Abstract: A lithotripsy device can comprise a handpiece, a lithotripsy probe extending from the handpiece, an energization source configured to deliver an energy to a distal end of the lithotripsy probe, a suction passage extending from the distal end of the probe and through the handpiece, and a capture device comprising a container comprising a storage space, an entry port configured to couple to the handpiece at the suction passage, and an exit port, and a capture element connected to the container and configured to facilitate capture of stone fragments within the storage space. A method can comprise fragmenting stones with a lithotripsy device, drawing a vacuum through the lithotripsy device to pull stone fragments and waste fluid therethrough, pulling the vacuum through a stone capture device connected to the lithotripsy device, depositing stone fragments within the stone capture device using a capture element, and drawing the vacuum through the device.

Abstract: A lithotripter is provided for fragmenting a stone inside a patient's body. In one form, the lithotripter includes a motor having at least two modes of operation and is configured to produce first and second waveforms. A wave guide shaft is configured to transmit the first and second waveforms to the stone. In one form, at least one of the first and second waveforms is provided to the stone at a frequency that is about equal to a natural frequency of the stone. In a variation, the lithotripter may include an ultrasonic driver configured to produce an ultrasonic frequency waveform and a sonic driver configured to produce a sonic frequency waveform. The sonic driver is mechanically coupled to the ultrasonic driver. The ultrasonic driver and the sonic driver may be disposed within a driver housing. In another variation, the lithotripter may include a brushless DC motor.

Abstract: A medical apparatus including an endoscopic tool including first and second members longitudinally slidable relative to each other; and a control connected to a proximal end of the endoscopic tool. The control includes a housing and an actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism is longitudinally slidably connected to the housing. The actuation mechanism has the first member and/or the second member connected thereto. The housing includes a connector configured to removably connect the housing to a control section of an endoscope.

Abstract: An electrosurgical device comprising: a) two or more functional states; b) a selector assembly that moves between at least a first position and a second position, the selector assembly including: i) one or more shuttles; ii) one or more buttons; iii) one or more circuit boards with one or more switches; and iv) one or more indicators; wherein the selector assembly in the first position is configured to provide a first one of the two or more functional states, and in the second position is configured to provide a second one of the two or more functional states; and wherein the one or more indicators communicates a first color, corresponding to the first functional state, and communicates a second color corresponding to the second functional state.

Abstract: A system to deliver energy to treat a mobile calculus, the system can include a drill and a lateral energy emitter. The drill can be configured to drill a recess into the mobile calculus or a passage through the mobile calculus. The lateral energy emitter can be configured to be advanced into the recess or the passage and to transmit the energy internal to the mobile calculus to fragment the mobile calculus. In some examples, the system can include a deployable capture portion to constrain a stone relative to the capture portion.

Abstract: A surgical device comprising: a closure assembly including: (a) a latch unit comprising: (A) a hook latch, having a home position, (B) a forward bias constraint, (C) a rearward bias constraint, and (D) a bias member extending between the forward bias constraint and the rearward bias constraint so that the bias member has a pre-load when the hook latch is in the home position; (b) a movement unit including a bar that is movable relative to the latch unit so that the bar is movable in a prescribed motion into contact with the latch unit to create a locked state; and wherein the bar moves into contact with the hook latch driving the hook latch in a first direction, away relative to the home position, and then the hook latch is moved by the bar in a second direction relative to the home position, and a loading of the bias member is increased from the pre-load when the hook latch is moved in either the first direction away from the home position or the second direction away from the home position.

Abstract: An instrument including a first arm, a second arm, and a blade. The first arm includes a lumen in communication with a source of irrigation fluid and one or more outlets in communication with the lumen for delivering the irrigation fluid to a surgical site. The instrument is switchable between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the instrument is configured to deliver a first therapy current through a distal end of the first arm, a distal end of the second arm, or both. In the second configuration, a distal end of the blade extends beyond the distal end of the first arm and beyond the distal end of the second arm.

Abstract: Provided is a ureteral stent comprising certain amount of ethylene-vinyl acetate polymer and a certain amount of an additive selected from barium sulfate, bismuth subcarbonate, bismuth oxychloride, a polyolefin elastomer, a thermoplastics elastomer, and a mixture thereof. The provided stent may have multiple layers such as inner layer and outer layer with each layer having different elastic modulus. Also provided is a method of making the aforementioned ureteral stent and a method of using the ureteral stent in treating kidney or bladder related diseases.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for endoscopic mapping of a target and tracking of endoscope locations inside a subject's body during a procedure are disclosed. An exemplary system comprises an imaging system configured to capture an endoscopic image of the target that includes a footprint of an aiming beam directed at the target, and a video processor configured to identifying one or more landmarks from the captured endoscopic image and determine their respective locations relative to the aiming beam footprint, and generate a target map by integrating a plurality of endoscopic images based on landmarks identified from one or more of the plurality of endoscopic images. The target map can be used to track endoscope location during an endoscopic procedure.

