Abstract: A non-invasive testing apparatus for determining a concentration of a target substance, such as blood sugar, blood alcohol, cholesterol, etc., in a patient's blood is disclosed. The apparatus and method involve applying an output RF signal (102) to the skin of a patient via an antenna (20), and measuring the amplitude and phase of a response signal, which is a function of the output RF signal (102) modified by an interaction with the patient's blood. The invention takes measurements at different output RF frequencies (310), and plots the response (300) as a function of frequency (310). The invention is essentially characterised by deriving various derived parameters (552, 554, 556, 550, 408, 410) from the shape of the resulting plots, namely any or more of: a resonance frequency shift; a Q factor of the resonance; a group delay; a phase shift; an amplitude variation; a shape factor of the plot; and a gradient of the plot at different frequencies.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to three enhancements for a surgical snare: an electrosurgical snare in which the loop of snare wire extends from an energy transfer surface which can act both as a physical reaction surface for mechanical cutting using the snare and as a region for emitting electromagnetic energy; a surgical snare having a snare wire having a first end connected to a movable boss that is slidably mounted on a coaxial cable; and a surgical snare having an end cap with a distally facing reaction surface and a pair of channels for guiding a snare wire, where the distally facing reaction surface is arranged to contact the retractable loop when fully retracted

Abstract: The disclosure relates to three enhancements for a surgical snare: an electrosurgical snare in which the loop of snare wire extends from an energy transfer surface which can act both as a physical reaction surface for mechanical cutting using the snare and as a region for emitting electromagnetic energy; a surgical snare having a snare wire having a first end connected to a movable boss that is slidably mounted on a coaxial cable; and a surgical snare having an end cap with a distally facing reaction surface and a pair of channels for guiding a snare wire, where the distally facing reaction surface is arranged to contact the retractable loop when fully retracted.

Abstract: A non-invasive testing apparatus for determining a concentration of a target substance, such as blood sugar, blood alcohol, cholesterol, etc., in a patient's blood is disclosed. The apparatus and method involve applying an output RF signal (102) to the skin of a patient via an antenna (20), and measuring the amplitude and phase of a response signal, which is a function of the output RF signal (102) modified by an interaction with the patient's blood. The invention takes measurements at different output RF frequencies (310), and plots the response (300) as a function of frequency (310). The invention is essentially characterised by deriving various derived parameters (552, 554, 556, 550, 408, 410) from the shape of the resulting plots, namely any or more of: a resonance frequency shift; a Q factor of the resonance; a group delay; a phase shift; an amplitude variation; a shape factor of the plot; and a gradient of the plot at different frequencies.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to three enhancements for a surgical snare: an electrosurgical snare in which the loop of snare wire extends from an energy transfer surface which can act both as a physical reaction surface for mechanical cutting using the snare and as a region for emitting electromagnetic energy; a surgical snare having a snare wire having a first end connected to a movable boss that is slidably mounted on a coaxial cable; and a surgical snare having an end cap with a distally facing reaction surface and a pair of channels for guiding a snare wire, where the distally facing reaction surface is arranged to contact the retractable loop when fully retracted.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for ablating tissue is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a source of microwave radiation (1), a probe (5) for directing the microwave radiation into tissue, one or more detectors for detecting the power and phase of the microwave radiation and an impedance adjuster (50) for adjusting impedance so as to minimize the amount of microwave radiation which reflected back through the probe. The detector or detectors use a local oscillator (230) to derive the phase information. A modulator for modulating the microwave radiation to a cutting frequency is also disclosed.