Abstract: A cooling system for a surgical handpiece may provide fluid flow to the surgical tip and to the internal electronic components to prevent temperatures that may damage or make the patient or surgeon uncomfortable. Tip directed gas further controls the tip-tissue interface by displacing blood or serum from the incision point, increasing precision and diminishing coagulum build-up. In the alternative, cooling fluid may be used to quench tissue being treated.

Abstract: An impedance matching circuit may be used to adjust for manufacturing and design tolerances in a surgical instrument. The matching circuit may match the load of a thermal element with the impedance of a power source used to deliver electrical energy to the surgical instrument. The matching circuit may include capacitors, inductors, coaxial cables, varactors, transformers, resistors, and/or combinations thereof. The matching circuit may also comprise a circuit board or flex board layers which may be modified to adjust the impedance of the load.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating neural shunt functionality is provided. Accordingly, in one aspect a method for monitoring neural shunt functionality may include measuring a first intracranial pressure pulse inside the shunt, measuring a second intracranial pressure pulse outside the shunt, and comparing pulsatile characteristics from the first measurement to the second measurement in order to determine shunt functionality.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring intracranial pressure and brain compliance are provided. In one aspect, for example, a method for noninvasive measurement of brain compliance in a subject may include calculating a phase shift between an intracranial pulsatile perfusion flow measured from the subject and an extracranial pulsatile perfusion flow measured from the subject, and determining brain compliance of the subject from the phase shift between the intracranial pulsatile perfusion flow and an extracranial pulsatile perfusion flow. Though various methods of calculating phase shift are contemplated, in one aspect such a calculation may include calculating an intracranial frequency waveform corresponding to the intracranial pulsatile perfusion flow, calculating an extracranial frequency waveform corresponding to the extracranial pulsatile perfusion flow, and calculating a phase difference between the intracranial frequency waveform and the extracranial frequency waveform.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating neural shunt functionality is provided. Accordingly, in one aspect a method for monitoring neural shunt functionality may include measuring a first intracranial pressure pulse inside the shunt, measuring a second intracranial pressure pulse outside the shunt, and comparing pulsatile characteristics from the first measurement to the second measurement in order to determine shunt functionality.