Abstract: A guidewire, consisting of a flexible biocompatible tube, having a tube distal end, the tube containing an internal lumen and being configured to be inserted into an orifice of a body of a living subject. A planar resilient strip is inserted into the internal lumen, the strip having a strip proximal end and a strip distal end fixed to the tube distal end. A coil spring is fixed to the strip proximal end so that an axis of symmetry of the coil is coplanar with the strip, the coil spring containing a coil lumen. A wire is threaded through the coil lumen and has a termination fixed to the strip distal end, so that pulling on the wire causes the strip and the tube to bend.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product, the method comprising: within an electrophysiology system executed by a computing platform and comprising a voice capture device: receiving an audio signal captured by an audio capture device; analyzing the audio signal to retrieve at least one trigger phrase; in response to identifying the trigger phrase, further analyzing the audio signal to identify one or more words associated with a user command; generating at least one code corresponding to the user command; and transmitting the at least one code to a driver of the computing platform, thereby causing execution of the user command by the electrophysiology system.

Abstract: A method includes calculating in real-time a correlation between vacuum readings and pressure readings of respective aspiration and irrigation channels of a phacoemulsification handpiece engaged in a phacoemulsification procedure in an eye. Upon detecting an increase in the vacuum readings and an increase in the pressure readings, a current level of the correlation is checked. Provided that the current level of the correlation is above a given value, an anti-vacuum surge (AVS) mechanism is activated, the AVS mechanism fluidly coupled with at least one of the irrigation and aspiration channels.

Abstract: An integrated guidewire includes a wire and an optical fiber. The wire is sized and shaped to move in an anatomical material transportation system of a patient. The optical fiber has proximal and distal ends, the proximal-end is coupled to a device external to the patient, the optical fiber is configured to transfer optical signals between the distal-end and the device, and the wire and the optical fiber are intertwined with respect to one another.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electrophysiological assessment, including acquiring electrical signals from tissue at locations in a heart chamber and a computer processor automatically deriving from the electrical signals annotations indicative of times within a heart cycle at which a conduction wave traversed the locations. The method includes receiving an input from a processor user indicating, for a first location in the tissue where the electrical signals include a double-potential signal, a first annotation as a valid annotation. The processor automatically identifies second locations, within a predefined distance from the first location, where the electrical signals include double-potential signals, each having two respective annotations.

Abstract: A system includes an ocular surgical handpiece including an irrigation conduit. The system further includes an irrigation tube, configured to establish fluidic communication between a supply of irrigation fluid and the irrigation conduit, such that the irrigation fluid flows distally from the supply, via the irrigation tube and the irrigation conduit, to an eye of a patient. The system further includes a pressure regulator, configured to regulate an intraocular pressure of the eye by regulating the flow of the irrigation fluid within the irrigation conduit, within the irrigation tube, or between the irrigation conduit and the irrigation tube. Other examples are also described.

Abstract: A telescopic sheath includes an outer sleeve extending from a proximal end to a distal end, wherein the distal end is configured for being inserted into a body, an inner sleeve that telescopically extends proximally from the proximal end of the outer sleeve, a fluid seal, which is disposed between the inner sleeve and outer sleeve and is configured to prevent back bleeding through a space between the inner sleeve and outer sleeve, and a lock, configured to fix a position of the inner sleeve with respect to the outer sleeve. The sheath is configured to guide an intrabody catheter by virtue of the catheter passing from a proximal end of the inner sleeve to the distal end of the outer sleeve. Other examples are also described.

Abstract: A method includes receiving time-varying boundary condition values measured for a probe inside a cavity of an organ of a patient. A time-dependent shape of the probe is calculated by (a) representing sections of the probe as first springs, (b) representing external forces acting on the sections as second springs, and (c) solving a set of coupled equations of motion, for the first springs and the second springs, so as to meet the time-varying boundary condition values. The shape is presented to a user.

Abstract: A method includes receiving cardiac signals from multiple locations within a ventricle of a heart of a patient. The received signals are compared with reference signals indicative of an arrhythmia. Based on the comparison, a direction is calculated, towards a location that may demonstrate an increased correlation between the received signals and the reference signals. The direction is indicated to a user.

Abstract: A distal-end assembly of a medical device, the distal-end assembly includes a flexible substrate and electrical conductors. The flexible substrate is configured to be coupled to a distal end of an insertion tube. The electrical conductors are disposed on the flexible substrate and are shaped to form: (i) one or more electrodes, configured to exchange electrical signals with a proximal end of the medical device, and (ii) one or more printed filters, which are disposed adjacently to at least one of the electrodes and are configured to filter signals in a predefined frequency range from the electrical signals exchanged between the at least one of the electrodes and the proximal end.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical system includes a catheter configured to be inserted into a body part of a living subject, and including an elongated deflectable element including a distal end, a proximal coupler connected to the distal end, an expandable assembly comprising a plurality of flexible polymer circuit strips, the flexible polymer circuit strips having respective proximal ends connected to, and disposed circumferentially around, the proximal coupler, respective ones of the flexible polymer circuit strips including respective multiple strip electrodes, respective contact arrays disposed at the respective proximal ends, and respective multiple circuit traces electrically connecting the respective multiple strip electrodes with the respective contact arrays, and a plurality of surface mountable electrodes mounted on, and bulging over respective ones of the flexible polymer circuit strips.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a catheter including an insertion tube and a first position sensor, a pusher including a second position sensor, and an expandable assembly including flexible strips disposed circumferentially around a distal portion of the pusher, with first ends of the strips connected to the distal end of the insertion tube and second ends of the strips connected to the distal portion of the pusher, the flexible strips bowing radially outward when the pusher is retracted, processing circuitry to receive a respective position signal from the first and second position sensors, compute location and orientation coordinates for the position sensors subject to a constraint that the position sensors are coaxial and have a same orientation, compute a distance between the computed location coordinates of the position sensors, and find position coordinates of the flexible strips responsively to at least the computed distance.

