Abstract: A robotic manipulator is attachable to a proximal end of a medical instrument. A processor linked to the manipulator transmits control signals to the manipulator to cause the manipulator to displace the medical instrument to achieve a desired position and orientation of the medical instrument. A contact force sensor is disposed on the medical instrument and linked to the processor. The control signals are issued by the processor responsively to force indications received from the contact force sensor.

Abstract: A system includes signal acquisition circuitry and a processor. The signal acquisition circuitry is configured to receive multiple intra-cardiac signals acquired by multiple electrodes of an intra-cardiac probe in a heart of a patient. The processor is configured to perform a sequence of annotation-visualization operations at subsequent times, by performing, in each operation: extracting multiple annotation values from the intra-cardiac signals, selecting a group of the intra-cardiac signals, identifying in the group one or more annotation values that are statistically deviant by more than a predefined measure of deviation, and visualizing the annotation values to a user, while omitting and refraining from visualizing the statistically deviant annotation values.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method to find tissue proximity indications includes inserting a catheter into a body part of a living subject such that electrodes of the catheter contact tissue at respective locations within the body part, receiving signals provided by the electrodes, selectively rewarding and penalizing a reinforcement learning agent over reinforcement learning exploration phases to learn at least one tissue proximity policy responsively to at least one of the received signals, applying the reinforcement learning agent in reinforcement learning exploitation phases to find respective tissue-proximity actions to be taken that maximize respective expected rewards responsively to the at least one tissue proximity policy, and providing respective derived tissue-proximity indications of proximity of a given one of the electrodes with the tissue responsively to the found respective tissue-proximity actions.

Abstract: A system includes a first optical assembly (OA), a second OA and a processor. The first OA and second OA each coupled with a first and second microscope eyepiece, respectively. Each first and second OAs including a light source, configured to direct an emitted light beam (ELB) through the microscope toward an organ, and an image sensor, configured to sense a reflected light beam (RLB), which is reflected from the organ through the microscope, and to produce a signal indicative of the RLB. The processor is configured to control the first and second OAs to alternately direct the ELB and sense the RLB at first and second time intervals, and alternately display on a first display, during the first time intervals, images based on the signal from the first OA, and display on a second display, during the second time intervals, images based on the signal from the second OA.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a medical device includes an instrument including a distal end configured for inserting into a body part, and a position sensor comprising a flexible printed circuit, which comprises alternating conductive and dielectric layers and is wrapped around the distal end of the instrument, the conductive layers including at least one inner layer, which is patterned with traces forming a coil, and multiple outer layers overlying the at least one inner layer and configured for connection to an electrical ground so as to shield the coil from electromagnetic interference.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for generating a three-dimensional (3D) anatomical map, including applying a trained artificial neural network to (a) a set of two-dimensional (2D) fluoroscopic images of a body part of a living subject, and (b) respective first 3D coordinates of the set of 2D fluoroscopic images, yielding second 3D coordinates of the 3D anatomical map, and rendering to a display the 3D anatomical map responsively to the second 3D coordinates.

Abstract: A system for electrophysiological measurement includes a probe having a distal end configured for insertion into a body cavity of a patient and including electrodes that are disposed along the distal end and are configured to contact tissue at multiple locations within the body cavity while an operator manipulates the probe. A processor is configured to acquire electrophysiological (EP) signals from the electrodes within the body cavity, to apply one or more filtering criteria to the EP signals in order to select a first set of the EP signals while rejecting a second set of the EP signals, to render an image to a display based on the EP signals in the first set, and to output to the operator an indication of a reason for the rejection of the EP signals in the second set.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a phacoemulsification apparatus includes actuators configured to vibrate responsively to respective driving signals, a needle including an aspiration channel, and configured to be vibrated by the actuators so as to emulsify a lens of an eye, a generator configured to generate at least one of the driving signals responsively to a vibration pattern selected for the needle, the needle being configured to vibrate in accordance with the selected vibration pattern, and a sensor configured to sense a level of vacuum in the aspiration channel, wherein the generator is configured to alter at least one of the driving signals to transition vibration of the needle from a first vibration pattern selected from the group consisting of a longitudinal vibration pattern and a first helical vibration pattern, to a second vibration pattern of a second helical vibration pattern, responsively to a decrease in the sensed level of vacuum.

Abstract: Apparatus, including a guidewire, having a distal end dimensioned to penetrate into a nasal sinus and a balloon, which is fitted over the guidewire in proximity to the distal end. There is an inflation channel, which runs along the guidewire and is coupled to convey a pressurized fluid into the balloon so as to inflate the balloon. The apparatus also includes a first electrode, fixedly attached to a distal tip of the guidewire, and a second electrode, fixedly attached to the guidewire at a location proximal to the distal tip. There are conductive leads running along the guidewire and coupled to apply an electrical potential between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification system including a phacoemulsification probe having a probe body, a horn disposed at least partially in the probe body, a needle coupled with the horn and configured to be inserted into an eye, and a piezoelectric actuator disposed in the probe body and configured to vibrate the horn and the needle in a first direction with a stroke length with respect to the probe body; a signal generator configured to generate a drive signal to drive a vibration of the piezoelectric actuator; a stroke measurement apparatus configured to provide indications of the stroke length of the needle over time; and a controller configured to dynamically adjust a frequency of the drive signal so as to maximize the stroke length and maintain mechanical resonance of the needle responsively to the provided indications of the stroke length.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a catheter introducer for compressing a distal end assembly of a catheter for insertion into a sheath includes a compression conduit having a truncated conical-form cavity, and including a distal and proximal opening, the proximal opening being configured to receive the distal end assembly, the cavity tapering from the proximal to the distal opening so that successive portions of the distal end assembly are compressed as the catheter is advanced distally, a distal connector connected to the distal opening, and configured to be reversibly coupled to the sheath and provide passage for the compressed portions of the distal end assembly into the sheath, and a proximal retainer disposed adjacent to the proximal opening and including opposing surfaces to at least partially prevent compression of portions of the distal end assembly while more distally disposed portions of the distal end assembly are compressed in the compression conduit.

