Abstract: An apparatus for obtaining an anti-tumour immunologic response by thermotherapy of a treatment lesion covering at least a portion of a tumour is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a heating probe comprising an optical fiber and a cooling catheter. The optical fiber is inserted in the cooling catheter. Further the heating probe has a light emitting area, and the heating probe is interstitially insertable into the tumour of the treatment lesion. The heat probe is internally cooled by a fluid circulating in said catheter. The apparatus further comprises a first thermal sensor member having at least one sensor area. The first thermal sensor member is positionable at a distance from said boundary. The apparatus also comprises a control unit for controlling a power output of said light source based on a measured first temperature.

Abstract: Co-manipulation robotic systems are described herein that may be used for assisting with laparoscopic surgical procedures. The co-manipulation robotic systems allow a surgeon to use commercially-available surgical tools while providing benefits associated with surgical robotics. Advantageously, the surgical tools may be seamlessly coupled to the robot arms using a disposable coupler while the reusable portions of the robot arm remain in a sterile drape. Further, the co-manipulation robotic system may operate in multiple modes to enhance usability and safety, while allowing the surgeon to position the instrument directly with the instrument handle and further maintain the desired position of the instrument using the robot arm.

Abstract: A wearable garment may have a flexible material configured to wrap around a portion of a user's body. The flexible material may have an interior surface configured to contact the user's body and an opposite exterior surface. The garment may further have a first electrode positioned at the interior surface and configured to contact a targeted part of the user's body and a second electrode positioned at the interior surface and configured to contact a targeted part of the user's body. The garment may also have a first electrode connector positioned at the exterior surface and operably connected to the first electrode and a second electrode connector positioned at the exterior surface and operably connected to the second electrode. The first and second electrodes are configured to deliver a therapeutic signal from an electrotherapeutic device via the first and second electrode connectors.

Abstract: A surgical robotic system is disclosed to include an operating table, a plurality of robotic arms and surgical instruments, a user console, and a control tower. The plurality of robotic arms are mounted on the operating table and can be stowed folded under the table for storage. The user console has one or more user interface devices, which function as master devices to control the plurality of surgical instruments.

Abstract: A system and method for transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMLR) in patients in need thereof, such as patients suffering from coronary artery disease. The system includes a Laser unit, an Electrocardiogram (EKG) unit, Vectorcardiography (VCG) unit, an Echocardiography unit, a spectrum Infrared sensor unit, and a control unit. The control unit can receive investigational data from different units and use the same to optimize the laser parameters. The Control unit can further include an AI module that can further analyze patient-related data, such as age and medical condition to further optimize the laser parameters. The laser unit can operate based on the optimized parameters to prevent unnecessary damage to the heart and allow maintaining the patency of the channels made by the laser for a longer duration.

Abstract: A surgical system includes: a tool manipulator having a tool manipulator arm and a surgical tool; a console having a handling tool configured to receive a tool movement input of a surgeon for the surgical tool, the console being configured to transmit a tool movement command generated based on the tool movement input, the tool movement input including a translation amount and a rotation amount for the surgical tool; and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate an actual translation amount by multiplying the translation amount by a predetermined translation scale factor and move the surgical tool in accordance with the actual translation amount, and to calculate an actual rotation amount by multiplying the rotation amount by a predetermined rotation scale factor and move the surgical tool in accordance with the actual rotation amount. The translation scale factor and the rotation scale factor are different values.

Abstract: A catheter comprises an expandable spline structure defining a distal tip portion of the catheter. The spline structure comprises a plurality of individual splines, and each spline is configured to support a plurality of energy transfer elements and/or temperature sensors. An expandable balloon configured to be associated with the spline structure is unattached to the spline structure along its length.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a head-worn apparatus, comprising: a frame adapted to be mounted to a head of a user; a light emitting system positioned within the frame to provide light to an eye of the user; a sound system adapted to provide audio to the user; a haptic system positioned within the frame to provide haptic feedback to the user; and a processor adapted to control the lighting system, audio system and haptic system in a coordinated pattern of light, sound and haptics that causes a mental-health therapeutic stimulus provided to the user, whereby the user experiences an improvement in mental performance based on the coordinated pattern.

Abstract: Methods and systems for modifying tissue use a pressurized fluid stream carrying coherent light energy. The methods and systems may be used for resecting and debulking soft and hard biological tissues. The coherent light is focused within a stream of fluid to deliver energy to the tissue to be treated.

Abstract: The present application relates to the technical field of medical robots, and in particular, to a slave driving device of an interventional surgical robot and an elongated medical instrument delivery method. The slave driving device includes: a frame; a first driving mechanism, fixedly arranged on the frame to clamp one end of an elongated medical instrument to deliver the elongated medical instrument; and a second driving mechanism, movably arranged on the frame to clamp the other end of the elongated medical instrument to deliver the elongated medical instrument through movement on the frame. Since only the second driving mechanism is able to move on the frame, the overall size of the slave driving device is reduced by using a reasonable structural design, and the occupied space and the overall weight of the slave driving device are reduced, thereby facilitating the spatial layout of the surgical robot.

Abstract: Co-manipulation robotic systems are described herein that may be used for assisting with laparoscopic surgical procedures. The co-manipulation robotic systems allow a surgeon to use commercially-available surgical tools while providing benefits associated with surgical robotics. Advantageously, the surgical tools may be seamlessly coupled to the robot arms using a disposable coupler while the reusable portions of the robot arm remain in a sterile drape. Further, the co-manipulation robotic system may operate in multiple modes to enhance usability and safety, while allowing the surgeon to position the instrument directly with the instrument handle and further maintain the desired position of the instrument using the robot arm.

