Abstract: A surgical tool system including plural powered surgical handpieces. The handpieces are removably connected to a single control console. The control console has a power supply. A controller internal to the control console simultaneously supplies power to the plural handpieces. In the event the handpieces collectively draw more power than the power supply can provide, the control console temporarily stops the application of power to one of the handpieces.

Abstract: A gas-based cryotherapy probe is provided with a shaft having a closed distal end adapted for insertion into a body. A supply conduit is disposed longitudinally within the shaft for flowing gas towards the distal end, and a return conduit is disposed longitudinally within the shaft for flowing gas from the distal end. The gas is maintained at a lower pressure within the return conduit than in the supply conduit. A heat exchanger is disposed within the shaft in thermal communication with the supply conduit and return conduit to exchange heat from gas in the supply conduit to gas in the return conduit. A vacuum jacket is adapted to provide thermal isolation of the heat exchanger from the shaft.

Abstract: A switched resonant power amplifier system for ultrasonic transducers is disclosed. The system includes an amplifier that receives and processes a driver output signal for generating a drive signal that is provided to an ultrasonic device for controlling output of the ultrasonic device. An output control circuit receives and processes a signal related to a feedback signal generated by the ultrasonic device and a divider reference signal, and generates a compensated clock signal that is adjusted for at least one of phase and frequency differences between the received feedback signal and the divider reference signal. A compensated drive circuit receives and processes the compensated clock signal for generating the divider reference signal, and for generating the driver output signal.

Abstract: A catheter particularly useful for ablation lesions within a tubular region of or near the heart is provided. The catheter comprises an elongated flexible tubular catheter body having an axis and proximal and distal ends. An ablation assembly is mounted at the distal end of the tubular body. The ablation assembly has a preformed generally circular curve having an outer surface and being generally transverse to the axis of the catheter body. The ablation assembly comprises a flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends that carries a tip electrode at its distal end. An electrode lead wire extends through the catheter body and into the ablation assembly and has a distal end connected to the tip electrode. In use the distal end of the catheter is interested into the heart of a patient.

Abstract: There is disclosed a diathermic cutter including a cylindrical main body member having a central axis, an axially elongated member including a tip end portion movable so as to change a projected state from a tip end of the main body member along the central axis of the main body member, an electrode including a base end portion on which the tip end portion of the elongated member is disposed and extending in a direction deviating from the central axis of the elongated member, and an electrically insulating member with which the electrode is coated in such a manner that at least a part of a base-end surface of the base end portion of the electrode in the vicinity of the tip end of the main body member is exposed toward the tip end of the main body member.

Abstract: A resonant circuit is incorporated in a stent, which implantable in a pulmonary vein using known cardiac catheterization techniques. When an external RF field is generated at the resonant frequency of the stent, RF energy is re-radiated by the stent toward electroconductive tissue in the wall of the pulmonary vein, and produces a circumferential conduction block. The stent can be made of biodegradable materials, so that it eventually is resorbed. Following an ablation procedure, the stent may be left in situ. Repeated ablation can be performed using the inserted stent until it has been determined that the desired lesions have been formed. Furthermore, the same stent can potentially be used even years after being inserted should the treated arrhythmia reoccur or a new arrhythmia develop, thereby possibly obviating the need for an invasive procedure at that future time.

Abstract: Improved robotic surgery end-effectors include at least one insulation material for inhibiting surface conduction of electrical current in a proximal direction, from a distal active electrode toward the proximal end of the end-effector and toward the rest of the surgical instrument itself. Some embodiments include two layers of insulation to further prevent proximally-directed current. By inhibiting proximal current flow, the end-effectors prevent unwanted patient burns as well as electricity-related wear and tear in and around the area where the end-effector is coupled with the rest of the surgical instrument. In various embodiments, such end-effectors are preferably removably coupleable with a robotic surgical instrument.

Abstract: An electrode array allows for rapid ablation of a strip of tissue in an organ providing a barrier to blood loss during resection operations.

Abstract: A system for creating lesions and assessing their completeness or transmurality. Assessment of transmurality of a lesion is accomplished by monitoring the impedance of the tissue to be ablated. Rather than attempting to detect a desired drop or a desired increase impedance, completeness of a lesion is detected in response to the measured impedance remaining at a stable level for a desired period of time, referred to as an impedance plateau. The mechanism for determining transmurality of lesions adjacent individual electrodes or pairs may be used to deactivate individual electrodes or electrode pairs, when the lesions in tissue adjacent these individual electrodes or electrode pairs are complete, to create an essentially uniform lesion along the line of electrodes or electrode pairs, regardless of differences in tissue thickness adjacent the individual electrodes or electrode pairs.