Abstract: A system includes a needle, an actuator assembly and a generator. The needle is configured to be vibrated so as to emulsify a lens of an eye. The actuator assembly, includes a first actuator, a second actuator and a third actuator, which are distributed around a longitudinal axis of the needle and are configured to vibrate along the longitudinal axis in response to a first driving signal, a second driving signal and a third driving signal, respectively. The generator is configured to generate the first driving signal, the second driving signal and the third driving signal, so as to vibrate the needle in accordance with a predefined pattern.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving cardiac signal segments responsively to electrical activity sensed by a first sensing electrode in contact with tissue, injecting the cardiac signal segments into a cable, which extends to a recording apparatus, the cable outputting corresponding noise-added cardiac signal segments responsively to noise acquired in the cable, training an artificial neural network to at least partially compensate for electrical noise that will be added to signals in the cable responsively to the received cardiac signal segments and corresponding noise-added cardiac signal segments, receiving a cardiac signal responsively to electrical activity sensed by a second sensing electrode, applying the trained artificial neural network to the cardiac signal yielding the cardiac signal with noise-compensation, which at least partially compensates for noise, which is not yet in the cardiac signal but will be added in the cable, and outputting the cardiac signal with noise-compensation via th

Abstract: A method includes, receiving from a calibration probe multiple data points acquired in an organ of a patient, each data point including (i) a respective position of the calibration probe, and (ii) a respective set of electrical values indicative of respective impedances between the position and multiple electrodes attached externally to the patient. A mapping between sets of the electrical values and respective positions in the organ is constructed, by performing for each received data point: if the mapping already contains one or more existing data points in a predefined vicinity of the data point, the one or more existing data points are adjusted responsively to the received data point, and if the predefined vicinity does not contain any existing data points, the received data point is added to the mapping. A position of a medical probe is subsequently tracked in the organ using the mapping.

Abstract: A system including first and second camera assemblies, and a processor. The first camera assembly includes a first camera producing, in a first imaging modality, a first image of an organ acquired from a first angle, and a first position sensor, producing a first position signal indicative of a first position and a first orientation, of the first camera. The second camera assembly includes a second camera, producing, in a second imaging modality, a second image of the organ acquired from a second angle, and a second position sensor, producing a second position signal indicative of a second position and a second orientation, of the second camera. The processor registers between the first and second images based on the first and second position signals and displays, based on the first and second images, a third image including a combination of at least part of the first and second images.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for medical procedures are disclosed herein and include receiving a first set of biometric data for a first portion of a body part and determining a first range of values in the first set of biometric data, determining first visual characteristics based on the first range of values and rendering a global view of the first portion of the body part rendered with the first visual characteristics. A second range of values in a second set of biometric data for a second portion of the body part may be determined and the second portion of the body part may be a subset of the first portion of the body part. Second visual characteristics may be determined based on the second range of values and a local view including the second portion of the body part rendered with the second visual characteristics may be rendered.

Abstract: Catheterization is carried out by inserting a probe having a location sensor into a body cavity, and in response to multiple location measurements identifying respective mapped regions of the body cavity. Using the location measurements, a simulated 3-dimensional surface of the body cavity is constructed. One or more unmapped regions are delineated by rotating the simulated 3-dimensional surface about an axis. The simulated 3-dimensional surface of the body cavity is configured to indicate locations of the unmapped regions based on the location measurements.

Abstract: A location tracking system maps anatomical structures in a first coordinate system, in a fixed position within a medical imaging system, which captures 3D images in a second coordinate system. The 3D images are converted to and stored in a standardized format in a third coordinate system in accordance with a first coordinate transformation. A first 3D image captured by the imaging system is registered with the first coordinate system so as to produce a second coordinate transformation. The first and second coordinate transformations are combined so as to derive a third coordinate transformation between the first and third coordinate systems. A second 3D image of a body of a subject, captured by the imaging system, is processed in order to extract image features in the third coordinate system. The extracted image features are joined with location data captured by the location tracking system by applying the third coordinate transformation.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a body, a shaft assembly, and a visualization assembly. The body includes first and second actuators. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body and includes a rigid proximal portion and a steerable distal portion. The steerable distal portion is positioned distally relative to the rigid proximal portion. The first actuator is operable to drive the steerable distal portion to deflect laterally relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the rigid proximal portion. The steerable distal portion is configured to fit within a nasal cavity of a patient. The visualization assembly is disposed within the shaft assembly. The visualization assembly includes a camera. The second actuator is operable to drive longitudinal translation of the visualization assembly relative to the shaft assembly.

Abstract: A medical visualization apparatus includes two or more imaging devices, two or more robotic arms, multiple magnetic sensors coupled with the imaging devices, and a processor. The two or more imaging devices are configured to acquire images of an organ of a patient. The two or more robotic arms are configured to move the respective imaging devices. The multiple magnetic sensors are configured to output, in response to a magnetic field of a position tracking system, signals indicative of positions and viewing directions of the imaging devices. The processor is configured to estimate a position and a viewing direction of each of the imaging devices based on the signals, and, using the estimated positions and viewing directions, combine the images of the organ acquired by the imaging devices into a virtual reality (VR) image of the organ, and present the VR image to a user on a VR viewer.