Abstract: One embodiment includes a catheter apparatus, including an elongated deflectable element including a distal end, a coupler connected to the distal end, a pusher including a distal portion, and configured to be advanced and retracted through the deflectable element, a nose connector connected to the distal portion, and including a distal receptacle having an inner surface and a distal facing opening, and an expandable assembly including flexible polymer circuit strips, each strip including electrodes disposed thereon, the strips being disposed circumferentially around the distal portion of the pusher, with first ends of the strips being connected to the coupler and second ends of the strips including respective hinges entering the distal facing opening and connected to the inner surface of the distal receptacle, the strips being configured to bow radially outward when the pusher is retracted expanding the expandable assembly from a collapsed form to an expanded form.

Abstract: A system includes an anti-vacuum surge (AVS) mechanism and a processor. The AVS mechanism is configured to suppress a vacuum surge during the phacoemulsification procedure. The processor is configured to (i) during the phacoemulsification procedure, receive pressure readings from one or more sensors, (ii) using the pressure readings, estimate an occurrence of a vacuum surge, and (iii) upon estimating the occurrence of the vacuum surge, activate the AVS mechanism in a predefined pulsed manner to suppress the vacuum surge.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a base, including two motors and a mechanical coupling mechanism, and a cartridge shaped to define two stators and respective pairs of ports in fluidic communication with the stators. The cartridge is removably insertable into the base and includes two rotors disposed, respectively, within the stators. The mechanical coupling mechanism is configured to mechanically couple the rotors to the motors, respectively, such that, following insertion of the cartridge into the base, the motors rotate the rotors, thereby pumping fluid through the pairs of ports. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: The disclosed technology includes a method of treating atrial fibrillation in a predetermined group of patients meeting predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, including delivering a catheter into a pulmonary vein of each patient of the predetermined group of patients, ablating one or more locations of targeted tissues of the pulmonary vein using the catheter, determining an ablation index as a function of the measured contact force and number of pulsed electric field applications for each location of the one or more locations from the pulsed electric field ablation, and achieving a predetermined effectiveness rate of pulmonary vein isolation in the group of patients within an effectiveness evaluation period. The catheter can include a tip electrode configured to emit either a pulsed electric field or a radiofrequency signal to cardiac tissue and measure a contact force experienced by the tip electrode against cardiac tissue during pulsed electric field ablation.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a compressor, which is configured to compress air and includes an input port and an output port, an output conduit coupled with the output port and configured to receive the air from the compressor, an input conduit coupled with the input port, a switching valve coupled with the output conduit and with the input conduit, and configured to couple a pneumatic surgical cutting tool, alternatingly, with the output conduit and with the input conduit, and a supply conduit coupled with the input conduit and configured to supply the air, to the input conduit, from a surrounding environment. The supply conduit includes a one-way valve configured to inhibit the air from escaping from the input conduit to the surrounding environment when the compressor is idle. Other examples are also described.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification system, including a probe having an irrigation channel and an aspiration channel, and a distal end including a needle and a sleeve insertable into an eye. There is an irrigation pump pumping irrigation fluid via the irrigation channel into the eye, and an aspiration pump pumping aspiration fluid via the aspiration channel from the eye. A first pressure sensor is coupled with the irrigation fluid and provides a first signal of intraocular pressure (IOP) in the eye; a second pressure sensor is coupled with the aspiration fluid and provides a second signal of the IOP. A system processor receives the first and second signals, and responsively to at least one of the signals, identifies at least one frequency and an associated at least one phase of the IOP, and pumps at least one of the pumps at the identified frequency and in antiphase to the identified phase.

Abstract: A medical probe includes a shaft and an expandable balloon. The shaft is configured for insertion into an organ of a patient. The expandable balloon is coupled to a distal end of the shaft, with the expandable balloon including: (a) an expandable membrane having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the expandable membrane is configured to be expanded from a collapsed shape to a balloon shaped member, (b) a plurality of electrodes disposed on the outer surface of the expandable membrane, (c) one or more wires connected to the plurality of electrodes, the wires extending from the distal end to the electrode, (d) and an expandable cover that encapsulates the wires between the expandable cover and the expandable membrane so that the wires are constrained between the cover and the expandable membrane but the electrodes are exposed to ambient environment.

Abstract: A system including a medical probe having a tube with a distal end for insertion into a cardiac chamber, an electrode at the distal end that conveys energy to myocardial tissue, a temperature sensor at the distal end that outputs a signal indicating a temperature of the tissue, a channel contained within the tube that delivers fluid to the distal end, and a fluid port at the distal end and coupled to the channel. The system also includes a generator that applies a specified level of the energy to the electrode, a pump that forces the fluid into the channel at a controllable rate, and a processor that controls the rate responsively to the signal so that a difference between a specified temperature, which is no greater than 55° C., and the indicated temperature is no greater than ±2.5° C. while the generator applies a constant level of the energy.