Abstract: A system is provided to detect a breach of an insulative sheath in a bipolar electrosurgical instrument the system including: a first pulse detection circuit to detect a first high frequency (HF) signal component of a HF signal conducted on a lead of the bipolar instrument; a second pulse detection circuit to detect a second HF signal component of the HF signal conducted on a conductive shield surrounding the lead; magnitude difference sampling logic to produce sample values indicative of magnitude difference between the first HF signal component and the second HF signal component; and current detection logic to detect current flow between the shield and anatomical tissue based upon the sample values.

Abstract: A system for applying thermal therapy includes a portable housing and at least one conduit supportable in proximity to body tissue, the conduit having an inlet end and outlet end. The housing supports at least one thermoelectric module, a power storage unit, a pump, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid inlet and fluid outlet are to the inlet and outlet of the conduit. The pump is operably connected to pump fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. The at least one thermoelectric module is coupled to generate a thermal change in fluid disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The power storage unit is operably coupled to provide operating power to the pump and the at least one thermoelectric module.

Abstract: A system includes an expandable distal-end assembly and a processor. The expandable distal-end assembly is coupled to a distal end of a shaft for insertion into a cavity of an organ of a patient, the assembly including one or more electrodes. The processor is configured to (i) receive location signals from each of a distal and proximal location of the distal-end assembly, (ii) receive location signals indicative of a relative orientational angle from one or more sensors that are located at the distal-end assembly and configured to output signals indicative of the change in the relative orientation, (iii) estimate angular position in the azimuthal plane of each of a plurality of splines extending from the proximal to distal end of the distal-end assembly, and (iv) estimate respective locations of one or more of the electrodes in three dimensional space based on the estimated angular position of each of the splines.

Abstract: Cooling systems are described herein that may be used in connection with one or more attached devices to cool patient tissue. The disclosed cooling systems include a refrigeration unit containing a thermoelectric element in thermal communication with a heat exchanger, a fluid pump in fluid communication with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, tubing connecting the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, a fluid cooling element in thermal contact with the thermoelectric element, and a temperature sensor positioned to detect a temperature of fluid within the tubing. The temperature of fluid within the tubing can be controlled by a control unit having a user interface and a power controller to adjust cooling power to the thermoelectric element. Various types of devices can be configured to receive and circulate cooled fluid from the cooling systems, such as retractor blades, retractor shims, cooling pads, and scope sheaths.

Abstract: Retrieval of material from vessel lumens can be improved by electrically enhancing attachment of the material to the thrombectomy system. The system can include a manipulation member configured to be electrically coupled to an extracorporeal power supply and an interventional element configured to be mechanically and electrically coupled to the manipulation member via a joining element. A locking element can be positioned within the joining element to facilitate securing the interventional element to the joining element. In some embodiments, the system includes a control member configured to be coupled to a second terminal of the extracorporeal power supply and positioned within a lumen of the locking element.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of a patient for the purpose of lowering blood pressure and/or treating other medical conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias. A catheter having an ablation element is placed inside the body of a patient and is directed to a targeted location either on in the abdominal aorta where the right or left renal arteries branch from the aorta at or near the superior junction or ostia or on the inside of the inferior vena cava near the junction with the right renal vein or in the left renal vein at a position spatially near where the left renal artery branches from the abdominal aorta. Catheters designed for use in the method where these targeted locations are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A system for use with multiple electrodes coupled to respective spines of a probe includes multiple switches connected to the electrodes and configured to short different respective first subsets of the electrodes to each other and different respective second subsets of the electrodes to each other per different respective settings of the switches. The system further includes a processor configured to control the switches so as to alternate through the settings and, for each of the settings, cause a power generator to apply a voltage between the shorted first subset and the shorted second subset while the probe is deployed within a body of a subject. Other examples are also described.

Abstract: A catheter and associated positioning system can include sensors and software to ascertain the extent of expansion of an expandable distal member of the catheter. Sensors on the distal member can be configured so that the system is able to determine a longitudinal dimension and a radial dimension of the distal-end assembly and determine extent of expansion of the distal member based on those metrics. At least the longitudinal dimension can be derived from advanced current localization (ACL) techniques utilizing an electrode at a distal end of the expandable distal member.

