An apparatus and method for providing hyperthermia therapy to a living subject, in particular a human, animal or plant. The apparatus has contains a signal generator, a signal modulator and an emitter to enable the apparatus to provide hyperthermia treatment. Hyperthermia therapy may be provided to a living subject by generating a signal, selectably modulating the signal and delivering the signal to the target location on the living subject. It is possible to interrupt any further use of the apparatus after a predetermined period.

An apparatus and method for providing hyperthermia therapy to a living subject, in particular a human, animal or plant. The apparatus has contains a signal generator, a signal modulator and an emitter to enable the apparatus to provide hyperthermia treatment. Hyperthermia therapy may be provided to a living subject by generating a signal, selectably modulating the signal and delivering the signal to the target location on the living subject. It is possible to interrupt any further use of the apparatus after a predetermined period.

Catheter-based devices and associated methods for immune system neuromodulation of human patients are disclosed herein. One aspect of the present technology is directed to methods of treating a human patient diagnosed with an immune system condition. The methods can include intravascularly positioning a neuromodulation catheter within a blood vessel proximate to neural fibers innervating an immune system organ of the patient. The method also includes reducing sympathetic neural activity in the patient by delivering energy to the neural fibers innervating the immune system organ via the neuromodulation catheter. Reducing sympathetic neural activity improves a measurable physiological parameter corresponding to the immune system condition of the patient.

The present invention features devices, systems, and methods of use thereof for delivering therapeutic or sterilizing ultraviolet (UV) radiation, such as UVC or UVA radiation.

An implant is implanted into a tissue of a subject. The implant includes a circuitry unit that houses circuitry, and one or more outwardly-facing electrodes that are electrically coupled to the circuitry. The circuitry unit is shaped to define a height that is smaller than (i) a longest length, and (ii) a longest width of the circuitry unit. The implant is oriented with respect to the tissue, such that: (a) the height of the circuitry unit is disposed along a superficial-to-deep axis with respect to skin of the subject, (b) the implant is positioned to stimulate a nerve underlying the implant, and (c) the implant is positioned in a manner that inhibits electrical conduction from the outwardly-facing electrodes into skin of the subject. Other embodiments are also described.

An implant is implanted into a tissue of a subject. The implant includes a circuitry unit that houses circuitry, and one or more outwardly-facing electrodes that are electrically coupled to the circuitry. The circuitry unit is shaped to define a height that is smaller than (i) a longest length, and (ii) a longest width of the circuitry unit. The implant is oriented with respect to the tissue, such that: (a) the height of the circuitry unit is disposed along a superficial-to-deep axis with respect to skin of the subject, (b) the implant is positioned to stimulate a nerve underlying the implant, and (c) the implant is positioned in a manner that inhibits electrical conduction from the outwardly-facing electrodes into skin of the subject. Other embodiments are also described.

A global irradiation thermotherapy system based on coordinated rotation of microwave and radio frequency, including an annular phantom, an intelligent control unit, a microwave rotary heating mechanism, a capacitive radio frequency rotary heating mechanism and a temperature-measuring mechanism connected with the intelligent control unit. This disclosure also provides a global thermotherapy instrument.

A process for heat treating biological tissue includes providing a plurality of energy emitters formed into an array. Treatment energy in the form of ultrasound energy is generated from the plurality of emitters and applied to target tissue. The treatment energy has energy and application parameters selected so as to raise the target tissue temperature sufficiently to create a therapeutic effect while maintaining an average temperature of the target tissue over several minutes at or below a predetermined temperature so as not to destroy or permanently damage the target tissue.

The invention comprises novel microwave antennas wherein the microwave field profile generated by an antenna is tailored and optimized for a particular clinical application. The antennas disclosed herein incorporate one or more additional elements called shaping elements that use unique properties of microwaves such as interaction of a microwave field with one or more conductive or non-conductive elements to shape or redistribute the microwave field. Such shaping elements may be used to reduce the undesired backward coupling of the emitted microwave field to the transmission line. Such shaping elements may be used to increase the power efficiency of the antenna. The invention also discloses devices and methods for treating tissue with microwave energy emitted from the antennas for use in applications such as destroying a soft tissue by microwave ablation.

Methods for treating urinary stress incontinence by non-invasively delivering energy to one or more submucosal regions of vaginal tissue to induce remodeling within the vaginal tissue are provided. In some embodiments, the energy delivery results in heating of the target tissue to a temperature that ranges from about 38° C. to about 46° C. In some embodiments, the subject methods involve cooling a mucosal epithelial layer over the vaginal tissue. In some embodiments, a reverse thermal gradient is produced as the mucosal epithelium is cooled while energy is delivered to the underlying vaginal tissue.