The present invention relates to a treatment apparatus and a method of controlling the same. There are provided a treatment apparatus, including a handpiece, an RF generator generating RF energy, an insertion unit configured to advance and retract toward one direction of the handpiece, selectively inserted into a tissue, and electrically connected to the RF generator to transfer the RF energy to the inside of the tissue, and a substance storage unit receiving a therapeutic substance therein and detachably installed on one side of the handpiece to transfer the substance to the inside of the tissue by the advancing operation of the insertion unit and a method of controlling the same.

Medical devices for renal nerve ablation are disclosed. An example medical device for renal nerve ablation may include a catheter shaft having a distal region. The device may include an expandable member coupled to the distal region, a flexible circuit assembly coupled to the expandable member, and a pressure sensor disposed along the expandable member and positioned adjacent to the flexible circuit assembly. The flexible circuit assembly may include one or more pairs of bipolar electrodes and a temperature sensor.

A medical device including an evaluation unit and an electrode line. The electrode line includes at least one temperature sensor. The temperature sensor delivers a temperature signal to the evaluation unit. The evaluation unit evaluates periodic fluctuations of a signal level of the temperature signal and generates an evaluation output signal qualifying constant wall touching of the electrode line according to whether periodic fluctuations of a signal level of the temperature signal lie below or above a predetermined limit value.

A method for determining catheter stability is provided. The method is implemented by a determination engine stored as processor executable code in a memory coupled to one or more processors The method includes determining stability with respect to movement of a catheter and receiving electrical signals captured by the catheter in correlation to the stability. The method also include assigning a position in space to the electrical signals based on the stability.

A surgical instrument comprising a shiftable transmission is disclosed. The transmission comprises a mechanism for assuring that the transmission is in one of a plurality of predefined configurations.

An apparatus includes a shaft assembly. A sliding electrical coupling provides electrical continuity between components of the shaft while permitting movement of a second shaft component relative to a first shaft component at the joint. An end effector is positioned at a distal end of the shaft assembly and is operable to engage tissue of a patient. A sensor is positioned adjacent to the joint and is configured to measure a joint parameter indicating a state of the sliding electrical coupling. The sensor transmits a first signal indicative of the measured joint parameter to a control module. The control module determines whether the measured joint parameter exceeds a maximum deviation from a predetermined value. When the measured joint parameter exceeds a maximum deviation from a predetermined value, the control module initiates a responsive action.

A RF ablation system includes a RF electrode coupleable to a RF generator for delivering RF energy from the RF generator to patient tissue for ablation, the RF electrode including an electrode hub, an electrode shaft extending from the electrode hub, and a cable extending from the electrode hub. The RF ablation system also includes an in-line controller coupleable to the RF generator for controlling the delivering of the RF energy from the RF generator along the RF electrode, wherein the in-line controller is configured for placement nearer the electrode hub than the RF generator and includes at least one actuator for controlling the delivering of the RF energy.

A method for treating a treatment site within a body of a patient with a catheter system includes generating energy with an energy source; positioning an inflatable balloon substantially adjacent to the treatment site, the inflatable balloon having a balloon wall that defines a balloon interior that receives a balloon fluid; receiving energy from the energy source with an energy guide; guiding the energy with the energy guide into the balloon interior; sensing acoustic sound waves generated in the balloon fluid with an acoustic sensor that is positioned outside of the body of the patient; generating a sensor signal with the acoustic sensor based at least in part on the sensed acoustic sound waves; electrically coupling a system controller to the acoustic sensor; receiving the sensor signal from the acoustic sensor with the system controller; and controlling operation of the catheter system with the system controller based at least in part on the sensor signal, the system controller being configured to recognize one of: (i) normal operation of the catheter system, and (ii) potential damage to the energy guide.

Systems and related methods for identifying and/or ablating targeted nerves are provided. A probe with stimulating electrodes and/or ablation members are provided. The probe may be inserted into a nasal cavity and current may be introduced through the electrodes to stimulate a targeted area. The response to stimulation may be used to identify the targeted nerve. Once identified, the ablation member may ablate the targeted nerve.

An exemplary treatment system can be provided which can include a laser system configured to emit at least one laser beam, and an optical system configured to focus the laser beam(s) to a focal region at a selected distance from a surface of a tissue. The focal region can be configured to illuminate at least a portion of a target. The optical system can cause an irradiation energy transferred to the focal region of the laser beam(s) to (i) generate a plasma in a first region of the tissue adjacent to the target, and (ii) avoid a generation of a plasma in a second region of the tissue. The optical system has a numerical aperture that is in the range of about 0.5 to about 0.9. An exemplary method can also be provided to control such treatment system.