Abstract: A system for use in TFL lithotripsy procedures uses a silica trunk fiber semi-permanently mounted in an endoscope and includes a detachable and replaceable wave guide treatment tip, including hollow wave guides and fiber tips. The system provides for ready removal and replacement of wave guides damaged during lithotripsy. The trunk fiber in the endoscope tube is of diameter ?200 ?m, suitable for use in the lower pole of the kidney, and should be useful over-and-over with only the detachable wave guide removed and replaced, whether during a single procedure or for multiple procedures on different patients in which the endoscope tube and trunk fiber are sterilized between patients. Multiple connector assemblies are provided for optical coupling contact between the detachable wave guide and trunk fiber and include a gap for dissipation of heat between the trunk fiber and the wave guide when in optically coupling contact.

Abstract: A method for transdermally treating selected tissue and/or for facilitating the release and/or differentiation of stem cells, including exposing the selected tissue to laser light having a wavelength between approximately 600 and 1400 nm, and maintaining such exposure of the selected tissue or bone to the laser light for a period of time sufficient to deliver a laser light dosage of at least 3 Joules/cm2 per treatment and maintaining such exposure for a period of time sufficient to deliver a laser light dosage of at least 1000 Joules per treatment within a 24 hour period of time. The method also includes upcollimating the laser light such that the laser delivers to the selected tissue a substantially coherent beam of laser light having a cross-sectional area of at least 5 cm2, and, further, delivering the laser light to a depth of at least 5 mm in the selected tissue.

Abstract: A light-emitting device includes a plurality of light-emitting elements or light sources and a flexible pad for positioning and conforming the light-emitting device to a portion of a body of a user. The flexible pad includes a three-dimensional structure having a plurality of protrusions for contacting a skin of the portion of the body when the light-emitting device is applied to the portion of the body by the flexible pad. Further, the three-dimensional structure includes a plurality of recesses for creating a clearance between the skin and the flexible pad when the light-emitting device is applied to the portion of the body, and a plurality of apertures for engaging with the plurality of light-emitting elements. Each protrusion includes an extended part and a withdrawn part, where the extended part is further extended than the withdrawn part, and the extended part is configured to contact the skin.

Abstract: Provided is a color light therapy device. The color light therapy device includes: a body that is used by being attached to a color light therapy portion of a human body by using a double-sided adhesive tape, a hydrogel pad, or an air suction plate, and includes a printed circuit board (PCB) that supplies driving power to a light source that emits color light in a given wavelength range to perform color light therapy on the human body; and a power jack that is connected to the PCB of the body through an electric wire. Since a user may use the color light therapy device by connecting the power jack to a mobile phone, a PC, a laptop, a tablet PC, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a vehicle, or a socket at home while carrying the color light therapy device, anyone may conveniently use the color light therapy device to perform color light therapy on the human body without exchanging or charging a battery.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with characterizing Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) lesions using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) are described. One example method includes acquiring an OCT signal from a Region Of Interest (ROI) in an ablated material. The example method may also include determining whether a lesion was formed by the ablation by analyzing optical properties of the ROI as recorded in the OCT signal.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a counter balanced arm is disclosed including, a first link having a first rotating transmission device, a second link having a first rotating transmission device and a compression spring, a third rotating transmission device coupled between the first and second links, and a cable routed over the rotating transmission devices coupled between the second link and the compression spring. The compression spring forms a tension in the cable to counter balance a load applied to an end of the second link of the counter balanced arm.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved methods and apparatus for skin treatment and tissue remodeling. The apparatus includes an array of needles that penetrate the skin and serve as electrodes to deliver radio frequency current or other electrical or optical energy into the tissue being treated, causing thermal damage in controlled patterns. The damaged regions promote beneficial results such as uniform skin tightening by stimulation of wound healing and collagen growth.

Abstract: A system and method for treating ophthalmic target tissue, including a light source for generating a beam of light, a beam delivery system that includes a scanner for generating patterns, and a controller for controlling the light source and delivery system to create a dosimetry pattern of the light beam on the ophthalmic target tissue. One or more dosage parameters of the light beam vary within the dosimetry pattern, to create varying exposures on the target tissue. A visualization device observes lesions formed on the ophthalmic target tissue by the dosimetry pattern. The controller selects dosage parameters for the treatment beam based upon the lesions resulting from the dosimetry pattern, either automatically or in response to user input, so that a desired clinical effect is achieved by selecting the character of the lesions as determined by the dosimetry pattern lesions.

Abstract: A phototherapy or photobiomodulation process employing the application of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) to a living organism, typically a human being. The EMR is generated by one or more strings of LEDs and is programmed to emit one or more wavelengths, typically in the visible and infrared portions of the spectrum, the EMR in each wavelength being delivered in pulses having specified on-times, off-times, photoexcitation frequencies, duty factors, phase delays, and power amplitudes. A system for providing such EMR includes a microcontroller having a pattern library of algorithms, each of which defines a particular sequence of synthesized pulses, and an application pad, preferably flexible, containing the LED strings.

Abstract: A handpiece assembly for laser treating a target surface and a laser system are disclosed. A handpiece assembly for laser treating a target surface includes a cable connector that is detachably coupled to a power supply and control module. The cable connector is configured to receive power and control signals from the power supply and control module. The handpiece assembly includes a laser module configured to receive the power and control signals from the cable connector and to generate electromagnetic energy based on the received power and control signals. The laser module is a replaceable module that is detachably coupled to the cable connector and a handpiece. The replaceable module allows a particular laser module to be removed from the handpiece assembly and replaced with another laser module. The handpiece assembly further includes the handpiece configured to receive the electromagnetic energy from the laser module and to direct the electromagnetic energy to the target surface.