Abstract: Apparatus for positioning of a medical device in body tissue includes an angle indexer which mates in at least two positions with an index-key attached to the medical device. The indexer may be hand held or otherwise secured to a separate device, such as an introducer cannula, with the medical device being rotatable relative to the indexer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards an electrosurgical cutting system. The system comprises an electrically conductive blade, having first and second blade surfaces. First and second insulators are affixed to the first and second blade surfaces, respectively. A blade edge, a region between the first and second blade surfaces, has an edge radius of curvature, which preferably is small. A source of pulsed electrical energy coupled to the electrically conductive blade provides a substantially uniform and highly enhanced electric field along a cutting portion of the blade edge. The system can also be comprised of a wire electrode. Despite the fact that its field is strongly enhanced around the apex, a uniform vapor cavity is formed and then ionized using an appropriately designed burst of pulses, preferably of alternating polarity.

Abstract: A bipolar high frequency treatment tool includes an inserting portion to be inserted into a human body through an instrument channel of the endoscope. An electrode assembly is attached to the distal end of the inserting portion. The electrode assembly includes a supporting member having a slit, a pair of shafts held by the supporting member so as to cross the slit, and a pair of electrodes. The pair of electrodes is pivotably supported by the pair of shafts so as to open and close like a pair of pincers. An insulator block is located in the slit between the pair of electrodes to prevent the pair of electrodes from making a short circuit within the slit. The pair of shafts is pressed into the insulating block so that the shafts do not come of from the insulating block and hence from the supporting member.

Abstract: Surgical apparatus includes bipolar electrodes and tissue-shearing blades configured to electrically contact tissue for electrocauterization thereof prior to shearing contact of the cutting blades with the tissue over wide angles of presentation of the tissue to the electrodes and blades. Extensions or protrusions disposed along facing edges of the electrodes separate the level at which tissue is electrically contacted by the electrodes from the level at which tissue is sheared by the cutting blades.

Abstract: Improved sizers and markers include a cylindrical section and a handle extending from the cylindrical section. The cylindrical section has a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of an aortic heart valve prosthesis. The cylindrical section can include a marking element configured to mark tissue at fixed positions relative to the cylindrical section. Marking can be performed with a variety of techniques.

Abstract: A cutting tool for tissue surgical resection instruments, such as electric or ultrasonic bistoury, includes a connector element (5) supported in its upstream portion by the bistoury, a thin cutting element (7) integral with the connector element (5), and forming a plane, and a guide element (15) spaced apart from the cutting element (7) by a distance (b) equal to the thickness of the tissue elements to be removed and designed, during the cutting procedure, to be urged in contact with the surface (1) thereof. The guide element (15) is located in the cutting element plane, and its surface (1) adapted to be urged in contact with the tissues is larger than the corresponding surface of the cutting element (7).

Abstract: In a convective system that includes a blower to thermally treat and pressurize air, a convective device to receive and convect the thermally-treated pressurized air, and an air hose to conduct a flow of thermally-treated pressurized air from the blower to an inlet port in the convective device, an interface device is provided to control the flow of air at the interface where the inlet port and an end of the air hose operate to conduct the flow of air out of the air hose into the convective device. The interface device is received at the end of the air hose and operates to support the flow of air out of the end when the end and the inlet port are brought together. The interface device operates to stop, inhibit, or restrict the flow of air out of the end when the end and the inlet port are separated.

Abstract: A sound attenuating system is provided for pneumatically powered surgical instruments. In one aspect, the exhaust hose is formed of at least two dissimilar materials to impede the transmission of vibrations or audible noise. In an alternative form, the exhaust hose has proximal and distal portions of dissimilar internal diameters.

Abstract: An assembly for treating tissue in the anal canal uses a barrel structure having a dimension that can be selectively altered to be conducive for insertion into an anal canal according to an anatomic condition assessed within the anal canal. An electrode is carried by the barrel structure that can be coupled to a source of tissue ablation energy, which, when applied through the electrode, forms a lesion.

Abstract: A suction sleeve is configured to couple to the shaft of an RF device to evacuate hot gasses, fluids and/or other aspirates. The suction sleeve may be configured to be disposed coaxially around the shaft between the first end of the shaft and the work element (e.g., an RF cutting element) thereof. The suction sleeve defines a suction port and a plurality of openings near the work element, and is configured to enable suction in through the plurality of openings and out through the suction port.

Abstract: A surgical device incorporates a brush electrode for tissue ablation and other forms of electrosurgical treatment. A plurality of flexible filaments compose the brush electrode, through which therapeutic energy (e.g., RF energy) is applied to target tissue for the formation of spot or continuous linear lesions, cauterization, incision, and desiccation. A fluid delivery system is used in conjunction with the brush electrode to apply fluid to the filaments and surgical site.