Certain aspects relate to systems and techniques for luminal network navigation. Some aspects relate to incorporating respiratory frequency and/or magnitude into a navigation system to implement patient safety measures. Some aspects relate to identifying, and compensating for, motion caused by patient respiration in order to provide a more accurate identification of the position of an instrument within a luminal network.

A transperineal biopsy guide including a guide member and a displacement member supported by the guide member. The guide member may be configured to operably couple with the transrectal probe and may include a distal end, a proximal end opposite the distal end, and a length extending along a longitudinal axis between the distal and proximal ends. The displacement member may be configured to support the access needle and displace the access needle along at least a portion of the length of the guide member between the distal and proximal ends. The access needle may extend into the subcutaneous tissue when the access needle is displaced to the distal end.

A transperineal biopsy guide including a guide member and a displacement member supported by the guide member. The guide member may be configured to operably couple with the transrectal probe and may include a distal end, a proximal end opposite the distal end, and a length extending along a longitudinal axis between the distal and proximal ends. The displacement member may be configured to support the access needle and displace the access needle along at least a portion of the length of the guide member between the distal and proximal ends. The access needle may extend into the subcutaneous tissue when the access needle is displaced to the distal end.

A cryosurgical instrument includes a feed line for conveying fluid into an expansion chamber. The feed line has a capillary line section that terminates in the expansion chamber and forms an aperture for the fluid to undergo the Joule-Thomson effect. The flow cross-section of the feed line decreases in at least one transition section of the feed line in the form of a funnel. Following each transition section there preferably follows a step section, in which latter section the flow cross-section is preferably largely constant. The last step section is preferably formed by the capillary line section. Due to the acceleration of the fluid in the transition sections and the abating of pressure fluctuations in the capillary tube section and, optionally in the additional step sections, the expansion range in the expansion chamber is increased, without impeding the backflow of the expanded gas out of the expansion chamber.

A cryosurgical instrument includes a feed line for conveying fluid into an expansion chamber. The feed line has a capillary line section that terminates in the expansion chamber and forms an aperture for the fluid to undergo the Joule-Thomson effect. The flow cross-section of the feed line decreases in at least one transition section of the feed line in the form of a funnel. Following each transition section there preferably follows a step section, in which latter section the flow cross-section is preferably largely constant. The last step section is preferably formed by the capillary line section. Due to the acceleration of the fluid in the transition sections and the abating of pressure fluctuations in the capillary tube section and, optionally in the additional step sections, the expansion range in the expansion chamber is increased, without impeding the backflow of the expanded gas out of the expansion chamber.

The present disclosure relates generally to positioning elongate members at a target site within a body lumen, such as for acquiring a biopsy from a peripheral airway. Some embodiments are particularly directed to an elongate member with an embedded transducer positioned at a predefined rotational angle with respect to a projected position of an instrument extended out of a distal opening of a first lumen in the elongate member. In many such embodiments, a rotational transducer may be positioned within a second lumen in the elongate member to generate a radial image including indicia of the embedded transducer. Accordingly, an operator may determine a projected position of the instrument prior to extending the instrument out of the lumen. In several embodiments, the embedded transducer may include a forward imaging transducer, such as a fiber optic.

The present disclosure relates generally to positioning elongate members at a target site within a body lumen, such as for acquiring a biopsy from a peripheral airway. Some embodiments are particularly directed to an elongate member with an embedded transducer positioned at a predefined rotational angle with respect to a projected position of an instrument extended out of a distal opening of a first lumen in the elongate member. In many such embodiments, a rotational transducer may be positioned within a second lumen in the elongate member to generate a radial image including indicia of the embedded transducer. Accordingly, an operator may determine a projected position of the instrument prior to extending the instrument out of the lumen. In several embodiments, the embedded transducer may include a forward imaging transducer, such as a fiber optic.

Self-righting articles, such as self-righting capsules for administration to a subject, are generally provided. In some embodiments, the self-righting article may be configured such that the article may orient itself relative to a surface (e.g., a surface of a tissue of a subject). The self-righting articles described herein may comprise one or more tissue engaging surfaces configured to engage (e.g., interface with, inject into, anchor) with a surface (e.g., a surface of a tissue of a subject). In some embodiments, the self-righting article may have a particular shape and/or distribution of density (or mass) which, for example, enables the self-righting behavior of the article. In some embodiments, the self-righting article may comprise a tissue interfacing component and/or a pharmaceutical agent (e.g., for delivery of the active pharmaceutical agent to a location internal of the subject). In some cases, upon contact of the tissue with the tissue engaging surface of the article, the self-righting article may be configured to release one or more tissue interfacing components. In some cases, the tissue interfacing component is associated with a self-actuating component. For example, the self-righting article may comprise a self-actuating component configured, upon exposure to a fluid, to release the tissue interfacing component from the self-righting article. In some cases, the tissue interfacing component may comprise and/or be associated with the pharmaceutical agent (e.g., for delivery to a location internal to a subject).

A biopsy and therapy device comprising: a needling unit for holding and inserting a biopsy needle; an imaging module comprising an ultrasound probe and an actuator for moving the probe in a reciprocal action; a first arcuate slide; a second arcuate slide in sliding engagement with the first arcuate slide and a linkage to which the first arcuate slide is mounted; said linkage arranged to move the first and second arcuate slides within a vertical plane; said needling unit mounted to said arcuate slide wherein the first and second arcuate slides are mounted perpendicular to each other so as to rotate the needling unit about respective first and second principal axes.

A biopsy and therapy device comprising: a needling unit for holding and inserting a biopsy needle; an imaging module comprising an ultrasound probe and an actuator for moving the probe in a reciprocal action; a first arcuate slide; a second arcuate slide in sliding engagement with the first arcuate slide and a linkage to which the first arcuate slide is mounted; said linkage arranged to move the first and second arcuate slides within a vertical plane; said needling unit mounted to said arcuate slide wherein the first and second arcuate slides are mounted perpendicular to each other so as to rotate the needling unit about respective first and second principal axes.