Unitary endoscopic vessel harvesting devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, such devices may comprise an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end. A conical tip may be disposed at the distal end of the elongated body. In addition, the surgical instrument may include one or more surgical instruments moveable in a longitudinal direction along an axis substantially parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the cannula from a retracted position proximally of a distal end of the tip to an advanced position toward the distal end of the tip to seal and cut a blood vessel.

Described herein are various implementations of systems and methods for accessing and modulating tissue (for example, systems and methods for accessing and ablating nerves or other tissue within or surrounding a vertebral body to treat chronic lower back pain). Assessment of vertebral endplate degeneration or defects (e.g., pre-Modic changes) to facilitate identification of treatment sites and protocols are also provided in several embodiments. Several embodiments comprise the use of biomarkers to confirm or otherwise assess ablation, pain relief, efficacy of treatment, etc. Some embodiments include robotic elements for, as an example, facilitating robotically controlled access, navigation, imaging, and/or treatment.

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.

Described herein are various implementations of systems and methods for accessing and modulating tissue (for example, systems and methods for accessing and ablating nerves or other tissue within or surrounding a vertebral body to treat chronic lower back pain). Assessment of vertebral endplate degeneration or defects (e.g., pre-Modic changes) to facilitate identification of treatment sites and protocols are also provided in several embodiments. Several embodiments comprise the use of biomarkers to confirm or otherwise assess ablation, pain relief, efficacy of treatment, etc. Some embodiments include robotic elements for, as an example, facilitating robotically-controlled access, navigation, imaging, and/or treatment.

The invention relates to a system for assisting in planning a focal therapy treatment of a structure (1) within a patient body (2) by applying a treatment quantity using one or more devices (4a,b,c) operated in one or more device positions. The system comprises a unit (10) configured to generate a constraint function representing clinical objectives relating to the treatment quantity, a selection unit (11) configured to determine, for each of at least some non-selected candidate device positions, a sum of negative derivatives of the constraint function with respect to the treatment parameter associated with the respective device position and to select a device position for use in the treatment based on a comparison of the determined sums, and an optimization unit (12; 408) configured to determine at least one optimized treatment parameter for the selected device position based on the constraint function.

A system for treating fat tissue, including: an ultrasound applicator, including: two or more ultrasound transducers configured to generate and direct ultrasonic waves to a selected tissue volume including fat tissue; a control unit, including: a control circuitry electrically connected to the two or more ultrasound transducers, wherein the control circuitry is configured to activate the two or more ultrasound transducers to heat the selected tissue volume.

Described herein are various implementations of systems and methods for treating back pain (e.g., chronic low back pain) caused by different (e.g., independent) sources of pain, such as pain originating or stemming from intervertebral discs, from vertebral endplates, and/or from intraosseous locations within one or more vertebral bodies. For example, methods for treating back pain (e.g., chronic low back pain) may involve both vertebral fusion (e.g., arthrodesis or spondylodesis to fuse adjacent vertebrae) and neuromodulation (for example, ablation of nerves within or surrounding one or more of the adjacent vertebrae). The neuromodulation may facilitate treatment of pain that is generated by insertion of fusion hardware.

Methods and devices described herein facilitate improved treatment of body organs.

Methods and devices described herein facilitate improved treatment of body organs.

Methods of improving ARDS by regulating a stellate ganglion is provided herein. Methods of improving a hypercoagulation state are also provided by regulating the sympathetic nervous system.