Abstract: Systems and methods for tissue ablation. Systems include needles with deployable filaments capable of producing asymmetrical offset lesions at target volumes, which may include a target nerve. Ablation of at least a portion of the target nerve may inhibit the ability of the nerve to transmit signals, such as pain signals, to the central nervous system. The offset lesion may facilitate procedures by directing energy towards the target nerve and away from collateral structures. Example anatomical structures include lumbar, thoracic, and cervical medial branch nerves and rami and the sacroiliac joint.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for cooling a body or body part for medical or performance-enhancing purposes, said device consisting of one or more cooling elements (11), said cooling element (11) being provided with a cover (1) that is filled with meltable cooling solid (2). The disclosed device is characterized in that an additional apparatus for displacing the already melted portion (8) of the cooling solid (2) from the contact surface (7) to the body is provided inside the cover (1), the expandable member (4, 6) being preferably designed in the form of a filled member (4) of a spring element (6) or of a foamed article. Also disclosed is an additional device which is characterized in that a layer (16) of thermochromic material indicates when a threshold temperature is exceeded, said layer (16) being applied to the bottom side of the expandable member and thus being pressed against the remaining solid portion of the cooling solid, the cover (1) being transparent in this case.

Abstract: Tissue may be cut and extracted from an interior location in a patient's body using a probe or tool which both effects cutting and causes vaporization of a liquid or other fluid to propel the cut tissue through an extraction lumen of the cutting device. The cutting may be achieved using an electrosurgical electrode assembly, including a first electrode on a cutting member and a second electrode within a cutting probe or tool. Thus, over a first cutting portion, radio frequency current may help cut the tissue and over a second or over transition region, the RF current may initiate vaporization of the fluid or other liquid to propel the tissue from the cutting device.

Abstract: A system and method for return electrode monitoring are provided. The system includes an isolation circuit, a first controller, a second controller, and a detection circuit. The isolation circuit includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding. The first controller is coupled to the primary winding. The second controller and the detection circuit are coupled to the secondary winding. The detection circuit includes an interrogation signal circuit, a resonant tank filter, and a current-to-voltage converter. The interrogation signal circuit provides an interrogation signal to at least one electrode pad. The resonant tank filter filters a response signal received from the electrode pad. The current-to-voltage converter generates a voltage signal based on a current value of the response signal. The second controller generates a digital impedance value based on the voltage signal, and provides the digital impedance value to the first controller by way of the isolation circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for cooling a sterile liquid for use in cryotherapy, the apparatus comprising: a first chamber (202) adapted to receive a removable container (201) of sterile liquid and a fluid port for receiving a fluid for applying, in use, pressure to a received removable container (201); and a second chamber (203) comprising a cooler; wherein the first chamber (202) is arranged to be in thermal conductivity with the second chamber (203) such that, in use, the contents of the first chamber (202) are cooled by the cooler of the second chamber (203). Advantageously, embodiments provide a system, heat exchanger unit within the system and method for supplying a sterilised working fluid to a catheter system for cryotherapy, the working fluid being supplied at a desired and easily controllable temperature and flow rate.

Abstract: A forceps includes a first jaw member, a second jaw member, a drive rod assembly and a moveable handle attached to a fixed handle. The first jaw member and the second jaw member are in opposing relation relative to one another, and at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member is relatively movable from a first open position to a second clamping position when the first jaw member and the second jaw member cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. Moving the moveable handle relative to the fixed handle moves the drive rod assembly for imparting movement of at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member from the first position and the second position. The moveable handle has an actuator with a lost motion connection between the first and second jaw members and the actuator.

Abstract: A handheld electrosurgical instrument with jaws at a distal end of a shaft. For moving the jaws, the instrument includes a linkage structure with at least three pivots which are movable relative to the housing and with at least pivot which is fixed to the housing. By this arrangement, one of the movable pivots may move as a substitute for movement of the jaws, and the instrument may therefore always have the same limits for handle movement e.g. also if the jaws are prevented from moving. Additionally, a more uniform closure pressure may be ensured independently on the force applied to the handle.

Abstract: Described here are devices and methods for treating hypertension by forming a fistula between two blood vessels to reduce blood pressure of a patient. The fistula may be formed using a catheter having an electrode that is placed in a first blood vessel. In some instances, a desired amount of blood pressure is determined. In other instances, the hypertension is drug resistant hypertension.

Abstract: A spherical-confocal-split array with dual frequency of fundamental and harmonic superimposition includes: array elements which are spherically confocal, whose quantity is an even number, wherein a half of the array elements operate with a lower frequency, and the other half of the array elements operate with a higher frequency; both the lower frequency and the higher frequency are MHz high-frequencies; each of the array elements corresponds to a frequency drive; array element beams don't superimpose outside the focal region; each of the array elements is connected to a channel amplifier (3) through corresponding impedance matching (2); and a multi-channel waveform controller (4) is connected to the channel amplifier (3) for controlling amplitudes and phases of all channels. The dual-frequency spherical sectorial split array is able to generate split multi-foci of the focal plane with the dual frequencies; and control strong interference of transient cavitation clouds at the adjacent foci.

Abstract: A surgical instrument configured to facilitate access to interior components thereof for cleaning and refurbishment purposes includes a housing assembly, an elongated shaft assembly and an end effector. The housing assembly includes an actuator, and the elongated shaft assembly includes an interior control member operatively coupled to the actuator. The elongated shaft assembly also includes outer cover including first and second cover members and a hinge coupling the first and second cover members to one another such that the outer cover may be selectively moved between a closed configuration wherein the interior control member is enclosed within the outer cover and an open configuration wherein the interior control member is exposed. The end effector is supported at a distal end of the elongated shaft assembly, and is operatively associated with the interior control member.

