The present disclosure provides an ultrasonic transducer and a focused ultrasound treatment device. The ultrasonic transducer includes a sound generation unit and a sound emitting surface, the sound emitting surface being a spherical surface having a first notch, a second notch and a third notch, wherein one great circle of a sphere corresponding to the sound emitting surface is a main great circle, the first notch and the second notch are respectively positioned at two intersections of the spherical surface and a diameter perpendicular to the main great circle, and the third notch connects the first notch with the second notch; each cross-section of the sound emitting surface parallel to the main great circle is in a shape of an arc; and the ultrasonic wave generated by the sound generation unit is focused on a center of the sphere corresponding to the sound emitting surface.

A system for controlling operation of a radiofrequency treatment device to apply radiofrequency energy to tissue to treat tissue to create lesions without ablating the tissue. The system includes a first treatment device having a plurality of electrodes. The electrodes are maintained in axial alignment and fixed radial spacing in retracted and extended positions. The device includes a basket having a plurality of arms. The arms are maintained in a fixed radial spacing in the collapsed position of the basket.

A thermometry apparatus used during hyperthermia therapy, which has a mat that can be used in combination with a non-invasive thermometry system. The mat has a top face and a bottom face. Between the top face and the bottom face are embedded wires. The wires provide skin and treatment head thermal information based on the thermal coefficient of resistance of the wires or via two metals in a thermocouple configuration. The mat is placed between the skin and an ultrasound head. The mat is flexible enough to conform to the patient’s body shape at the treatment point. The mat may be used in combination with an infrared camera, where at least one IR camera is pointed at a semi perpendicular angle to the mat, whereby the IR camera measures the temperature directly from the mat side and continually below the ultrasound head providing thermal depth measurements.

Disclosed herein is a system for ablating and characterizing tissue. The system comprises an ablation element configured to emit ablative energy toward a tissue of interest, an imaging apparatus configured to emit energy and collect imaging data including reflected signals from the tissue of interest, and a characterization application. The characterization application comprises a signal analyzer for analyzing the imaging data and determining one or more signal properties from the reflected signals, and a correlation processor configured to associate the one or more signal properties to pre-determined tissue signal properties of different tissue components through a pattern recognition technique. The pre-determined tissue signal properties are embodied in a database, and the correlation processor is configured to identify a tissue component and an ablation level of the tissue of interest based on the pattern recognition technique.

Devices, systems, and methods relating to a low-voltage, pre-treatment pulse routine for evaluating a potential for non-target tissue damage from the delivery of energy, such as electroporation energy to an area of target tissue. In one embodiment, a medical system includes a medical device having a treatment element; and a control unit in communication with the medical device, the control unit being configured to: deliver a low-voltage, pre-treatment pulse routine through the treatment element to an area of target tissue; determine whether the low-voltage, pre-treatment pulse routine has a stimulation effect on an area of non-target tissue; and deliver an ablation energy routine through the treatment element to the area of target tissue when the control unit determines that the low-voltage, pre-treatment pulse routine does not have a stimulation effect on the area of non-target tissue.

Systems and methods for performing and assessing neuromodulation therapy are disclosed herein. One method for assessing the efficacy of neuromodulation therapy includes positioning a neuromodulation catheter at a target site within a renal blood vessel of a human patient and delivering neuromodulation energy at the target site with the neuromodulation catheter. The method can further include obtaining a measurement related to a blood flow rate through the renal blood vessel via the neuromodulation catheter. The measurement can be compared to a baseline measurement related to the blood flow rate through the renal blood vessel to assess the efficacy of the neuromodulation therapy. In some embodiments, the baseline and post-neuromodulation measurements are obtained by injecting an indicator fluid into the renal blood vessel upstream of the target site and detecting a transient change in vessel impedance caused by the indicator fluid.

A system for controlling operation of a radiofrequency treatment device to apply radiofrequency energy to tissue to treat tissue to create lesions without ablating the tissue. The system includes a first treatment device having a plurality of electrodes. The electrodes are maintained in axial alignment and fixed radial spacing in retracted and extended positions. The device includes a basket having a plurality of arms. The arms are maintained in a fixed radial spacing in the collapsed position of the basket.

Methods and devices for treating nasal airways are provided. Such devices and methods may improve airflow through an internal and/or external nasal valve, and comprise the use of mechanical re-shaping, energy application and other treatments to modify the shape, structure, and/or air flow characteristics of an internal nasal valve, an external nasal valve or other nasal airways.

Systems and methods are provided for ultrasound stimulation for immunomodulation treatment. Ultrasound stimulation of the spleen may be used to alter immune and thereby inflammatory responses of a subject by modulating specific biomarkers or cytokines associated with inflammation. A closed-loop or responsive ultrasound stimulation of the spleen may be implemented by tracking biomarkers in the blood that indicate when the stimulation is working. Modulation of specific cytokines and/or erythrocyte sedimentation rate may be performed in response to ultrasound stimulation in a diseased state.

An intravascular catheter for nerve activity ablation and/or sensing includes one or more needles advanced through supported guide tubes (needle guiding elements) which expand to contact the interior surface of the wall of the renal artery or other vessel of a human body allowing the needles to be advanced though the vessel wall into the extra-luminal tissue including the media, adventitia and periadvential space. The catheter also includes structures which provide radial and lateral support to the guide tubes so that the guide tubes open uniformly and maintain their position against the interior surface of the vessel wall as the sharpened needles are advanced to penetrate into the vessel wall. Electrodes at the distal ends of the guide tubes allow sensing of nerve activity before and after attempted renal denervation. In a combination embodiment ablative energy or fluid is delivered to ablate nerves outside of the media.