A device for insertion into soft tissue including a micro electrode, a micro light source; a stiffening element having a material dissolvable or degradable in aqueous body fluid or a material swellable in such fluid to form a transparent gel; a coat of a flexible non-conducting polymer material on the stiffening element; a base disposed at the rear end of the device. The flexible coat has a distal opening allowing light emitted from the light source to leave the device upon said collapse or dissolution or swelling. Also disclosed is a therapeutic or diagnostic device formed in the tissue from the insertable device, uses thereof, and a method of disposing the insertable device in soft tissue.

A treatment method is disclosed capable of reducing the burden on a patient and enhancing the effect of killing tumor cells. The method includes administering an antibody-photosensitive substance into a vein; inserting an endoscope from a mouth, a nose, or an anus and bringing the endoscope to a vicinity of a tumor after the administering of the antibody-photosensitive substance into the vein; placing an optical fiber into the tumor or in the vicinity of the tumor; irradiating at least one of the tumor, the vicinity of the tumor, or a regional lymph node with a first near-infrared ray by the optical fiber; and irradiating the antibody-photosensitive substance bound to a tumor cell membrane in the tumor cell with a second near-infrared ray after the irradiating with the first near-infrared ray, the second near-infrared ray having a shorter wavelength than that of the first near-infrared ray.

A device to stimulate the retina comprises one or more light sources coupled to one or more optical elements. The one or more optical elements is configured to illuminate the retina with one or more images at a location away from a fovea of a wearer. In some embodiments, each of the one or more images comprises a depth of focus and a spatial resolution. The one or more images can be formed at a distance anterior to the retina, at a distance posterior to the retina or on the retina. In some embodiments, the depth of focus is less than the distance, and the spatial resolution greater than a spatial resolution of the retina at the location.

A hand-held light treatment device configured with interchangeable emitter heads that are pre-programmed with desired treatment protocols and updated from a remote store of treatment protocols. The removable emitter heads each contain one or more treatment LEDs, a tracking light, a task light, a proximity sensor, and a control module. A tip is attached to the emitter head, either removably or integral therewith. In in one embodiment, the tip is integral with the emitter head and emits light perpendicular to the handle. Some embodiments have tips of various shapes that attach to the emitter heads, which permits a single device to direct the emitted energy at nearly any direction. The tips can be disposable or reusable. The light-emitting device may be used in conjunction with distilled water to treat infections, sterilize wounds or to minimize infection prior to surgical closure.

The present application is directed to devices, assemblies, systems and methods for targeting one or more sites with electromagnetic radiation. The devices, assemblies and systems are operationally configured to transform and convey electromagnetic radiation to one or more targeted sites. The devices, assemblies and systems may also convey one or more fluids or fluid solutions to the one or more targeted sites.

Periodontal disorders such as disorders associated with a dental implant are treated with a laser where an average laser power along with other laser parameters provide particular settings for the treatment, the treatment including one or more of creating a gingival trough or flap around the implant, ablating or denaturing infected tissue via photothermolysis, lasing a pocket around the affected implant, and compressing marginal tissues against the implant.

End effectors and systems including end effectors including embedded batteries and auxiliary components powered by the batteries are described. In an example, the end effector includes a base portion coupleable to a motor carried by an appliance that is separate from the end effector; and a battery disposed in the base portion configured to power an auxiliary component of the end effector.

A method for re-configuring a biomedical laser device. The biomedical laser device is pre-configured to be operable in one or more operational modes, and is provided with set of operational parameters that are employed for at least one of: given medical procedure, given medical treatment, activation of given drug, illumination of given dye. The method includes collecting information indicative of light output properties of biomedical laser device measured during given operational mode; detecting deviation in measured light output properties with respect to predefined light output properties for given operational mode; determining new set of operational parameters that are to be employed for at least one of: new medical procedure, new medical treatment, activation of new drug, illumination of new dye; and sending new set of operational parameters to biomedical laser device for re-configuring biomedical laser device to be operable in a new operational mode.

Provided are conformable light delivery devices for increasing light penetration depth and related methods. The device may comprise a microarray of tissue penetrating members, each member having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the tissue penetrating members are at least partially optically transparent to provide optical transmission through a surface that extends between the distal and proximal ends of each tissue penetrating member and a substrate that supports the tissue penetrating members, wherein the substrate is optionally a flexible substrate.

A balloon catheter comprising: a first shaft having a first lumen and a second lumen; a second shaft located distal to the first shaft; a balloon located distal to the second shaft; and a tubular member that is disposed inside the balloon and has a light transmittance of 90% or more; wherein: the first shaft is made of a resin; a cross-sectional area of the resin forming the first shaft is larger than a cross-sectional area of either the first lumen or the second lumen, which has a larger cross-sectional area, in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction; a proximal end of the tubular member is joined to a distal end of the first lumen; a proximal end of the balloon is joined to the second shaft; and a distal end of the balloon is joined to the tubular member.