Abstract: Described are methods and systems for reshaping a cartilage structure. Such methods comprise treating the cartilage structure with electromagnetic energy and fitting a device to the cartilage structure to retain it in the desired place, form, and/or orientation. Systems comprise an emitter of electromagnetic energy and a device to the cartilage structure to retain it in the desired place, form, and/or orientation.

Abstract: A hair cutting device (10) is provided comprising a cutter unit (11), a skin stretcher (12) and slit adapting means. The cutter unit (11) comprises a skin-contact surface for dragging over a skin surface (21) in a shaving direction (55), a front surface arranged in front of the skin-contact surface in the shaving direction (55), and a laser beam exit window arranged in the front surface for allowing a hair cutting laser beam (13) to cut a hair (22) near the skin surface (21) in front of the front surface. The skin stretcher (12) is positioned in front of the cutter unit (11), according to the shaving direction (55), and comprises a stretcher surface for dragging over the skin surface (21) together with the skin-contact surface, such that a skin dome (23) is formed by the skin surface (21) in a slit between the skin stretcher (12) and the cutter unit (11). The slit adapting means are provided for adapting at least one dimension (51, 52, 54) of the slit for controlling a shape of the skin dome (23).

Abstract: Disclosed are medical devices, e.g., surgical sutures, surgical staples, surgical pads, surgical meshes, surgical scaffolds etc., and methods of use at a wound in a patient to facilitate the rapid healing of the tissue at the situs of the wound with minimal fibrous tissue formation. The devices are arranged to be brought into engagement with tissue adjacent the wound to close the wound and include a core formed of a piezo-electric material and an outer layer covering the core. The outer layer is platelet derived growth factors. The methods of use of the devices also include applying a local molecular energy production agent to the wound and irradiating the wound with a pulsed infra-red laser beam.

Abstract: A laser can produce pulses of light energy to eject a volume of the tissue, and the energy can be delivered to a treatment site through a waveguide, such as a fiber optic waveguide. The incident laser energy can be absorbed within a volume of the target tissue with a tissue penetration depth and pulse direction such that the propagation of the energy from the tissue volume is inhibited and such that the target tissue within the volume reaches the spinodal threshold of decomposition and ejects the volume, for example without substantial damage to tissue adjacent the ejected volume.

Abstract: A method for precise working of material, particularly organic tissue, comprises the step of providing laser pulses with a pulse length between 50 fs and 1 ps and with a pulse frequency from 50 kHz to 1 MHz and with a wavelength between 600 and 2000 nm for acting on the material to be worked. Apparatus, in accordance with the invention, for precise working of material, particularly organic tissue comprising a pulsed laser, wherein the laser has a pulse length between 50 fs and 1 ps and with a pulse frequency of from 50 kHz to 1 MHz is also described.

Abstract: An apparatus for inhibiting melatonin synthesis in a horse comprises a blinker having an internal surface of which at least a part is diffusing. A source of light is positioned for direction into the horse's eye by the diffusing-surface. The light source and diffusing surface are configured such that the light directed into the horse's eye is blue.

Abstract: A photo-bio-stimulation device uses near infrared (NIR) laser illumination of the scalp to promote hair growth with a lightweight user wearable device. All the remaining components are mounted on the concave underside of an outer shell. Forty to as many as eighty VCSEL laser device chips are surface mount soldered underneath of a single large, thin-layer FR4 printed circuit. These discrete devices direct a diffused, near uniform flood of 678-nanometer monochromatic laser light deep into the hair roots and follicles across the scalps of its users. Petal shapes along a central spine are cut deep into the side edges of the thin-layer FR4 printed circuit to allow it to be conformed and fixed into a hemispherical dome and attached with dozens of plastic snaps inside the outer shell. This connects inside to a rechargeable battery and power controller. A protective clear covering matching the concave underside is attached along the brims.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a convenient, minimally invasive surgical instrument, and more particularly to a minimally invasive surgical instrument to allow a user to operate an end effector by manipulating a handling unit or the like to perform a minimally invasive surgery in a delicate and convenient manner. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising: a shaft; an end effector being connected to one end of the shaft via a joint unit; a rotation manipulation unit being connected to the other end of the shaft, the rotation manipulation unit comprising a gyro link including a gyro wheel; and a plurality of wires being connected between the joint unit and the gyro wheel, wherein the end effector carries out joint motion by the joint unit according to the action of at least some of the plurality of wires caused by a manipulation of the gyro wheel.

Abstract: A system for irradiation of a vascular space and its contents is presented. An adapter device having a vascular access end and an optical interface end can include a waveguide affixed within a waveguide lumen and extending outwardly through the vascular access end. The optical interface end includes a tapered terminus configured to engage with a cavity of an optical connector adapter, creating an optical interface between the waveguide of the adapter device and a waveguide of a light or radiation source. The adapter device enables the simultaneous administration of radiation and exogenous fluids to a patient while maintaining the optical interface isolated from any fluids.

Abstract: Configurations are described for utilizing light-activated proteins within cell membranes and subcellular regions to assist with medical treatment paradigms, such as hypertension treatment via anatomically specific and temporally precise modulation of renal plexus activity. The invention provides for proteins, nucleic acids, vectors and methods for genetically targeted expression of light-sensitive proteins to specific cells or defined cell populations. In particular the invention provides systems, devices, and methods for millisecond-timescale temporal control of certain cell activities using moderate light intensities, such as the generation or inhibition of electrical spikes in nerve cells and other excitable cells.