Abstract: A system and method for medical treatment of tissue using ultrasound. The system comprises a probe having an array of transducer elements, an ultrasound waveform generator adapted to generate at least one electrical ultrasound signal, and a plurality of phase controls, each coupled to the ultrasound waveform generator and adapted to generate from the electrical ultrasound signal a phase-shifted drive signal that is coupled to an associated transducer element. The drive signal is effective to control grating lobe foci emitted by the array. The method employs the system.

Abstract: A system for temporal transmit apodization of an ultrasound transducer array. The system includes a waveform generator and an ultrasound transducer array having a plurality of transducer elements. Each of the transducer elements is driven by a signal generator that generates a periodic waveform. The duty cycle of each signal generator is determined by a predetermined setting of a duty cycle control. The duty cycle of each signal generator is calculated to achieve a desired beam profile of the transducer array, such as acoustic focusing for reducing the level of grating lobes and side lobes. Apodization is achieved by varying the effective amplitude at each array element by varying the duty cycle of the signal provided to each element.

Abstract: An ultrasound medical system includes an ultrasound end effector. The ultrasound end effector includes a shaft, a sheath, and a medical ultrasound transducer assembly. The medical ultrasound transducer assembly is supported by the shaft and has at least one medical-treatment ultrasound transducer. The sheath surrounds the shaft. The sheath includes at least one balloon portion which is expandable against patient tissue to provide at least some stabilization of the ultrasound end effector with respect to patient tissue.

Abstract: An ultrasound medical system includes an ultrasound end effector and at least one non-ultrasound tissue-property-measuring sensor. The ultrasound end effector includes a medical ultrasound transducer assembly having at least one medical-treatment ultrasound transducer. The at-least-one non-ultrasound tissue-property-measuring sensor is supported by the ultrasound end effector and is positionable in contact with patient tissue.

Abstract: An ultrasound medical system includes an interstitial end effector. The interstitial end effector is interstitially insertable into patient tissue, includes at least one medical-treatment ultrasound transducer, and includes at least one end-effector-tissue-track ablation device. One method for ultrasonically treating a lesion in a patient includes the steps of obtaining the interstitial end effector and inserting it into the patient creating a tissue track which is surrounded by patient tissue and which ends at the distal end of the inserted interstitial end effector. Other steps include ultrasonically ablating the lesion using the at-least-one medical-treatment ultrasound transducer, using the at-least-one end-effector-tissue-track ablation device to ablate the patient tissue surrounding the tissue track along substantially the entire tissue track, and withdrawing the end effector from the patient.

Abstract: An ultrasound medical system has an end effector including a medical ultrasound transducer and an acoustic coupling medium. The acoustic coupling medium has a transducer-proximal surface and a transducer-distal surface. The medical ultrasound transducer is positioned to emit medical ultrasound through the acoustic coupling medium from the transducer-proximal surface to the transducer-distal surface. The end effector is adapted to change a property (such as the shape and/or the temperature) of the acoustic coupling medium during emission, and/or between emissions, of medical ultrasound from the medical ultrasound transducer during a medical procedure on a patient. In one example, such changes are used to change the focus and/or beam angle of the emitted ultrasound during the medical procedure.

Abstract: An ultrasound medical system includes an ultrasound end effector. The ultrasound end effector has an exterior surface, includes a medical ultrasound transducer assembly having at least one medical-treatment ultrasound transducer, and includes at least one tine. The at-least-one tine is deployable to extend away from the exterior surface into patient tissue to provide at least some stabilization of the ultrasound end effector with respect to patient tissue and is retrievable to retract back toward the exterior surface.

Abstract: A method for reducing electronic artifacts in ultrasound images of anatomical tissue. At least two calibration signals are received from imaging ultrasound waves that have been reflected from different regions in anatomical tissue. A correction signal is derived from the calibration signals. The correction signal is subtracted from a signal to derive a corrected signal. An image generated from the corrected signal is then displayed. The correction signal may be derived using weighted averaging and may be updated upon receipt of additional signals. The correction signal may be initialized to zero periodically, in response to a change in the system, or at the direction of the operator.