Abstract: Surgical tool can include an outer shaft, a guide, an end effector, and a drive shaft. The outer shaft can extend along a longitudinal axis. The guide can be connected to the outer shaft. The end effector can include a first jaw connected to the outer shaft distal of the guide and a second jaw pivotably connected to the outer shaft distal of the guide. The drive shaft can be located within the outer shaft and can extend along the longitudinal axis. The drive shaft can be connected to the end effector and the drive shaft can be engageable with the guide to limit movement of the drive shaft with respect to the outer shaft in a direction not parallel with the guide. The drive shaft can be translatable along the outer shaft to operate the end effector.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to controlling electrical power of an electrotherapeutic signal that is provided to a biological tissue engaged by an electrosurgical instrument during a medical procedure. Electrical power—a product of a voltage difference across and an electrical current conducted by the engaged biological tissue—is controlled according to a therapeutic schedule. The electrotherapeutic schedule can be reduced or terminated in response to a termination criterion being met. In some examples, the termination criterion is a current characteristic, such as, for example, a decrease in current conducted by the engaged biological tissue. In some examples, the termination criterion is a biological tissue resistance characteristic, such as, for example, an increase in the biological tissue resistance that exceeds a predetermined delta resistance value.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for providing an atraumatic sheath tip. Various disclosed embodiments seek to help reduce or avoid unnecessary tissue damage upon a sheath being extended to convey an elongated instrument for sampling or treatment. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a deformable sheath tip configured to be positioned at a distal end of a sheath. The sheath defines therein a lumen configured to convey an elongated instrument. The sheath tip has a base end disposable at the distal end of the sheath and a contact end. The sheath tip has a first column strength along an axis of the sheath tip that is less than a second column strength of the sheath and a first degree of deformability that is greater than a second degree of deformability of the sheath.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for guiding a rotatable actuator along a helical path with a varied pitch to motivate an attached implement. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes an elongated implement movable along an axis and a rotatable actuator operably coupled with a proximal end of the implement to motivate the implement to move along the axis in response to rotation of the rotatable actuator. A guide is operably coupled with rotatable actuator, where the guide defines a generally helical channel around the axis to direct movement of a rotatable actuator, and wherein a pitch of the helical channel is varied to reduce a distance of travel of the actuator along the axis per unit of rotation of the actuator.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to controlling electrical power of an electrotherapeutic signal that is provided to a biological tissue engaged by an electrosurgical instrument during a medical procedure. Electrical power—a product of a voltage difference across and an electrical current conducted by the engaged biological tissue—is controlled according to a therapeutic schedule. The electrotherapeutic schedule can be reduced or terminated in response to a termination criterion being met. In some examples, the termination criterion is a current characteristic, such as, for example, a decrease in current conducted by the engaged biological tissue. In some examples, the termination criterion is a biological tissue resistance characteristic, such as, for example, an increase in the biological tissue resistance that exceeds a predetermined delta resistance value.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for positioning electrodes within a body. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus for slidably moving multiple features relative to a sheath inserted into a body and positioned relative to a reference point includes a primary actuator configured to move a primary electrode, a secondary actuator configured to move a secondary electrode, and a control mechanism. The control mechanism is configured to selectively prevent movement of at least one of the primary actuator based on a position of the secondary actuator and of the secondary actuator based on a position of the primary actuator and lock positions of the primary actuator and the secondary actuator.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to controlling electrical power of an electrotherapeutic signal that is provided to a biological tissue engaged by an electrosurgical instrument during a medical procedure. Electrical power—a product of a voltage difference across and an electrical current conducted by the engaged biological tissue—is controlled according to a therapeutic schedule. The electrotherapeutic schedule can be reduced or terminated in response to a termination criterion being met. In some examples, the termination criterion is a current characteristic, such as, for example, a decrease in current conducted by the engaged biological tissue. In some examples, the termination criterion is a biological tissue resistance characteristic, such as, for example, an increase in the biological tissue resistance that exceeds a predetermined delta resistance value.

Abstract: A laser lithotripsy system to deliver laser energy from one or more laser sources to a stone (e.g., mobile calculus), the system including a capture portion, a first laser node and a second laser node. The capture portion configured to be movable from a stored state to a deployed state. In the deployed state, the capture portion is configured to at least partially surround the stone. The first laser node and the second laser node are coupled to the capture portion and are configured to deliver the laser energy to the stone, and the first laser node is spaced apart from the second laser node.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to controlling electrical power of an electrotherapeutic signal that is provided to a biological tissue engaged by an electrosurgical instrument during a medical procedure. Electrical power—a product of a voltage difference across and an electrical current conducted by the engaged biological tissue—is controlled according to a therapeutic schedule. The electrotherapeutic schedule can be reduced or terminated in response to a termination criterion being met. In some examples, the termination criterion is a current characteristic, such as, for example, a decrease in current conducted by the engaged biological tissue. In some examples, the termination criterion is a biological tissue resistance characteristic, such as, for example, an increase in the biological tissue resistance that exceeds a predetermined delta resistance value.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for positioning electrodes within a body. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus for slidably moving multiple features relative to a sheath insertable into a body and positionable relative to a reference point includes a primary actuator configured to move a primary electrode to a first position. A secondary actuator is configured to move a secondary electrode to a second position. A shrouding device is configured to selectively prevent access to the secondary actuator until the primary actuator has been manipulated to extend the primary electrode to the first position.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for facilitating surgical anastomosis between bodily passages. In an illustrative embodiment, an eversion mechanism is configured to partially evert a distal portion of an opening of a receiving passage and further configured to leave a proximal portion of the opening of the receiving passage in a non-everted position. A donor support mechanism is configured to partially evert a distal portion of an opening at an end of a donor passage and further configured to leave a first proximal portion of the end of the donor passage in a non-everted position. The donor support mechanism is further configured to form a passage juncture at the end of the donor passage and the opening of the receiving passage. A suturing mechanism is configured to motivate a filament through a generally helical path around the passage juncture to suture the donor passage to the receiving passage.