a sensor coordinate system (62). The system further includes a processor (44) configured to: receive, from an imaging system (21) operating in an image coordinate system (28), a three-dimensional image of the cavity including open space and tissue; receive, from the medical probe, signals indicating positions and respective directions of the medical probe inside the cavity; receive, from the camera, respective visualized locations inside the cavity; register the image coordinate system with the sensor coordinate system so as to identify one or more voxels in the image at the visualized locations, and when the identified voxels have density values in the received image that do not correspond to the open space, to update the density values of the identified voxels to correspond to the open space.

Abstract: An ENT tool has a tool chassis having a chassis channel and a tool chassis distal end. A tubular probe is dimensioned to be inserted into a human patient orifice, the probe is rotatable about a probe axis of symmetry, and the probe has a probe proximal end rotatingly connected to the tool chassis distal end. A balloon insertion mechanism is slidingly located within the chassis channel, and is configured to fixedly accept a balloon sinuplasty mechanism penetrating the tubular probe. A guidewire adjustment section is fixedly attached to the balloon insertion mechanism, and the section has a rotatable enclosure. A plurality of rollers are disposed within the enclosure and are configured so that on rotation of the enclosure the rollers grip and rotate a guidewire positioned between the rollers, and, absent rotation of the enclosure, release the guidewire and permit distal and proximal translation of the guidewire.

Abstract: A medical tool includes, a deflectable distal end, at least a pull wire, and a deflection assembly. The at least pull wire having a first end coupled to the distal end of the medical tool and configured to be moved for deflecting the distal end. The deflection assembly is coupled to a second end of at least the pull wire and is configured to control a deflection of the distal end. The deflection assembly includes a first gear having a first rotation axis, and a second gear, having a second rotation axis and including a jagged surface for integrating with the first gear. The jagged surface is slanted relative to the second rotation axis, and when the first gear rotates, the second gear is configured to be rotated by the first gear, to move along the second rotation axis and to deflect the distal end by moving the pull wire.

Abstract: A medical tool includes, a deflectable distal end, at least a pull wire, and a coupling element. The at least pull wire has a first end coupled to the distal end of the medical tool, and configured to be moved for deflecting the distal end. The coupling element is coupled to a second end of the pull wire and having at least two boreholes configured to receive at least two respective rods traversing therethrough. The coupling element is configured to be moved along a rotation axis of a rotatable element coupled thereto, and the boreholes and the respective rods are configured to prevent rotation of the coupling element.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a fluid dynamics system includes a solenoid valve including a valve body, which includes a valve cavity having a direction of elongation, a first channel, and a second channel, a solenoid coil disposed in the valve body around the valve cavity, and a plunger comprising a magnetic element and configured to move back-and-forth along the direction of elongation between a first position and a second position in the valve cavity, selectively opening the first channel and closing the second channel when the plunger is in the first position, and closing the first channel and opening the second channel when the plunger is in the second position, and a controller configured to control the solenoid coil to selectively move the plunger between the first position and the second position, and to selectively maintain the plunger in the first position and the second position.

Abstract: In one example, a phacoemulsification system includes a phacoemulsification probe including a distal end comprising a needle, and a piezoelectric crystal configured to vibrate the needle so as to emulsify a lens of an eye, an irrigation reservoir configured to store irrigation fluid, an irrigation line extending from the irrigation reservoir to the distal end of phacoemulsification probe, a pumping sub-system configured to pump the irrigation fluid from the irrigation reservoir to the distal end of the phacoemulsification probe via the irrigation line, and a pressure damping insert disposed in the irrigation line between the pumping sub-system and the distal end, and comprising multiple paths therethrough configured to divide a flow of the irrigation fluid entering the pressure damping insert in order to dampen pressure elevations in the irrigation fluid exiting the pumping sub-system.