Abstract: An ultrasound medical treatment system includes an ultrasound medical treatment transducer and a controller. In one arrangement, the controller movingly controls the medical treatment transducer to emit ultrasound to thermally ablate patient tissue: 1) for a plurality of predetermined time intervals each associated with the medical treatment transducer movingly disposed at a different one of an equal number of predetermined positions, wherein a next-in-time time interval is associated with a position which is spatially non-adjacent to a position associated with a present-in-time time interval; or 2) for a predetermined time interval during which the transducer is continuously moved. Methods of the invention so control the medical treatment transducer using or not using the controller. In another arrangement, the transducer has an array of transducer elements and the controller activates different non-overlapping groups or different overlapping groups of transducer elements at different times.

Abstract: An embodiment of an ultrasound medical treatment system includes an ultrasound medical-treatment transducer and a controller. The controller powers the transducer to deliver ultrasound to thermally ablate patient tissue in vivo. In a first expression of the embodiment and/or a first method for thermally ablating patient tissue in vivo which optionally can employ the embodiment, the transducer is powered to deliver ultrasound for or beyond an in vivo treatment time which is a function of an experimentally-determined in vitro treatment time for the same ultrasound acoustic power. In a second expression of the embodiment and/or a second method, the transducer is powered to deliver ultrasound at or above an in vivo ultrasound acoustic power which is a function of an experimentally-determined in vitro ultrasound acoustic power for the same treatment time.

Abstract: An ultrasound medical system includes an ultrasound transducer assembly having various combinations of ultrasound transducers having different-shaped ultrasound emitting surfaces and/or different ultrasound transducer types, wherein the types are ultrasound-medical-treatment-only type, ultrasound-medical-treatment-and-imaging type, and ultrasound-medical-imaging-only type ultrasound transducers. Another ultrasound medical system includes a transducer assembly having an RF (radio-frequency) medical-treatment electrode and an ultrasound medical transducer.

Abstract: An embodiment of an ultrasound medical treatment system includes an ultrasound medical-treatment transducer and a controller. The controller controls the medical-treatment transducer to emit ultrasound to thermally ablate patient tissue. The control includes a control parameter. The controller changes the control parameter based on receiving an indication of an occurrence in the patient tissue of a transient, ultrasound-caused, ultrasound-attenuating effect. A method for medically treating patient tissue with ultrasound includes controlling the medical-treatment transducer with the control parameter set to a first setting, receiving an indication of the occurrence of the ultrasound-attenuating effect, changing the control parameter to a second setting based on receiving the indication, and controlling the medical-treatment transducer with the control parameter set to the second setting.

Abstract: An ultrasound medical system includes a handpiece and an end effector which is operatively connected to the handpiece and which is insertable into a patient. The end effector includes a shaft, a medical ultrasound transducer assembly, and a shaft head. The shaft has a longitudinal axis, has a distal end, and is rotatable about the longitudinal axis with respect to the handpiece. The transducer assembly is non-rotatably attached to the shaft and is adapted to emit medical ultrasound. The shaft head is attached to the distal end of the shaft and has a piercing tip which is insertable into patient tissue.

Abstract: A header assembly for coupling a cardiac lead to a cardiac stimulator is provided. The header assembly includes a header that has a bore for receiving one end of the cardiac lead. The bore has a first longitudinal axis. A connector housing is coupled to the header and has a second bore substantially aligned with the first bore. A biasing member is disposed within the connector housing and has a portion projecting into the second bore to bias the end of the cardiac lead against the walls of the second bore. A set-screw is threadedly coupled to the housing and is operable to secure the cardiac lead to the connector housing when tightened.

Abstract: The gate and swing valve has a body which defines at least one valve seat. A closure member inside the valve is pivotably mounted on a support. A cam and cam follower operatively couple the cam to the closure member. A stem has one end coupled to the cam for moving the closure member in a linear motion, in a swinging motion, and then in a linear motion toward the valve seat.

Abstract: The cold decompressed gas flowing into the compression station is preheated by the compressed warmer gas discharged by the station's compressor, thereby raising the temperature of the compressed gas at the discharge outlet of the compressor. The warm compressed gas discharged by the compressor is cooled with ambient air and with the cold decompressed gas stream flowing into the station. If required, to still further reduce its temperature, the cold compressed gas stream is expanded until its temperature approaches the temperature of the gas within the pipeline.The apparatus of the invention includes a gas-to-gas heat exchanger wherein the decompressed cold gas is first preheated by the counterflowing warm compressed gas. The preheated gas is allowed into the inlet of the compressor. The temperature of the warm compressed gas from the discharge outlet of the compressor is first reduced by a gas-to-air heat exchanger.