Abstract: A guide sheath includes ports at a handle portion through which flexible endoscopic tools may be advanced until they emerge from corresponding ports at a distal tip of the guide sheath. The guide sheath includes a position sensor at its distal tip that is compatible with an image guided surgery (IGS) system, such that a virtual view of the distal tip's position relative to a surgical site may be presented by the IGS system. The virtual view may assist a surgeon in precisely positioning the distal tip at the surgical site, and then one or more flexible endoscopic tools may be advanced the length of the guide sheath for use at the surgical site. The guide sheath may also include an articulating portion at the distal tip that may be deflected in one or more directions in order to provide additional control over placement within the surgical site.

Abstract: An implant delivery system includes a catheter, an implant, and a push body. The catheter extends from a first proximal end to a first distal end. The catheter defines an inner lumen extending through the first distal end. The implant includes a second proximal, a second distal end, and a plurality of resilient barbs. The implant is slidably housed within the inner lumen. The implant is compressed in the inner lumen such that the implant bears against an inner diameter of the inner lumen and the implant is retained within the inner lumen by friction. The push body is slidably housed within the inner lumen of the catheter. The push body is adjacent to the second proximal end of the implant.

Abstract: A surgical instrument and related method includes an instrument body, a guide shaft distally projecting from the instrument body, and a first surgical tool. The guide shaft has a guide sidewall, a guide lumen, and a clearance opening radially extending through the guide sidewall in communication with the guide lumen. The first surgical tool has an elongate body and a distal head configured to deflect relative to the elongate body from a first position to a second position. The distal head in the first position is positioned within the guide lumen along the central axis. The distal head in the second position is deflected from the central axis and extends at least partially through the clearance opening thereby vacating at least a portion of the guide lumen for introducing a second surgical tool through the guide lumen.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for cutting a tissue and related methods includes a shaft, a cutting member, and an axial adjustment coupling. The shaft and the cutting member are configured to articulate from a first configuration toward a second configuration and respectively have distal and proximal shaft ends distal and proximal member ends. The cutting member is disposed within the shaft and configured to cyclically move relative to the shaft. The axial adjustment coupling is configured to longitudinally move the proximal member end relative to the proximal shaft end while articulating the shaft and the cutting member from the first configuration toward the second configuration. Thereby, the axial adjustment coupling inhibits movement of the distal member end relative to the distal shaft end for maintaining alignment between a shaft window opening in the shaft and a cutting window opening in the cutting member.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a proximal portion and a distal portion attached to the proximal portion. The proximal portion includes a proximal surface. The proximal portion defines a first pathway and a second pathway that both extend distally from the proximal surface. The first pathway is dimensioned to receive a shaft while the second pathway is dimensioned to receive a navigation guidewire. The distal portion includes a distal tip terminating into a distal end. The second pathway extends from the proximal portion into the distal tip.

Abstract: A surgical instrument and method of removing a portion of a tissue mass includes a shaft, a cutting member, and an aspiration vent. The shaft has a shaft lumen, a shaft window, and a shaft edge. The cutting member is disposed within the shaft lumen and is configured to cyclically move from a first position to a second position relative to the shaft. The cutting member includes a cutting window opening, a cutting edge, and a suction lumen to cut the tissue portion with the cutting member in the first position. The aspiration vent extends through at least one of the shaft or the cutting member for fluid communication with the suction lumen to suction an airflow for urging the tissue portion away from the cutting edge and along the suction lumen.

Abstract: A virtual endoscopic view shows a surgical area and surrounding anatomy and may also show a position of a surgical instrument in use during a surgical procedure, allowing a surgeon to virtually view the surgical area when direct viewing or actual endoscopic views are incomplete, obstructed, or otherwise unavailable or undesirable. In order to render the endoscopic view, an IGS navigation system may be configured with an observer point and an observer orientation within 3-D space based upon user inputs. A user interface for defining these points allows a user to view a virtual endoscopic preview in real-time while providing inputs, thus improving the likelihood that the resulting virtual endoscopic view is as desired by the user; and reducing time spent redefining and reconfiguring the virtual endoscopic view. The virtual endoscopic preview may provide combinations of static and dynamic images to illustrate the spatial relationship of the provided inputs.

Abstract: An apparatus may be used with an elongate member that includes an engagement member, a hollow shaft, a compression member, a compression element, and a resilient gripping member. The hollow shaft extends from the engagement member along a longitudinal axis. The compression member is slidably disposed over the hollow shaft. The hollow shaft is disposed over the resilient gripping member and supports the compression element. The compression member has a conical inner surface including a detent feature. The conical inner surface is configured to urge the compression element radially inwards as the collar advances from the unlocked position toward the locked position where the detent feature retains the compression element. The compression element deforms the resilient gripping member radially inwards to grip the elongate member and prevents translation of the elongate member. When unlocked, the resilient gripping member moves radially away from the elongate member allowing translation.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an elongate shaft and a position sensor. The elongate shaft defines a longitudinal axis. The elongate shaft includes a distal end, an opening, and a lumen. The position sensor is laterally offset from the longitudinal axis. The first position sensor is fixedly secured relative to the elongate shaft at a known distance from the opening. The first position sensor is configured to generate signals indicating a position of the elongate shaft in three-dimensional space.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a shaft assembly, a distal tip member, a dissection member, and a position sensor. The distal tip member has an opening in fluid communication with a lumen of the shaft assembly. A longitudinal axis extends centrally through the opening and lumen at the distal tip member. The dissection member extends distally from the distal tip member. The first position sensor is operable to generate signals indicating a position of the distal tip member in space.