Abstract: A therapeutic thermal energy measuring system, method and application for a meridian thermal therapy device. The therapeutic thermal energy measuring system for a meridian thermal therapy device comprises: a time setting module for setting a time; a temperature setting module or an intensity level setting module for setting a temperature or an intensity level; a therapeutic thermal energy measuring module for measuring therapeutic thermal energy on the basis of a preset time and a preset temperature or intensity level, and outputting a result, and/or performing real-time measurement of therapeutic thermal energy on the basis of a preset temperature or intensity level and cumulative working hours of a treatment head of the meridian thermal therapy device, and outputting a result. The therapeutic heat energy measuring system can solve a bottleneck problem of having no way of quantizing therapeutic thermal energy in meridian thermal therapy.

Abstract: A forceps includes first and second shaft members each having a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof. One (or both) of the first and second jaw members is moveable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. The first jaw member includes a jaw frame fixedly engaged to the first shaft member and a disposable jaw housing releasably engageable with the jaw frame. The disposable jaw housing includes a knife assembly disposed therein. The knife assembly includes a knife blade biased toward an initial position, wherein the knife blade is disposed within the jaw housing. The knife blade is moveable between the initial position and an extended position, wherein the knife blade extends at least partially from the jaw housing to cut tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members.

Abstract: The invention relates to tissue scissors (10) with improved stability and improved handling that have two structurally and electrically different branches (11, 12). While the sliding surface (25) of the first branch (11) has a metal-ceramic hard material layer (30), such as, for example, titanium nitride, the second sliding surface (34) of the second branch (12) has an electrically non-conductive ceramic layer (33). The material mating produces great mechanical resistance to abrasion in the bearing (17) and on the cutting edges (28, 35). At least one of the branches, in particular branch (12), can have a cermet body (36) to improve the cooling of the cutting edge (35 (28)) and/or keep it sharp, to prevent heating of the branches (11, 12) during coagulation and sticking of the tissue.

Abstract: Various catheters with expandable and contractible fluid pathways extending therethrough, and methods of use, are provided herein. In an exemplary embodiment, a catheter is provided with an elongate body having an electrode at the distal end thereof. One or more expandable members or wings can extend between the electrode and the distal end of the elongate body. The catheter can also include an actuator extending therethrough and coupled to the electrode such that movement of the actuator is effective to advance and retract the electrode, thereby moving the one or more expandable members between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. The catheter can also include a fluid sealed lumen formed therein and configured to receive fluid and to deliver fluid to one or more pathways formed in the electrode. The actuator can extend through the fluid sealed lumen, however it can be fluidly separated from the lumen.

Abstract: A blood flow restricting apparatus is provided. The blood flow restricting apparatus can include a frame element configured to be securable to a user's head. At least one cooling pad can be operatively arranged with the adjustable frame element and configured to be arranged over a defined anatomic location including at least one of a pair of supratrochlear arteries, a pair of supraorbital arteries, a pair of temporal arteries, and a pair of occipital arteries of the user's head when the frame element is secured to the user's head. A pressurizing mechanism can be operatively arranged with the at least one cooling pad and capable of pressing the at least one cooling pad against the defined anatomic location to restrict blood flow to each of the targeted arteries while simultaneously cooling the defined anatomic location to induce hypothermic induced vasoconstriction.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to improved medical devices, systems, and methods. In many embodiments, devices, systems, and methods for amputating a limb of a patient are provided. In many embodiments, devices, systems, and methods may provide chronic denervation of one or more nerves of a patient as part of a therapeutic treatment. The methods may employ cold for the prevention of neuromas or fibromas associated with amputation of a limb of a patient. Embodiments of the invention include needles that can be advanced through skin or other tissues to cause axonotmesis of a target nerve of the patient and to repeatedly interrupt a regeneration of the nerve so as to provide therapeutic chronic denervation of the target nerve. The therapeutic chronic denervation may delay the formation of neuromas or fibromas in a patient's residual limb and/or may provide long lasting and permanent pain relief associated with the target nerve.

Abstract: An end effector for an electrosurgical instrument includes a pair of opposing first and second jaw members (2), (3), movable between an open position in which the jaw members are disposed in a spaced relation relative to one another, and a closed position in which the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. One or more spring members (15), (16), (17), (18), (19) are connected between the first and second jaw members (2), (3), such that moving the jaw members from their open position to their closed position causes the one or more spring members to compress. The one or more spring members have a fully compressed condition such that when in their fully compressed condition they form stop members to maintain the first and second jaw members (2), (3), at a predetermined spacing one from the other when in their closed position.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices, and methods for interdigitation of waveforms for dual-output electrosurgical generators. Such methods may comprise outputting DC energy from a power supply, converting DC energy from the power supply, by a plurality of amplifiers coupled to the power supply, into a plurality of RF waveforms, and controlling the plurality of RF amplifiers to interdigitate the first and second RF waveforms.

Abstract: A forceps includes a first jaw member, a second jaw member, a drive rod assembly and a moveable handle attached to a fixed handle. The first jaw member and the second jaw member are in opposing relation relative to one another, and at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member is relatively movable from a first open position to a second clamping position when the first jaw member and the second jaw member cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. Moving the moveable handle relative to the fixed handle moves the drive rod assembly for imparting movement of at least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member from the first position and the second position. The moveable handle has an actuator with a lost motion connection between the first and second jaw members and the actuator.