An illuminated needle device for performing a heart valve repair includes an outer member and an inner member. The outer member includes a body that has a proximal end and a distal end. The body of the outer member defines a lumen therethrough and the distal end of the body includes a needle. The inner member is slidably disposed within the lumen of the outer member. The inner member includes a distal end that has a radiation emitting element. The illuminated needle device is characterized by the outer and inner members together forming a flexible, elongate shaft, and the inner member being configured to emit radiation from the radiation emitting element from a location proximate to the distal end of the outer member.

There is provided a processor device for an endoscope capable of acquiring a blood vessel index value of a specific observation distance used for predetermined diagnostic criteria. A distance acquisition unit acquires a non-magnified observation distance at the start of the change of the imaging magnification, and acquires magnified observation distance at the end of the change of the imaging magnification. A distance ratio calculation unit calculates a first distance ratio between the non-magnified observation distance and the magnified observation distance. A blood vessel index value calculation unit calculates a blood vessel index value of the non-magnified observation distance from the image signal acquired at the non-magnified observation distance. An index value correction unit corrects the blood vessel index value of the non-magnified observation distance according to the first distance ratio to acquire a blood vessel index value of the magnified observation distance.

The present invention provides a system and single or multi-functional element device that can be inserted and temporarily placed or implanted into a structure having a lumen or hollow space, such as a subject's abdominal cavity to provide therewith access to the site of interest in connection with minimally invasive surgical procedures. The insertable device may be configured such that the functional elements have various degrees of freedom of movement with respect to orienting the functional elements or elements to provide access to the site from multiple and different orientations/perspectives as the procedure dictates, e.g., to provide multiple selectable views of the site, and may provide a stereoscopic view of the site of interest.

A catheter for debulking of an undesired deposit from an inner surface of at least one of a blood vessel wall and a stent located in a blood vessel, the catheter having a tip section comprising: circumferentially-directed laser optics; and a circular-action cutter, wherein said circumferentially-directed laser optics is configured to transmit laser radiation for modifying an area of the undesired deposit thereby preparing said area for penetration of said cutter, wherein said cutter is configured to cut through said modified area and thereby debulk at least a part of the undesired deposit. In addition, a catheter for pacemaker and ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) lead extraction is disclosed.

In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a catheter having a catheter body, a light emitter disposed at a distal end of the catheter body, and a fluid conduit coupleable to a source of fluid. The fluid conduit configured to discharge fluid from the source via the conduit and out a distal end of the catheter body. A spacing member is disposed at the distal end of the catheter body and can be moved between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. In the expanded configuration, the spacing member is disposed about the light emitter. The spacing member is at least partially transmissive and/or transflective of light emitted from the light emitter. The apparatus configured to be inserted at least partially into a body lumen, to discharge fluid into the body lumen, and to emit light from the light emitter to illuminate an interior wall of the body lumen.

Cardiac ablation catheters and methods of use. Catheters that include an expandable membrane, an imaging member disposed within the expandable membrane, the imaging member having a field of view, a light source disposed within the expandable member adapted to deliver light towards the field of view of the imaging member, and an electrode comprising an outer conductive layer and inner light absorbing layer disposed between the electrode and the expandable membrane, the inner light absorbing layer adapted to absorb light from the light source and thereby reduce reflection of the light from the outer conductive electrode.

Components for an endoscopic vessel harvesting system suitable for harvesting target vessels such as the saphenous vein or radial artery for cardiac artery bypass graft surgery. The main components of such systems include a vessel dissector and a vessel harvester, both of which work in conjunction with a separately provided endoscope. The vessel dissector is an elongated cannula having a blunt tip for separating layers of facial around vessels. The tip may be movable, and is typically transparent to permit viewing forward of the tip using the endoscope. Internal features of the tip may reduce glare back to the endoscope. Several devices improve visibility through the tip by reducing interference from tissue or fluid on the tip. The vessel harvester also has an elongated cannula for receiving the endoscope. Several tools within the harvester permit manipulation, severing, and sealing of vessels forward of the distal end. The tool for manipulating vessels may have a low-profile for increased visibility of operation, and may be coupled to the cannula with a damping mechanism to reduce the possibility of avulsion of the vessels. Various vessel cutting and sealing devices are provided that may accommodate various sizes of vessels and improve cutting and sealing efficacy.

Devices, systems, and methods for controlling an intravascular imaging device are provided. For example, in one embodiment a method includes communicating a control signal to an actuator of the intravascular imaging device to cause oscillation of an imaging element of the intravascular imaging device, wherein the intravascular imaging device further includes an acoustic marker; receiving imaging data from the imaging element of the intravascular imaging device; identifying the acoustic marker in the imaging data by determining a correlation between the imaging data and a template representative of the acoustic marker; adjusting an aspect of the control signal based on identifying the acoustic marker; and communicating the adjusted control signal to the actuator of the intravascular imaging device.

Disclosed are access devices that can be used to safely guide instruments, such as EP ablation catheters, to a therapy site such one within the pericardial space of the heart. The access devices include integrated visualization, illumination, stabilization, and safety features in a single platform that can, for example, more safely and efficiently identify and ablate several ventricular tachycardia (VT) locations on the left ventricle of the heart.

An image processor calculates diagnosis support parameters on the basis of the state of blood vessels of an observation object. The image processor includes an image acquisition unit that acquires an endoscopic image, a blood vessel extraction unit that extracts blood vessels, using the endoscopic image, a blood vessel information calculation unit, and a blood vessel parameter calculation unit. The blood vessel information calculation unit calculates a plurality of items of blood vessel information including at least two or more among the number of pieces, the number of branches, a branch angle, a distance between branch points, the number of intersections, thickness, a change in thickness, the degree of complexity of a change in thickness, length, intervals, depth with a mucous membrane as a reference, and the like. The blood vessel parameter calculation unit calculates blood vessel parameters by calculating using the plurality of items of blood vessel information.