Abstract: A system (11) includes a medical probe (36) for insertion into a cavity of an organ, which includes a position and direction sensor (60) and a camera (45), both operating in a sensor coordinate system (62). The system further includes a processor (44) configured to: receive, from an imaging system (21) operating in an image coordinate system (28), a three-dimensional image of the cavity including open space and tissue; receive, from the medical probe, signals indicating positions and respective directions of the medical probe inside the cavity; receive, from the camera, respective visualized locations inside the cavity; register the image coordinate system with the sensor coordinate system so as to identify one or more voxels in the image at the visualized locations, and when the identified voxels have density values in the received image that do not correspond to the open space, to update the density values of the identified voxels to correspond to the open space.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a proximal coil, a distal coil, a navigation sensor, and a wire. The proximal coil is formed by a wire wrapped in a helical configuration. The distal coil is formed by a wire wrapped in a helical configuration. At least one wrap at a proximal portion of the distal coil is interlocked with at least one wrap at a distal portion of the proximal coil, such that interlocking portions of the proximal and distal coils form a double helix configuration. The navigation sensor is located within the distal coil. The navigation sensor is configured to generate signals in response to movement within an electromagnetic field. The wire extends through the proximal coil. The wire is in electrical communication with the navigation sensor such that the wire is configured to communicate signals from the navigation sensor.

Abstract: A plug is configured to maintain position within a Eustachian tube of a patient. The plug includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The proximal portion includes a first body dimensioned bear radially outwardly against the Eustachian tube of the patient. The distal portion includes an anchoring assembly that is configured to lock the plug in the Eustachian tube of the patient. The plug may be formed of a bioabsorbable material.

Abstract: A bio-absorbable implant is configured to bear radially outwardly against a Eustachian tube of a patient. The implant includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The proximal portion includes an array of dilating bodies and a tether assembly. The dilating bodies are formed of a bio-absorbable material and are dimensioned to bear radially outwardly against the Eustachian tube of the patient. The tether assembly connects adjacent dilating bodies of the array of dilating bodies. The tether assembly is configured to allow restricted movement of the array of dilating bodies to thereby change the longitudinal profile of the proximal portion. The distal portion includes an anchor assembly that is configured to secure the bio-absorbable implant in the Eustachian tube of the patient.

Abstract: An endoscope assembly includes a shaft assembly, an endoscopic camera assembly, and an anatomy elevation assembly. The shaft assembly includes a flexible outer shaft defining a lumen, a first electrical communication line, and a first fluid communication line. The endoscopic camera assembly is in communication with the first electrical communication line. The anatomy elevation assembly includes an inflatable member coupled to the flexible outer shaft. The inflatable member includes an interior surface. The first fluid communication line is in fluid communication with the inflatable member. The inflatable member is configured to transition between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration. The interior surface is configured to define a viewing path distal to the endoscopic camera assembly while the inflatable member is in the inflated configuration.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a body, an upright member, a frame, and a plurality of field generating elements. The body is configured to be positioned between a patient's back and a backrest of a chair. The upright member extends upwardly from the body. The frame has a curved configuration configured to partially surround a patient's head. The field generating elements are configured to generate an electromagnetic field around a patient's head partially surrounded by the frame.

Abstract: A dilation catheter includes a shaft, a distal tip sized and configured to pass through an isthmus of a Eustachian tube (ET), and an expandable element moveable along an exterior of the shaft between a proximal position and a distal position. The expandable element is operable to transition between an unexpanded state in which the expandable element is configured for insertion into the ET via the isthmus, and an expanded state in which the expandable element is configured to dilate the ET.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for cutting a tissue includes a shaft, a cutting member, and an alignment system. The shaft extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a shaft opening. The cutting member is disposed within the shaft lumen to cyclically move from an open state to a closed state. The cutting member includes a sidewall, a cutting window, and a suction lumen. The cutting window opening in the open state aligns with the shaft opening such that the cutting window opening and the shaft opening are in fluid communication. The sidewall in the closed state aligns with the shaft opening such that the sidewall blocks fluid communication to the shaft opening for inhibiting suctioning the tissue therethrough. The alignment system urges movement of the cutting member moving the open state toward the closed state such that the cutting member stops in the closed state.

Abstract: A guidewire includes a guidewire shaft and an inflatable element arranged at a distal end of the guidewire shaft. At least a portion of the guidewire shaft is formed of metal, and the guidewire shaft includes a lumen that fluidly communicates with an interior of the inflatable element. The inflatable element is operable to transition between a deflated state in which the inflatable element is configured to pass through an isthmus of a Eustachian tube (ET), and an inflated state in which the inflatable element is configured to dilate the ET.

Abstract: A device can detect and retrieve a blood clot by advancing a catheter with a clot sensing element through a patient vascular. The catheter can map, using an electromagnetic sensor disposed at a distal end of the clot sensing element, the patient vascular. A force sensor can generate a position signal indicating the clot sensing element contacted the clot in the patient vascular.