Abstract: A set of pre-operative images may be captured of an anatomical structure using an endoscopic camera. Each captured image is associated with a position and orientation of the camera at the moment of capture using image guided surgery (IGS) techniques. This image data and position data may be used to create a navigation map of captured images. During a surgical procedure on the anatomical structure, a real-time endoscopic view may be captured and displayed to a surgeon. The IGS navigation system may determine the position and orientation of the real-time image; and select an appropriate pre-operative image from the navigation map to display to the surgeon in addition to the real-time image.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a base, including two motors and a mechanical coupling mechanism, and a cartridge shaped to define two stators and respective pairs of ports in fluidic communication with the stators. The cartridge is removably insertable into the base and includes two rotors disposed, respectively, within the stators. The mechanical coupling mechanism is configured to mechanically couple the rotors to the motors, respectively, such that, following insertion of the cartridge into the base, the motors rotate the rotors, thereby pumping fluid through the pairs of ports. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus for mechanically coupling a motor to a rotor includes an outer ring including an inner surface shaped to define multiple recesses, an inner ring disposed within the outer ring and shaped to define multiple compartments having respective outer openings, which face the outer ring, and respective inner openings opposite the outer openings, and multiple gripping elements disposed within the compartments, respectively. The inner ring is configured to receive the rotor while the compartments are aligned with the of recesses, by virtue of the gripping elements sitting at least partially within the recesses. The outer ring is configured to couple with a shaft coupled with the motor such that rotation of the shaft by the motor causes the compartments to become misaligned with the recesses, thereby causing the outer ring to push the gripping elements, through the outer openings, against the rotor, through the inner openings.

Abstract: An apparatus for use with a cartridge having an outer surface shaped to define a ridge includes a rigid piece of material configured to lock the cartridge in place by resting against the ridge, a button, configured to move the rigid piece of material from the cartridge, thereby unlocking the cartridge, upon a pushing of the button, one or more motors, and a mechanical coupling mechanism, configured to mechanically couple the motors to the cartridge while the cartridge is locked in place. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a fluid dynamics system includes a solenoid valve including a valve body including ports including an inlet port and an outlet port, and a valve cavity having a direction of elongation and configured to provide fluid connectivity between respective ones of the ports, a solenoid coil disposed in the valve body around valve cavity, and a plunger comprising a permanent magnet, and configured to move back-and-forth along the direction of elongation between a first position and a second position in the valve cavity selectively controlling the fluid connectivity between respective ones of the ports, and a controller configured to apply at least one current to the solenoid coil to selectively move the plunger between the first position and the second position, and to selectively maintain the plunger in the first position and the second position.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification simulation apparatus includes a trigger device, at least two sensors, and a processor. The trigger device configured to apply, to fluid at an inlet of a needle of a phacoemulsifier, a pressure profile as a function of time in response to an input waveform. The at least two sensors are configured to measure a pressure of the fluid at respective points in the phacoemulsification simulation apparatus. The processor is configured to (a) drive the trigger device with the input waveform, thereby causing the trigger device to apply the pressure profile to the inlet while the fluid is aspirated via an aspiration line, (b) receive measurements of the pressure of the fluid from the at least two sensors, and (c) analyze an aspiration performance of the phacoemulsifier in response to the measurements.

Abstract: A medical probe includes a probe body shaped to define a distal section of a fluid channel, a cartridge, which is shaped to define a proximal section of the fluid channel and comprises a valve configured to regulate flow of a fluid through the proximal section of the fluid channel, and a clip configured to reversibly couple the cartridge with the probe body by sliding over the probe body and the cartridge while the cartridge contacts the probe body such that the proximal section of the fluid channel is in fluidic communication with the distal section of the fluid channel. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A system includes (i) a solenoid valve, positioned between a handle of a probe, and an aspiration line coupled with the handle for aspirating fluids from the probe, the solenoid valve includes at least a solenoid coil and a plunger movable by the solenoid coil, (ii) a sensor, positioned between the handle and the aspiration line and configured to produce a signal indicative of a fluid metric in the aspiration line, and (iii) a controller, configured to identify, based on the signal, a vacuum surge in the aspiration line, and, in response to identifying the vacuum surge, to apply at least one current to the solenoid coil to selectively move the plunger between a first position and a second position, and to selectively maintain the plunger in the first position and the second position.