A device for performing minimally invasive repair of mitral valve leaflets in a beating heart through the delivery and implantation of artificial chordae tendineae includes a handle for positioning the device into a chest cavity of the patient, a capture assembly adapted to capture a valve leaflet between distal an proximal tip portions, a needle adapted to penetrate the valve leaflet, and a capture confirmation system for verifying capture of the valve leaflet between the distal and proximal tip potions.

A process of making a diverging-light fiber optics illumination delivery system includes providing a micro-post comprising a glass-ceramic light-scattering element that includes at least one of a ceramic, a glass ceramic, an immiscible glass, a porous glass, opal glass, amorphous glass, an aerated glass, and a nanostructured glass; and fusion-splicing the glass-ceramic micro-post to the optical fiber by pulling an arc between electrodes across a gap formed by the optical fiber and the glass-ceramic micro-post; maintaining the arc for a time sufficiently long to make facing surfaces of the optical fiber and the micro-post one of malleable and molten; and pushing and thereby fusing together the facing surfaces of the optical fiber and the micro-post. Some embodiments can include fusing the glass-ceramic micro-post to the optical fiber by applying a laser beam to heat up at least one of the facing surfaces of the optical fiber and the glass-ceramic micro-post.

An apparatus is described for measuring hemodynamic or metabolic function of an organ or tissue region of a subject comprising a super-continuum laser operating in the near or short-wave infrared wavelength range and comprising a multi-stage amplifier. A source fiber delivers the super-continuum emission to the organ or tissue region, and a collection fiber receives reflected emission from the region. A detector followed by a processor is used to determine a metabolic state and an oxygenation state of the organ or tissue region. A signal-to-noise ratio of the signal is improved using a dual-arm differential measurement technique.

An optic system assists visualization of eye elements during ophthalmic surgery. The system has optic devices aimed at affecting light emitted by an ophthalmic microscope for observing an eye during surgery. This affecting can be by selecting the wavelength spectrum of the emitted light, tilting a light path of the emitted light and/or by changing the light path of the emitted light from the source to the eye under surgery.

A medical image processing device of the present disclosure includes: a division unit configured to divide at least one subject image in an image; a detection unit configured to detect a blur of the subject image divided by the division unit; a correction unit configured to correct the blur of the subject image based on the subject image divided by the division unit and the blur detected by the detection unit; and a combining unit configured to combine the subject image after correction and a background image formed by a region other than the subject image.

Systems and methods for treating cellulite including an apparatus that applies or a method involving separating septa to eliminate or reduce the appearance of cellulite. In one approach, an interventional tool is placed between tissue layers to engage and treat septa connecting tissue layers between which fat deposits are contained.

Devices, systems, and methods perform optical-scanning operations to acquire fluorescence data values corresponding to fluorescence data collected from inside a bodily lumen. A processor receives the fluorescence data; calculates a threshold background fluorescence value based on a central tendency of at least part of the fluorescence data values; discards fluorescence data values that are lower than the threshold background fluorescence value, thereby creating corrected fluorescence data values; and generates an image of the bodily lumen based on the corrected fluorescence data values.

A uterine manipulator can include a shaft including a first end, a second end, and embodiments of a cutting head configured and arranged to receive a cervix. The cutting head can be configured and adapted to be used to cut the tissue joining the vaginal wall to the cervix and uterus to facilitate removal of the uterus in a minimally invasive manner.

Electrophysiology mapping and visualization systems are described herein where such devices may be used to visualize tissue regions as well as map the electrophysiological activity of the tissue. Such a system may include a deployment catheter and an attached hood deployable into an expanded configuration. In use, the imaging hood is placed against or adjacent to a region of tissue to be imaged in a body lumen that is normally filled with an opaque bodily fluid such as blood. A translucent or transparent fluid, such as saline, can be pumped into the imaging hood until the fluid displaces any blood, thereby leaving a clear region of tissue to be imaged via an imaging element in the deployment catheter. A position of the catheter and/or hood may be tracked and the hood may also be used to detect the electrophysiological activity of the visualized tissue for mapping.

A medical system is disclosed that includes a medical device having an optical fiber, and an interchangeable connection component configured to provide a fiber optic connection between the medical device and capital equipment. The connection component is configured to facilitate cleaning and/or polishing of fiber optic interfaces include therewith. The connection component is also configured for replacement by a medical technician while the capital equipment is operational. The capital equipment may include one or more of an optical interrogator, a patch cable, a medical probe, an ultrasound machine, a display, a magnet sensor, or an electro-cardiogram (ECG) machine. The medical device may include an elongate member configured for insertion within the patient body, where the optical fiber core extends along a length of the elongate member.