Described here are methods and systems for the manipulation of ovarian tissues. The methods and systems may be used in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The systems and methods may be useful in the treatment of infertility associated with PCOS.

A medical device shaft includes a rigid, elongate shaft, an end effector form coupled to a distal end of the elongate shaft, and echogenic additives associated with at least one of the elongate shaft and the end effector. The shaft exhibits improved echogenicity, and is suitable for devices that are manipulated or positioned with under echo guidance.

The present invention relates to an ultrasound calibration device comprising a body portion having at least one echogenic fiducial; a marker portion having at least one tracking marker which can be detected by a medical tracking system; and a hook-shaped mounting portion extending from the body portion.

The present invention also relates to a method for calibrating an ultrasound probe, comprising the steps of filling a container with a fluid, in particular a physiologic salt solution; placing an ultrasound calibration device in accordance with the invention into the container; comparing, with the aid of a medical navigation system, a calculated position of at least one fiducial with a determined position of the at least one fiducial which is determined using a tracked ultrasound probe.

An apparatus, method and system for detecting a position within a body are provided. A dipole that is free to rotate or oscillate within a capsule is inserted at a target location within the body. The dipole can be either electric or magnetic, and the dipole rotates or oscillates within the capsule when an alternating or rotating electric or magnetic field is applied in the vicinity of the dipole. Ultrasound energy is impinged upon the target location and a position of the dipole is determined based on detected ultrasound reflections.

Disclosed biopsy markers are adapted to serve as localization markers during a surgical procedure. Adaptation includes incorporation of materials detectable under ultrasound during surgery, as well as features for co-registration with image guidance or other real-time imaging technologies during surgery. Such biopsy markers, when used as localization markers, improve patient comfort and reduce challenges in surgical coordination and surgery time. Additional disclosed biopsy markers are adapted to serve as monitoring and/or detection apparatuses. Localization of an implanted marker may be done with ultrasound technology. Ultrasound image data is analyzed to identify the implanted marker. A distance to the marker or a lesion may be determined and displayed. The determined distance may be a distance between the ultrasound probe and the marker or lesion, a distance between the marker or lesion and an incision instrument, and/or a distance between the ultrasound probe and the incision instrument.

Methods and systems for improving the competency of a venous valve wherein one or more compressor(s) (e.g., space occupying material(s) or implantable device(s)) is/are delivered to one or more location(s) adjacent to a venous valve to compress the venous valve in a manner that causes one or both leaflets of the valve to move toward the other, thereby improving closure or coaptation of the valve leaflets. The compressor(s) may be delivered by an open surgical approach, by a direct percutaneous approach or by a transluminal catheter-based approach.

Embodiments include a fiducial deployment system with a handle configured for actuation of same. A fiducial may include one or more protuberances configured to engage one or more slots in a needle of the system. The needle may be configured to deliver a plurality of fiducials to a target location in serial fashion, one at a time. In certain embodiments, echogenic placement of fiducials may present certain advantages. The handle includes an actuation mechanism with rotatable housing portion or member configured for incrementally or otherwise controlledly deploy one or more fiducials at a time by advancing a stylet through and/or retracting the body of a slotted needle in which fiducials are disposed with a fiducial protrusion extending into the needle slot, which also includes retaining structures that do not impede the needle lumen.

Devices, systems, and methods for controlling an intravascular imaging device are provided. For example, in one embodiment a method includes communicating a control signal to an actuator of the intravascular imaging device to cause oscillation of an imaging element of the intravascular imaging device, wherein the intravascular imaging device further includes an acoustic marker; receiving imaging data from the imaging element of the intravascular imaging device; identifying the acoustic marker in the imaging data by determining a correlation between the imaging data and a template representative of the acoustic marker; adjusting an aspect of the control signal based on identifying the acoustic marker; and communicating the adjusted control signal to the actuator of the intravascular imaging device.

A puncture needle includes a needle tube 1 provided with a spiral groove 3 and wall surfaces 3a and 3b of the spiral groove 3 serve as a surface for reflecting ultrasonic waves. The spiral groove is formed on the peripheral surface of the needle tube such that a grinding stone 2 is brought into contact with the peripheral surface of the needle tube while the needle tube 1 is being moved in its axial direction and rotated. The wall surfaces of the spiral groove formed on the needle tube serve as a reflection surface to change the orientation of the reflection surface in the axial direction of the needle tube according to change in position of the spiral. Therefore, even if a direction in which an ultrasonic wave is applied to the puncture needle is fixed, any portion of the reflection surface changing in orientation can become a surface for reflecting well ultrasonic waves, so that good ultrasonic waves can be obtained. The slant angles of the reflection surfaces in the axial direction of the needle tube can be changed by adjusting the moving speed in the axial direction of the needle tube or the rotation speed.

Among other things, there is disclosed structure and methods for registering images obtained through internal (e.g. intravascular) ultrasound devices. Embodiments of a device with a rotating ultrasound beam is provided, with a wall of the device being anisotropic in ultrasound passage. As examples, a cable opaque to ultrasound is attached along the wall of the device, so that the ultrasound beam at the location of the cable is blocked, reflected or scattered. As another example, a thin film of metallic material is placed on or in the wall to allow a portion of the beam to be blocked or attenuated. The imaging system recognizes the changes to the signals made by the anisotropic wall, and registers successive images according to those changes.