Abstract: [Object] To provide an ablation system capable of suppressing heat damages to the lumen intima. [Solution] An ablation system 10 has an ablation device 11 in which a balloon 21 is provided on the distal end side of a shaft 22 and an in-side tube 27 causing a fluid to flow into the balloon 21, the internal space of the shaft 22 causing a fluid to flow out of the balloon 21, and an optical fiber 29 guiding laser light into the balloon 21 are individually provided along the shaft 22, a laser light generating unit 12 emitting laser light to the optical fiber 29, and a fluid returning unit 13 returning a fluid into the internal space of the balloon 21. The ablation device 11 has a reflector 33 reflecting laser light emitted from the optical fiber 29 in the balloon 21, in which the reflector 33 is movable along the axial direction 191 in the balloon 21 and is rotatable in the axial direction 101 as the axis line.

Abstract: In accordance with various aspects of the present teachings, systems and methods for applying treatment energy, e.g., electromagnetic radiation such as laser radiation in the visible and near infrared wavelengths, to body areas having bulges and fat deposits, loose skin, pain, acne and/or wounds. In some aspects, the systems and methods can enable relatively lengthy treatments to be performed by having the practitioner set-up and/or start the treatment, thereafter allowing the treatment to proceed safely and effectively without the continued presence of the practitioner.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described including placing a blood pump into a subject's body, the blood pump including an axial shaft, an impeller disposed on the axial shaft, and a drive cable extending from outside the subject's body to the axial shaft. The impeller is driven to pump blood from a distal end of the impeller to a proximal end of the impeller by imparting rotational motion to the impeller via the drive cable, in a given direction of rotation. At least a portion of the drive cable includes a plurality of wires disposed in a coiled configuration that is such that, in response to the drive cable rotating in the given direction of rotation, the plurality of wires disposed in the coiled configuration at least partially unwind, such that the portion of the drive cable shortens axially. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: A medical device including an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therebetween. The medical device may further include an end-effector disposed at the distal end of the elongate member. The end-effector may include a plurality of arms pivotally connected to one another, wherein each arm includes a tissue-contacting surface, a first portion of the tissue-contacting surface including a plurality of ridges configured to grasp tissue. Further, the tissue-contacting surface may include a channel oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the medical device.

Abstract: Harvested stem cells are activated by treating them with an amplitude modulated laser beam having a wavelength lying in the range of 405 to 980 nanometers. The frequency of the laser beam is modulated within a range of 8 to 12 MHz. Using the activated stem cells, tissue can be repaired and regenerated by preparing the unactivated stem cells, treating the unactivated stem cells with an amplitude modulated laser beam having a pre-determined frequency for obtaining activated stem cells, administering the activated stem cells into a body containing the tissue, and using a homing beam to guide the activated stem cells within the body to the location of the tissue.

Abstract: A system for detecting one or more physical assessment parameters of a subject includes a sensing patch and a processor. The sensing patch is configured to sense signals from the subject corresponding to one or more physical assessment parameters, reduce sensed parameter data corresponding to the sensed signals, and transmit the sensed parameter data. The sensing patch also includes at least one adjustable sensing patch parameter. The processor is separate from the sensing patch and configured to receive the sensed parameter data from the sensing patch and transmit a command to the sensing patch. The sensing patch is configured to perform different amounts of data reduction on the sensed parameter data before transmitting the sensed parameter data to the processor. These different amounts of data reduction are determined at least in part by one or more system parameters.

Abstract: Described herein are apparatuses and methods for measuring stress with a wearable device. In one apparatus, a wearable device includes a housing formed and shaped to affix to a user, a sensor integrated into the housing operable to engage a body of the user to take physiological measurements of the user over a threshold period of time to obtain physiological data, and a processing device coupled to the sensor. The processing device may be operable to receive, from the sensor, a first physiological data; receive, from the sensor, a second physiological data; determine a correlation between the first physiological data and the second physiological data; and determine a stress level of a bodily system of the user based on the correlation.

Abstract: A single-piece patient interface device (PI) for coupling an patient's eye to an ophthalmic surgical laser system, which includes a rigid shell, a flexible suction ring joined to a lower edge of the shell, an applanation lens, and a flexible annular diaphragm which joins the applanation lens to the shell near the lower edge of the shell. The flexible diaphragm allows the applanation lens to move relative to the shell, including to shift in longitudinal and lateral directions of the shell and to tilt. In operation, the surgeon first secures the PI to the patient's eye by hand, and then couples the laser system to the PI by lowering the laser delivery head into the PI shell. During the lowering process, the laser delivery head presses the applanation lens down relative to the PI to applanate the cornea of the eye.

