A61B18/0218

Cooling and refrigeration based on vacuum-driven water evaporation

Apparatus for cooling an object, space, or tissues of a patient. A vacuum chamber is designed to be placed in thermal contact with the object or space to be cooled, or against a patient to be treated. A water sprayer is configured to spray water into the vacuum chamber or against a cooling wall of the chamber. A vacuum pump and control are designed to maintain vacuum below ambient pressure in the vacuum chamber sufficient to cause accelerated evaporation of the water and cooling to a temperature desired for cooling of the object, space, or patient.

Dermatological cryospray devices having linear array of nozzles and methods of use

The present invention is directed to improved systems, devices, and methods for delivery of a cryogen to the skin of a patient for skin treatment. A cryospray device configured to deliver a cryogen to a patient's skin can include an applicator, a supply channel, and a nozzle assembly. The applicator can include a head portion, and the supply channel can extend through at least a portion of the head portion. The nozzle assembly can be coupled to the head portion and can be fluidly coupled to the supply channel. The nozzle assembly can include a linear array of orifices that are configured to direct a planar spray of the cryogen to cool an area of a skin tissue of the patient in a linear cooling treatment.

Devices for therapeutic nasal neuromodulation and associated methods and systems

Devices for therapeutic nasal neuromodulation and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A system for therapeutic neuromodulation in a nasal region configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, a shaft and a therapeutic element at a distal portion of the shaft. The shaft can locate the distal portion intraluminally at a target site inferior to a patient's sphenopalatine foramen. The therapeutic element can include an energy delivery element configured to therapeutically modulate postganglionic parasympathetic nerves at microforamina of a palatine bone of the human patient for the treatment of rhinitis or other indications. In other embodiments, the therapeutic element can be configured to therapeutically modulate nerves that innervate the frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal, and maxillary sinuses for the treatment of chronic sinusitis.

Methods and devices for endovascular ablation of a splanchnic nerve

Systems, devices, and methods for transvascular ablation of target tissue are disclosed herein. The devices and methods may, in some examples, be used for splanchnic nerve ablation to increase splanchnic venous blood capacitance to treat at least one of heart failure and hypertension. For example, the devices disclosed herein may be advanced endovascularly to a target vessel in the region of a thoracic splanchnic nerve (TSN), such as a greater splanchnic nerve (GSN) or a TSN nerve root. Also disclosed are method of treating heart failure, such as HFpEF, by endovascularly ablating a thoracic splanchnic nerve to increase venous capacitance and reduce pulmonary blood pressure.

CRYOGENIC THERAPY SYSTEMS AND METHODS
20230277233 · 2023-09-07 ·

A method of interrupting sympathetic stimulation to the cardiovascular system of a patient in need thereof includes navigating a probe of a hand-held cryogenic therapy apparatus to a stellate ganglion or an autonomic tissue area peripheral to the stellate ganglion of the patient, the probe including a needle configured to produce a cooling zone for focused cryogenic therapy, aligning the needle with one or more desired nerves of the stellate ganglion or the autonomic tissue area peripheral to the stellate ganglion, and producing the cooling zone to provide cryogenic therapy to the desired nerves of the stellate ganglion or the autonomic tissue area peripheral to the stellate ganglion at a temperature sufficient to cause axonotmesis of the nerves.

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PUMPING COOLANT TO AN ENERGY DELIVERY DEVICE
20220409256 · 2022-12-29 ·

Apparatus and methods for delivering coolant to an energy delivery device used to treat tissue with electromagnetic energy. A cooling system includes a pump that is configured to pump a coolant to the energy delivery device.

Variable cryosurgical probe planning system
11813013 · 2023-11-14 · ·

A cryosurgical system including a computer system programmed with software configured to perform the following steps: a) capturing at least one first view of a region of interest in a human body; b) capturing at least one second view of the region of interest; c) outlining the region of interest and at least one area outside the region of interest with the assistance of an operator; d) constructing a 3-dimensional model of the region of interest and the at least one area outside the region of interest utilizing the at least one first view and the at least one second view of the region of interest; and e) utilizing the 3-dimensional model of the region of interest and the at least one area outside the region of interest to determine at least one cryosurgical probe placement location.

Multi-stage vapor-based ablation treatment methods and vapor generation and delivery systems
11806066 · 2023-11-07 ·

Ablation catheters and systems include flexible catheter tips with a distal needle or ports for delivery of an ablative agent to a target tissue. Pressure monitoring during ablation ensure operation is performed within safe limits and with desired efficacy. Positioning elements help maintain the devices in the proper position with respect to the target tissue and also prevent the passage of ablative agent to normal tissues.

CRYOABLATION PROBE ASSEMBLY HAVING FLUID SHEATH AND METHODS
20230355290 · 2023-11-09 ·

The disclosure relates to cryoablation probe assemblies including a cryoablation probe and sheath configured to accelerate thawing of the probe from frozen, treated tissue. The sheath can include a plurality of channels configured to direct saline or other biocompatible fluid to the treated tissue. The sheath is configured to slide and advance distally over the cryoablation probe to continually thaw the tissue until the cryoablation probe is freed. Methods of treating atrial fibrillation with a cryoablation probe assembly are also disclosed.

Method for treating cancerous and pre-cancerous skin

The present disclosure provides a method for treating clinical or pre-clinical skin damage in a skin field of a subject, wherein the skin field has been allocated a skin cancerization field index (SCFI) score of at least 1 as determined by a process comprising the steps of: (i) assessing the number of keratoses in the skin field; (ii) assessing the thickness of the thickest keratosis in the skin field; and (iii) assessing the proportion of the field affected by clinical or subclinical skin damage. Based on the assessments made in (i), (ii) and (iii) the subject is optionally treated by at least one of (a) freezing one or more lesions, (b) shaving, curetting or surgically removing one or more lesions, (c) applying a topical treatment for actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, and (d) radiation therapy.