Abstract: Methods and systems for planning and forming incisions in a cornea, lens capsule, and/or crystalline lens nucleus are disclosed. A method includes measuring spatial dispositions, relative to a laser surgery system, of at least portions of the corneal anterior and posterior surfaces. A spatial disposition of an incision of the cornea is generated based at least in part on the measured corneal anterior and posterior spatial dispositions and at least one corneal incision parameter. A composite image is displayed that includes an image representative of the measured corneal anterior and posterior surfaces and an image representing the corneal incision.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for determining advancement of a surgical laser fiber in an endoscope and providing interlocking feedback for the surgical laser are disclosed. An exemplary method includes directing light from a distal end of an endoscope to a target, optically detecting an amount of the light reflected from the target, transmitting the optically detected amount of light through a laser fiber extending through a working channel of the endoscope, determining, based on the optically detected amount of light, a position of a distal end of the laser fiber relative to the distal end of the endoscope, and generating a control signal to the surgical laser system to adjust laser emission through the laser fiber.

Abstract: A system and method of treating a sleep disorder, including: detecting signals associated with at least one symptom or sign of the sleep disorder at one or more sensors; processing the signals to create a symbolic representation of the sleep disorder, wherein the symbolic representation indicates a relationship of the signals to the sleep disorder empirically and not based on physiologic mapping of the signals to the sleep disorder; and stimulating a region of a human body to alter the symbolic representation between detected signals and the sleep disorder, wherein the symbolic representation as altered indicates treatment of the sleep disorder.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system or simulator includes an input device, a display device, and a processing unit. The display device includes a representation of a surgical tool that is operably associated with the input device. The processing unit is in communication with the input device and is associated with the representation of a surgical tool to rotate the representation about a first axis of movement based on a scaled rotation of the input device about a first axis of rotation. In an aligned configuration, the input device is aligned with the representation about the first axis of rotation. When the input device is misaligned with the representation, the processing unit varies the scaled rotation of the input device to return the input device to the first aligned configuration until the input device is misaligned about the first axis of rotation a first predetermined offset from the aligned configuration.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for applying laser energy having desired pulse characteristics, including a sufficiently short duration and/or a sufficiently high energy for the photomechanical treatment of skin pigmentations and pigmented lesions, both naturally-occurring (e.g., birthmarks), as well as artificial (e.g., tattoos). The laser energy may be generated with an apparatus having a resonator with the capability of switching between a modelocked pulse operating mode and an amplification operating mode. The operating modes are carried out through the application of a time-dependent bias voltage, having waveforms as described herein, to an electro-optical device (e.g., a Pockels cell) positioned along the optical axis of the resonator.

Abstract: Disclosed is a surgical instrument for cataract eye surgery. The instrument generally includes a handpiece that delivers sub-ultrasonic and ultrasonic vibrations in either a continuous emulsification mode or with on-off pulses that dynamically drive a hollow needle in either a pulsed fragmentation mode or a pulsed emulsification mode. The pulsed fragmentation mode is efficient at cutting lens tissue and the pulsed emulsification mode is efficient in emulsifying the cut lens tissue. The pulsed modes manage heat buildup from becoming excessive in the eye during the cataract surgery. While in the pulsed fragmentation mode, the hollow needle is never given the chance to vibrate at an established resonant frequency of the handpiece due to the short on-off period. In contrast, the pulsed emulsification mode has a long enough on-off period to permit an ultrasonic resonant frequency in the handpiece to develop, which drives the hollow needle at a higher energy than the pulsed fragmentation mode.

Abstract: A microsurgical instrument having one or more distance indication members is provided. In a particular embodiment, the microsurgical instrument comprises a microsurgical tool and a first distance indication member coupled to, and extending beyond a distal end of, the microsurgical tool. A distal portion of the first distance indication member may be configured to deflect when in contact with a tissue surface, without causing damage to the tissue surface, to give a visual indication that the distal end of the microsurgical tool is in proximity to the tissue surface. The distal portion of the distance indication member can be further configured to return to a non-deflected configuration when no longer in contact with the tissue surface.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a distal portion. A force sensor is operatively mounted on the distal portion. The force sensor includes a wireless package, which wirelessly provides (1) identification information of the surgical instrument and (2) strain data related to the distal portion. A surgical end effector includes a jaw and the distal portion is on a non-contact portion of the jaw. The wireless package includes a surface acoustic wave strain sensor with identification information. The wireless package also includes a small folded antenna electrically coupled to the surface acoustic wave strain sensor with identification information. The identification information includes an identification of a type of surgical instrument and unique identification of the specific surgical instrument in the type of surgical instrument.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooling tissue or a fluid for an elongate medical device comprising an elongate shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising a shaft proximal end and a shaft distal end; a support structure located at the shaft distal end, where the support structure is expandable from a contracted state to an expanded state, and a plurality of thermoelectric elements, wherein the thermoelectric elements are located on the support structure. A medical device comprising a first catheter end shape, a second catheter end shape located distally with respect to the first catheter end shape, a support structure that extends between the first and the second catheter end shape, and a plurality of thermoelectric elements. A system for cooling a tissue or a fluid for an elongate medical device, comprising a plurality of thermoelectric elements, a thermocouple, an electronic control unit (ECU).