Abstract: An apparatus and method for cutting a material including conducting and non-conducting materials such as biological tissue, cellulose or plastic while the material is submerged in a conductive liquid medium. The apparatus has a cutting electrode with an elongate cutting portion having an aspect ratio (length to width) of 1 or more and a return electrode. The two electrodes are immersed in the conductive medium and a voltage is applied between them to heat the medium, thus producing a vapor cavity around the elongate cutting portion and ionizing a gas inside the vapor cavity to produce a plasma. The voltage applied between the electrodes is modulated in pulses having a modulation format selected to minimize the size of the vapor cavity, its rate of formation and heat diffusion into the material while the latter is cut with an edge of the elongate cutting portion. The modulation format includes pulses ranging in duration from 10 &mgr;s to 10 ms, as well as minipulses and micropulses, as necessary.

Abstract: A method of marking an orientation of a cut specimen of tissue prior to excision thereof from a body includes steps of disposing a tissue-marking probe in the body adjacent the cut specimen, the tissue-marking probe including a tissue-marking tool configured to selectively mark the cut specimen. A surface of the cut specimen is then marked with the tissue-marking tool such that the orientation of the cut specimen within the body is discernable after the cut specimen is excised from the body. The tissue-marking tool may be configured to selectively bow out of and back into a window defined near a distal tip of the probe and the marking step may include a step of selectively bowing the tissue-marking tool out of the window and following the surface of the cut specimen while rotating the probe. The tissue-marking tool may include an RF cutting tool and the marking step may include a step of coagulating or cauterizing a selected portion of the surface of the cut specimen with the RF cutting tool.

Abstract: In a thermal therapy apparatus for treating a vital tissue by irradiating the tissue with a laser beam, a display unit displays a figure indicating the shape of a diseased part to be heated on the basis of information concerning the diseased part. Heating regions are arranged in the displayed figure indicating the diseased part shape by using identifiers corresponding to individual heating conditions. In accordance with size/position information of these heating regions arranged, heating conditions such as the laser intensity laser irradiation time and laser irradiation angle are set. Laser beam irradiation is performed by controlling the irradiation in accordance with the set heating conditions. The information pertaining to the diseased part can also be input on the basis of an ultrasonic signal from an ultrasonic probe separated from or installed in the laser irradiation portion.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the number of temperature measurement wires in multiple temperature sensor ablation systems are described. In a preferred embodiment, temperature sensors capable of measuring the temperature of body tissue and transmitting the temperature data digitally are incorporated in a catheter or probe ablation system that also includes electrodes in operative contact with the sensors. The sensors are connected in parallel to a common electrical bus, thereby allowing the system to operate using a reduced number of electrical paths as compared to conventional ablation systems. The present invention is also directed to ablation systems that incorporate analog sensors rather than digital sensors. In this embodiment, the system utilizes digital switching, filtering circuits, or oscillators to reduce the number of wires required to operate the sensors.

Abstract: A targeted UV phototherapy apparatus has a UV radiation source for emitting UV radiation at a first wavelength and a phosphor element separate from the source for converting the UV radiation in the first wavelength to a different UV wavelength in the therapeutic UVB or UVA range. A radiation directing assembly directs radiation from the UV source to the separate phosphor element, and a shaped exit aperture placed directly against a lesion directs radiation emitted from the phosphor element onto a predetermined target area of the lesion.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for biostimulation of a myocardial tissue, by irradiating the myocardial tissue with a source of electromagnetic radiation which causes biostimulation of the myocardial tissue. Preferably, the electromagnetic radiation is selected from the group consisting of infrared, visible light and ultraviolet radiation. Typically, the tissue is irradiated after the myocardial tissue develops an infarct of a given size, such that irradiating the myocardial tissue causes a reduction in the size of the infarct. The irradiation may also cause regeneration of cardiomyocytes in the infarct and help to preserve structure and activity of mitochondria in cardiomyocytes in the infarct.

Abstract: A heat exchange catheter having an expandable insulating region thereon. The catheter has a heat exchange region and the insulating region disposed proximally thereto. The insulating region assumes a first size about a catheter shaft to facilitate insertion of the catheter into the body. Once the insulating region is inserted into the body, the insulating region is expanded a second size. The insulating region may be a balloon around the catheter shaft that is inflated to the second size to create a gap between the wall of the balloon and the catheter shaft. Heat flows through the catheter shaft to and from the heat exchange region, and thus heat loss or gain to and from the surrounding body is minimized in the insulating region. The exchange region may include a fluid circulation path comprised of lumens through the catheter shaft.

Abstract: A method of treating a patient's heart comprises the steps of identifying an ischemic area of the heart. A plurality of cells are provided and the cells are irradiated in vitro with electromagnetic radiation. The irradiated cells are then implanted into the ischemic area of the heart. The electromagnetic radiation provides biostimulation of the cells. The treated cells are cardio myocetes such as from embrionic heart muscle or skeletal muscle cells. The electromagnetic radiation is in the infrared (IR) range, visible light range, or ultraviolet (UV) range.

Abstract: The invention entitled the use of infrared radiation in the treatment of oncological disorders relates to the field of medicine and can be used for treating oncological disorders. The aim of the invention is to create an effective method of treating oncological disorders that involves exposing the patient to infrared radiation. The aim is achieved by exposing the patient to two kinds of infrared radiation, first to pulse infrared radiation with a wavelength of 16 to 16.25 micron, that consists of two short powerful pulses with an intensity up to 320 W/cm2, lasting 10-12 microseconds each, and following each other, and then to infrared radiation with a wavelength corresponding to the body's intrinsic infrared radiation. The exposure to pulse infrared radiation is done first generally, then locally. The exposure to infrared radiation with a wavelength corresponding to the body's intrinsic infrared radiation is also done first generally, then locally.

Abstract: A probe for use in the coagulation of biological tissue by plasma discharge comprises a protective device with a mask made of an insulating material. The mask is so constructed and attachable to the probe that parts of the biological tissue that are vulnerable or other parts that likewise should not be coagulated can be shielded by the masking region.