Provided is a high frequency hyperthermia device which includes a main body (110) which includes a high frequency generator (114) which generates high frequency currents using drive power, a hand piece (120) which is connected to the main body (110) through a cable (140) and in which a handle (121) to be gripped by a user is disposed on an upper portion of the hand piece (120), and four or more contact electrodes (122), through which the high frequency currents being supplied are applied to skin (S) in contact with the contact electrodes (122) to generate deep heat in an internal body, are disposed on a lower surface of the hand piece (120), and an alternating switch (130) which is disposed between and connected to the high frequency generator (114) and the contact electrodes (122) in a circuit manner and which supplies the high frequency currents output from the high frequency generator (114) to the contact electrode (122), wherein the contact electrodes (122) are divided into pairs each having two contact electrodes (122), and the high frequency currents are alternately supplied to the pairs at a first speed.

Systems, devices and methods treat target tissue to provide a therapeutic benefit to the patient. A tissue treatment device comprises a tissue treatment element constructed and arranged to treat target tissue, such as duodenal mucosa and/or submucosal tissue. Patients treated can safely eliminate or reduce their daily insulin intake.

Systems and methods for targeting specific cell types by selective application of ultrasonic harmonic excitation at a resonance frequency (“oncotripsy”) for the specific cell types are presented. The systems and the methods result in permeabilization, lysis, and/or death of the targeted specific cell types by using ultrasonic harmonic excitations that have a frequency and a pulse duration specifically tuned to disrupt nuclear membranes of the targeted specific cell types by inducing a destructive vibrational response therein while leaving non-targeted cell types intact. Target cells may be neoplastic.

A microwave generator includes a microwave signal generator configured to deliver a microwave signal to a microwave instrument coupled to the microwave generator and a generator controller storing a plurality of resistance value indicators. A device ID reader is configured to measure a resistance of the coupled microwave instrument. The generator controller is configured to compare the measured resistance of the coupled microwave instrument with the plurality of resistance value indicators to identify a type of the coupled microwave instrument. An instrument monitoring controller is configured to communicate a data request to the coupled microwave instrument based on the identified type of the coupled microwave instrument. The generator controller is configured to set at least one operating threshold of the microwave generator based on one of an operating configuration corresponding to one of the plurality of resistance value indicators or data communicated from the coupled microwave instrument.

The invention provides a non-invasive skin treatment device (100) comprising an r.f. treatment electrode (10); a return electrode (40); an r.f. generator (20) configured and arranged such that, during treatment, an r.f. treatment signal is applied between the r.f. treatment electrode (10) and the return electrode (40) for heating an inner region (15) of skin; an impedance measurement circuit (35) configured and arranged to measure, before treatment of the inner region, an initial skin impedance (Z.sub.o) between the r.f. treatment electrode (10) and the return electrode (40); and a treatment settings determiner (30) configured and arranged to determine, before treatment of the inner region (15), treatment settings associated with the r.f. treatment signal depending on the initial skin impedance (Z.sub.o) and on a dimension of the r.f. treatment electrode (10) in the contact plane, the treatment settings comprising at least one of a treatment duration (T.sub.D) associated with a desired treatment result, and an r.f. electrical parameter associated with the r.f. treatment signal. The skin treatment device (100) further comprises a controller (25) configured and arranged to consecutively activate the impedance measurement circuit (35) and the treatment settings determiner (30) before treatment of the inner region (15), configure the r.f. generator (20) to provide the r.f. treatment signal according to the treatment settings, and activate the r.f. generator (20) to apply the r.f. treatment signal to the inner region (15) for the treatment duration (T.sub.D). The invention is based on the insight obtained from multiple measurements made during the creation of microscopic thermal lesions in an inner region of skin by applying r.f. measurement and treatment signals. By analyzing the histological and heating results, a relationship was obtained between the initial impedance (Z.sub.o), the dimension of the r.f. treatment electrode (10), and the treatment settings required to obtain a particular skin treatment result. This relationship has been found to be relatively constant for different subjects, different treatment locations on the body and different skin moisture contents. The invention makes it possible to preset or predetermine, i.e. in advance, the treatment duration (T.sub.D) and/or the r.f. electrical parameters associated with the r.f. treatment signal accurately enough to avoid undesired skin damage during the treatment. The device can be simpler, as it is no longer essential to continuously monitor the

Systems, devices and methods of determining orientation of a distal end of a medical instrument (e.g., electrode-tissue orientation of an RF ablation catheter) are described herein. One or more processors may be configured to receive temperature measurements from each of a plurality of temperature-measurement devices distributed along a length of the distal end of the medical instrument and determine the orientation from a group of two or more possible orientation options based on whether temperature measurement values or characteristics of temperature response determined from the temperature measurement values satisfy one or more orientation criteria.

A surgical apparatus includes an end effector having a blade defining a lumen extending through at least a portion of the blade, a cooling system configured to circulate cooling fluid through the lumen, a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the blade, a visual indicator disposed at the end effector and configured to radiate light, and a controller configured to control the visual indicator based on the sensed temperature of the blade. The cooling system includes an inflow conduit disposed in communication with the lumen and configured to supply the cooling fluid to the lumen and a return conduit disposed in communication with the lumen and configured to receive the cooling fluid from the lumen.

Apparatus and methods for electrosurgery are disclosed. In one arrangement, an electrosurgical element and a control system are provided. The electrosurgical element is electrically driven in a first electrical driving mode. The first electrical driving mode is such as to cause heating of human or animal tissue by the electrosurgical element. The heating contributes to modification or cutting of tissue by the electrosurgical element. The electrosurgical element is electrically driven in a second electrical driving mode. An electrical response of the electrosurgical element is measured during the electrical driving of the electrosurgical element in the second electrical driving mode.

A tissue-treating portion of a surgical instrument includes a body defining a cavity and a light-energy transmissible sphere captured within the cavity such that a portion of the light-energy transmissible sphere protrudes from the body. The light-energy transmissible sphere is capable of unlimited rotation in all directions relative to the body. The light-energy transmission cable extends through the body to a position spaced-apart from the light-energy transmissible sphere. The light-energy transmission cable is configured to transmit light energy to the light-energy transmissible sphere. The light-energy transmissible sphere, in turn, is configured focus the light energy towards tissue to treat tissue.

An ablation probe tip (100) having a shaft (102) with an insertion end (104). The shaft (102) includes a coaxial antenna (110). A center of ablation (124) is located within the shaft (102) near the insertion end (104). A heat transfer layer (130) surrounds the coaxial antenna (110). A thermal reservoir (134) at least partially surrounds the heat transfer layer (130). A method for using the ablation probe tip (100) includes predetermining an optimal temperature for the heat transfer layer (130), and the thermal reservoir (134) cooling the heat transfer layer (130) to no higher than the optimal temperature. The ablation probe tip (100) may be part of an ablation probe system (50) that includes an ablation source (60) that provides ablation means (62) to the ablation probe tip (100).