A flue for use with an ultrasonic surgical tip, comprising protrusions or bumps on its inner surface with improved protrusion pattern, density and location. The flue has enhanced cooling effect for the ultrasonic surgical tip.

An apparatus is disclosed for thermal therapy in a male prostate patient. The apparatus includes a long tubular element that is to be inserted into a patient's urethra so that a first tip end of it reaches up into the patient's diseased prostate. The elongated portion includes a narrow cylindrical tube within which an ultrasonic array is disposed along the long axis of the cylinder. Fluid is pumped into and out of a treatment zone of said patient as needed to control a temperature of a region in said treatment zone. A motorized driver is used to controllably rotate said elongated portion and the ultrasound array therein about the long axis of the apparatus so as to deliver acoustic energy to said diseased tissue. Various control and monitoring components may be used in conjunction with the present apparatus to design, control, and terminate the therapy.

Apparatus is provided for ablating cardiac tissue of a subject. The apparatus comprises an inflatable element, configured to be transthoracically placed within a pericardial region of the subject and a reflection-facilitation element, configured to deliver a fluid to the pericardial region, such that a portion of the fluid is disposed within the inflatable element, and another portion of the fluid is disposed outside of the inflatable element and inside the pericardial region. The apparatus additionally comprises at least one ultrasound transducer, configured to be transcatheterally placed in a heart chamber of the subject, and to apply ultrasound energy such that at least a portion of the applied energy is reflected by the fluid. Other embodiments are also described.

The present invention relates to a catheter (20) adapted for open-loop irrigated ablation, such as RF ablation, of a tissue (40). Said catheter has a distal tip (22) with an ablation entity (15) adapted for performing ablation of the tissue, an irrigation hole (21) and an ultrasound transducer (5) adapted for transmitting and/or receiving ultrasonic waves. The ultrasound transducer is disposed behind or in the irrigation hole of the catheter, so as to allow an irrigation fluid to flow out of the irrigation hole, and so as to allow transmitting and/or receiving the ultrasonic waves through the irrigation hole. The invention also relates to an imaging system and to a corresponding method for operating a catheter.

A device having an optical element with a conductive coating. The device may include an optical element, a conductive material and at least one connector. The conductive material is disposed on at least a portion of the optical element. The optical element, for example, may be an object lens of an endoscope or an optical coupler. The connectors (acting as terminal(s)) are capable of providing energy (such as electrical energy) to the conductive material. In one aspect, the conductive material is an optically transparent material. Advantageously, the device may allow visualization of an object—such as body tissue or other matter—concurrent with the application of energy to the object via the conductive coating. This allows the user to observe the alteration of tissue and other matter in real time as the energy is delivered.

A method to apply a nerve inhibiting cloud surrounding a blood vessel includes creating a treatment plan, wherein the treatment plan prescribes application of the nerve inhibiting cloud towards at least a majority portion of a circumference of a blood vessel wall, and applying the nerve inhibiting cloud towards the majority portion of the circumference of the blood vessel wall for a time sufficient to inhibit a function of a nerve that surrounds the blood vessel wall.

An intra-cavity ultrasound imaging and therapy system is provided. The system includes an intra-cavity ultrasound probe including a housing configure to be inserted into a cavity proximate to a region of interest (ROI). The housing includes a transducer array located proximate to a distal end of the housing. The system also includes a diagnostic control circuit configured to direct the transducer array to collect diagnostic ultrasound signals from the ROI. The diagnostic control circuit is configured to generate an ultrasound image based on the diagnostic ultrasound signals. The diagnostic control circuit is further configured to direct the transducer array to deliver a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy at a treatment location based on target information derived from the ultrasound image.

A surgical device that has an external sheath having a proximal end and a distal end for insertion through an opening of a body and a plurality of tool components extending from the distal end of the external sheath. The tool components are independently deflectable with respect to each other and with respect to the external sheath and removable from the device without requiring withdrawal of the sheath through the opening of the body. The external sheath is flexible and deflectable intermediate the distal and proximal ends. This permits the device to be steered in a curvilinear manner towards a surgical target.

A device for applying radiofrequency energy for sphincter treatment comprising a flexible outer tube, an expandable basket having a plurality of arms movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, and a plurality of electrodes movable with respect to the arms from a retracted position to an extended position. An advancer is slidably disposed within the outer tube to move the plurality of electrodes to the extended position. An actuator moves the advancer from a first position to a second position to advance the plurality of electrodes. An aspiration tube extends within the outer tube. An assembly includes an aspiration disabler having a first position to enable aspiration from a distal portion of the aspiration tube to a proximal portion and a second position to disable aspiration.

Methods, systems, and treatment probes for delivering heating energy such as acoustic waves to a target tissue volume inside of a patient for medically treating the target tissue volume are disclosed. A method includes inserting a treatment probe into the patient through an exposed skin of the patient, the treatment probe including heating energy dispensing element. The method further includes applying heating energy to the target tissue volume via the dispensing element, the heating energy being applied so as to medically treat the target tissue volume. The method also includes monitoring an amount of energy absorbed by the target tissue as a result of applying the energy, and adjusting the heating energy being applied to the target tissue based on the amount of energy absorbed by the target tissue.