Abstract: Apparatus and methods for maintaining contact between tissue and cooled probes.

Abstract: A probe that may be used to create circumferential lesions in body tissue and, in some implementations, may also be used to perform mapping functions. The probe includes a collapsible/expandable structure that supports electrodes or other operative elements against the body tissue.

Abstract: An ablation device for creating a lesion within a body is provided. The ablation device includes a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein at least a portion of the shaft is bendable to form a desired configuration. A clamp assembly is secured to the distal end of the shaft. The clamp assembly has a first jaw and a second jaw, the second jaw moveable relative to the first jaw to open or close the clamp assembly. The ablation device also includes a first electrode secured to the first jaw of the clamp assembly, a second electrode secured to the second jaw of the clamp assembly, and a handle connected to the proximal end of the shaft.

Abstract: A medical probe for use with tissue includes an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, an operative element carried at the distal end of the elongate member, and a stabilizer configured for applying a vacuum force to secure the operative element relative to the tissue. A method of performing a medical procedure on a patient includes introducing a medical probe having an operative element within the patient, the operative element being adjacent a target tissue, applying a vacuum force between the medical probe and the target tissue to secure the operative element relative to the target tissue, and operating the operative element to perform the medical procedure on the target tissue while the operative element is secured relative to the target tissue.

Abstract: A cannula configured for providing an instrument access to an internal organ or tissue is provided. The cannula includes a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the lumen configured for slidably housing the instrument. The cannula also includes an imaging window mounted on the distal end of the shaft and/or an imaging cable coupled to the imaging window, the imaging cable fixedly secured to the shaft.

Abstract: A medical probe includes an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, an ablative element mounted to the distal end of the elongate member, and a cage assembly mounted to the distal end of the elongate member, the cage assembly at least partially covers the ablative element. A method of treating tissue in a body includes inserting an ablative element in the body, placing the ablative element adjacent the tissue, and maintaining a distance between the ablative element and the tissue using a protective catheter element that circumscribes at least a portion of the ablative element.

Abstract: An ablation system includes an ablation source, an ablation probe having an ablation element coupled to a power terminal of the generator, and a ground probe coupled to a return terminal of the generator, the ground probe configured to be inserted within a body during use. One of the ablation probe and the ground probe is configured for being intravascularly introduced to an interior of an organ, and another of the ablation probe and the ground probe is configured for being extravascularly placed in contact with an exterior of the organ. A method of ablating tissue having a thickness includes placing one of an ablative element and a ground element in a first location adjacent the tissue, placing another of the ablative element and the ground element in a second location adjacent the tissue, and delivering ablation energy through the thickness of the tissue between the ablative and ground elements.

Abstract: An electrode assembly adapted to transmit electrical energy for ablating body tissue includes an expandable and collapsible non-compliant body made of a durable material and defining an interior adapted to receive a medium containing ions. The body includes a porous region, an electrode adapted to transmit electrical energy located in the interior of the body, a microporous membrane located on the porous region of the non-compliant body, and the microporous membrane is sized to pass ions contained in the medium without substantial medium perfusion therethrough, to thereby enable ionic transport of electrical energy from the ion-containing medium to the exterior of the electrode assembly to ablate body tissue.

Abstract: An embedded system includes a microprocessor and performance measuring logic coupled to the microprocessor and configured to record selected performance metrics. In the given routine. In general, a counter is configured to record statistics for each of the performance metrics, and the counters may be controlled using a programmable mask, which is included in a memory coupled to the microprocessor. Based on these metrics, designers may fine-tune software for the embedded system.

Abstract: An intervertebral disc device is provided comprising a distal sheath sized to be extended from a distal end of an introducer that is percutaneously delivered into an interior of an intervertebral disc, a distal section of the sheath being predisposed to adopting a bent configuration when extended from the introducer; a probe adapted to be extended from a distal end of the sheath, the bent section of the sheath causing the probe to adopt a same bent configuration; and a proximal handle for externally guiding the probe within an intervertebral disc.

Abstract: An intervertebral disc device is provided comprising a distal sheath sized to be extended from a distal end of an introducer that is percutaneously delivered into an interior of an intervertebral disc, a distal section of the sheath being predisposed to adopting a bent configuration when extended from the introducer; a probe adapted to be extended from a distal end of the sheath, the bent section of the sheath causing the probe to adopt a same bent configuration; and a proximal handle for externally guiding the probe within an intervertebral disc.

Abstract: An embedded system includes a microprocessor and performance measuring logic coupled to the microprocessor and configured to record selected performance metrics. The performance metrics may be one or more of the following exemplary metrics: overall execution time of a particular routine, number of instruction cycles executed in the particular routine, number of cache hits in the given routine; total number of memory reads in the given routine, total number of memory accesses (reads and writes) in the given routine, number of control bus read cycles in the given routine, number of control bus cycles (reads and writes) in the given routine number of non-cacheable read cycles in the given routine, and total number of non-cacheable access cycles (reads and writes) in the given routine. In general, a counter is configured to record statistics for each of the performance metrics, and the counters may be controlled using a programmable mask, which is included in a memory coupled to the microprocessor.