Abstract: An implantable, conformal, neural interface device fabricated completely from neuro-compatible SiC and method of manufacture thereof, includes at least one elongated probe to be placed in a brain of a subject of interest, the at least one elongated probe comprising a plurality of electrodes positioned on a surface of the elongated probe, each of the plurality of electrodes comprising a conductive mesa consisting of polycrystalline silicon carbide (SiC), an insulative layer consisting of amorphous SiC, the insulative layer positioned to surround the conductive mesa absent a window through the amorphous SiC exposing a surface of the conductive mesa. The elongated probe is integral with, the probe base comprising a plurality of contact pads, each of the plurality of contact pads in electrical communication with one of the plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus, systems, and methods for ablating tissue in a patient by electroporation. Embodiments generally include an ablation catheter having a hand, a shaft, and an electroporation electrode arrangement. The shaft has a distal end and defines a longitudinal axis of the ablation catheter. The electroporation electrode arrangement is at the distal end of the shaft and is configured to generate a multidirectional electric field when at least one pulse sequence is delivered thereto. The multidirectional electric field includes at least two of the following directions relative to the longitudinal axis: generally axial, circumferential, and transverse. The electroporation electrode arrangement is configured to operatively couple to an electroporation generator that is configured to generate the at least one pulse sequence and is configured to receive the at least one pulse sequence from the electroporation generator.

Abstract: A medical system is configured to deliver an implantable medical device to a targeted implant site. The system may include a processor configured to receive a cardiac electrical signal and determine a feature of the cardiac electrical signal. The processor may be configured to determine a position of the delivery tool based on at least one feature of the cardiac electrical signal. The processor may detect a deployment position of the delivery tool in response to the cardiac electrical signal feature meeting criteria for detecting the deployment position.

Abstract: A disposable patch electrode structure comprises a front flap and a main structure, which is attached to skin for a bio-signal measurement, the patch electrode structure feeding electrical bio-signals to a bio-signal device separate from the patch electrode structure. The front flap is separated from the main structure by a non-enclosing front flap cut, material of the front flap being thus formed as continuous material of the main structure. Materialistic connection of the continuous material between a rear section of the front flap at a non-enclosing side of the front flap cut and the main structure allows tilt of the front flap with respect to the main structure in response to rise of a frontal section of the front flap with respect to the main structure. The front flap is fully surrounded by the main structure.

Abstract: A treatment tool includes: an elongated shaft; a probe that protrudes from a distal end of the shaft; a movable jaw that is mounted in a rotatable manner; and a swing arm that is mounted on the movable jaw. The swing arm is capable of gripping living tissue with the probe and swinging with respect to the movable jaw. The movable jaw includes a first regulating surface that can contact a proximal end portion of the swing arm to regulate swinging of the swing arm in one direction, and a second regulating surface that can contact another region in the proximal end portion of the swing arm to regulate swinging of the swing arm in another direction.

Abstract: A method of puncturing from an aorta into a left atrium using a puncturing device. The method involves a step of accessing a carotid artery and advancing a puncturing device through the carotid artery into an aorta. Advancing a sheath and a dilator over the puncturing device through the carotid artery and into the aorta such that a puncturing tip of the puncturing device is aligned with a distal tip of the sheath and a distal tip of the dilator, forming a puncturing assembly. Positioning the puncturing assembly at a target site within the aorta to gain access to a left atrium of a heart. Tenting a tissue between the aorta and the left atrium using the puncturing assembly. Creating a puncture through the tissue by advancing the puncturing device such that a channel between the aorta and the left atrium is formed.

Abstract: The disclosed invention provides a transseptal insertion device which is suitable for facilitating precise and safe transseptal puncture of a cardiac interatrial septum. The transseptal insertion device includes a sheath that defines at least one lumen therein, one or more positioning balloons that are connected to a distal end of the sheath, a puncture member movably positioned within the at least one lumen, and a puncture member balloon located on the puncture member. The positioning balloons are inflated and deflated through hypotubes, and the puncture member balloon is inflated and deflated through an additional tube. The transseptal insertion device includes a wire member movably positioned in a center lumen formed in the puncture member. The wire member may be Brockenbrough needle, a radiofrequency tip needle, a radiofrequency wire, a pigtail catheter that delivers fluid or pharmaceuticals in the left atrial appendage, or a transseptal wire.