Abstract: Athletic activity may be tracked while providing encouragement to perform athletic activity. For example, energy expenditure values and energy expenditure intensity values may be calculated and associated with a duration and type of activity performed by an individual. These values and other movement data may be displayed on an interface in a manner to motivate the individual and maintain the individual's interest. The interface may track one or more discrete “sessions”. The sessions may be associated with energy expenditure values during a duration that is within a second duration, such as a day, that is also tracked with respect to variables, such as energy expenditure. Other individuals (e.g., friends) may also be displayed on an interface through which a user's progress is tracked. This may allow the user to also view the other individuals' progress toward completing an activity goal and/or challenge.

Abstract: Devices and methods for treating respiratory problems of a subject, such as those related to sleep apnea, are presented herein. An implementation of a device may be configured to provide a measured vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO) and/or mandibular advancement in a subject. Methods for treating a subject through the use of the device may include systematically increasing and/or decreasing the measured VDO provided by the device.

Abstract: A surgical laser system can include a fluorescent sensing assembly for detecting fluorescent signal from a tissue under a surgical operation of the surgical laser system. The surgical laser system can include an aiming laser assembly, which can be configured to provide excitation energy for the fluorescent process. The surgical laser system can include an infrared sensing assembly, which can provide temperature related data, for example, to prevent damages to the tissue due to overheating. The surgical laser system can be configured to use the off-time of the surgical laser for tissue sensing. Data from tissue sensing can be further analyzed by an integrated robotic surgical system to provide a highly precise surgical procedure.

Abstract: A vacuum device comprises a vacuum generator and a vacuum interface for fluidically coupling the vacuum generator to a vacuum cavity for affixing an ophthalmological patient interface on a patient's eye. The vacuum device comprises a movement detector which is configured to detect movements of the patient's eye and a control unit that is configured to detect a faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum cavity on the basis of a pressure that is ascertained by a coupled pressure sensor and to produce a control signal for interrupting an ophthalmological treatment that is carried out by an ophthalmological treatment device if an eye movement is detected by the movement detector at the same time as the detected faulty fluidic coupling of the vacuum cavity.

Abstract: A surgical tool includes a drive housing having an input shaft and a drive cable capstan arranged therein. The input shaft includes a drive gear and the drive cable capstan including a driven gear intermeshed with the drive gear such that rotation of the input shaft rotates the drive cable capstan. An elongate shaft extends from the drive housing, and an end effector is operatively coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft. A drive cable is received within a pulley track defined on the drive cable capstan and extends only partially around a circumference of the drive cable capstan. The drive cable is fed directly into the elongate shaft from the pulley track and extends to the end effector.

Abstract: Probes include a probe body configured to penetrate biological tissue. High-efficiency light sources are positioned within the probe body. Each high-efficiency light source has a sufficiently intense light output to trigger a light-sensitive reaction in neighboring tissues and has a sufficiently low power output such that a combined heat output of multiple light sources does cause a disruptive temperature increase in the neighboring tissues.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, an implantable blood pump includes a housing defining a flow path, a rotor positioned within the flow path, and a motor including a stator, positioned outside of said housing, the stator including a length of silver wire, wherein the silver wire is not positioned within a hermetically sealed compartment once the blood pump is ready for implantation into a patient in need thereof. The present invention may also include a method of implanting the implantable blood pump including the step of implanting the blood pump within the patient and within or adjacent to the vasculature.

Abstract: An anchoring device for anchoring an implantable medical device to tissue of a patient, wherein the anchoring device comprises at least one marker that is visible when using an imaging technique such as x-ray imaging.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a motorized surgical instrument including an elongated shaft, a wrist member and a pair of working members with at least one working member moveable relative to other working member between open and closed position, is presented. The elongate shaft includes towards its proximal end a carriage plate that enables independent and controlled motion of the surgical instrument employing plurality of actuators securely held therein. Further, disclosed is a surgical instrument enabling easy and quick replacement of working members.

Abstract: An arrangement for reducing intraocular pressure includes a pulse signal source, a probe coupling, and at least one electrode. The probe coupling is configured to be supported on a portion of a living eye. The electrodes are supported on the probe coupling. The electrodes are operably coupled to receive a pulse signal from the pulse signal source.

Abstract: A circuit for non-contact electrocardiography monitoring according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a non-contact monitoring unit for acquiring and outputting plus or minus monitoring signal of signal source with non-contact; an amplification control unit for amplifying the monitoring signal to output to output terminal; and an input impedance calibration circuit for being connected to input terminal and output terminal of the amplification control unit to process calibration of input impedance in calibration mode.

Abstract: Systems, methods and devices for reducing noise in health monitoring including monitoring systems, methods and/or devices receiving a health signal and/or having at least one electrode or sensor for health monitoring.