Methods for electrically stimulating body tissues to improve function or reduce symptoms provide an electrical stimulation system having two or more electrodes that are capable of being switched independently from a hyperpolarizing (depolarizing) state to a hypopolarizing state. Multiple combinations of hyperpolarizing electrodes and hypopolarizing electrodes are created by polarity switching to determine a polarity configuration having the best performance as determined by symptom reporting and clinical diagnostic tests. Polarity switching is triggered manually or is programmed to be switched automatically. Determining the configuration providing electrical stimulation resulting in the greatest benefit allows the system to be operated with one or more electrodes in a hypopolarizing state, thereby reducing energy requirements, tissue tolerance, and tissue fatigue.

A detecting system includes a sensor and a receiving device. The sensor is introduced into a living body through a mouth of the living body, transmits time-point related information associated with a plurality of time points different from one another, detects a physical amount in the living body, and transmits detection information representing the detected physical amount at each of the plurality of time points. The receiving device receives the time-point related information transmitted by the sensor and is on standby for receiving the detection information transmitted by the sensor on the basis of the plurality of time points associated with the received time-point related information.

A system and a method for an insertion device positioning guidance system comprising: an electromagnetic field generator configured to generate an electromagnetic field covering a treatment area; a plate sensor configured to be positioned within the treatment area in a location defining an orientation of a subject; a reference sensor configured to be positioned, within the treatment area, on the subject's torso, the reference sensor is configured to define a reference coordinate system representing the position and orientation of the subject's torso relative to said field generator; a registration sensor configured to mark at least a first and a second anatomic locations relative to the reference coordinate system; and a processor configured to operate said field generator, read signals obtained from said the plate sensor, said reference sensor and said registration sensor, calculate a position and orientation thereof relative to said field generator, generate a 3D anatomic map representing the torso of the subject and the first and second anatomic locations, said processor is further configured to facilitate visualization on the 3D anatomic map of a position, orientation and/or path of a tip sensor, located in a distal tip section of the insertion device, with respect to the first and second anatomic locations, independent of the subject's movement and independent of deviations in the position and/or orientation of said field generator, thus determination of a successful medical procedure is facilitated.

A temperature measurement probe for a patient is provided. The probe includes a sensor assembly and produces a temperature map comprising temperature information for multiple patient locations.

Provided is a catheter that is manufacturable in a simplified fashion. The catheter 1 includes: a catheter tube 11 including a tip-flexible part 11A that has an inner tube (first tube 61) and a plurality of divided tube members 620 to 625 that are disposed on outer circumference of the inner tube and independent of each other; one or a plurality of metal rings disposed in the tip-flexible part 11A; one or a plurality of temperature sensors disposed corresponding to the one or the plurality of metal rings; and a handle 12 attached at a base end of the catheter tube 11. A rate of a thickness of the metal ring to an outer diameter of the metal ring is 7.5% or greater. The metal ring and the plurality of divided tube members 621 to 625 are both so disposed in the tip-flexible part 11A as to be fitted on an outer circumferential surface of the inner tube side by side in an axial direction of the catheter tube 11.

An example assembly for use with a vacuum system and an esophageal positioning device esophageal positioning device includes an introducer, in which the esophageal positioning device includes a handle, a first segment, a second segment and an articulation driving mechanism. The first segment being coupled to the handle. The second segment being pivotally connected to the first segment. The articulation driving mechanism being configured to pivot the second segment about the first segment upon articulation.

A system and a method for an insertion device positioning guidance system comprising: an electromagnetic field generator configured to generate an electromagnetic field covering a treatment area; a plate sensor configured to be positioned within the treatment area in a location defining an orientation of a subject; a reference sensor configured to be positioned, within the treatment area, on the subject's torso, the reference sensor is configured to define a reference coordinate system representing the position and orientation of the subject's torso relative to said field generator; a registration sensor configured to mark at least a first and a second anatomic locations relative to the reference coordinate system; and a processor configured to operate said field generator, read signals obtained from said the plate sensor, said reference sensor and said registration sensor, calculate a position and orientation thereof relative to said field generator, generate a 3D anatomic map representing the torso of the subject and the first and second anatomic locations, said processor is further configured to facilitate visualization on the 3D anatomic map of a position, orientation and/or path of a tip sensor, located in a distal tip section of the insertion device, with respect to the first and second anatomic locations, independent of the subject's movement and independent of deviations in the position and/or orientation of said field generator, thus determination of a successful medical procedure is facilitated.

A system is provided for measuring and assessing hemodynamics in an anatomical structure of a subject, along with a method for image processing hemodynamics in at least a part of an anatomical structure in video images acquired from a subject. The system and method relates to measuring and assessing hemodynamics in, around and near the surface, in particular the gastrointestinal wall, of the gastrointestinal tract of a subject. A method for image processing hemodynamics in at least a part of an anatomical structure in video images acquired from a subjectmay may performing image analysis of at least one video sequence acquired after a fluorescent contrast agent has been supplied to the subject, calculating intensity values in one or more regions of interest based on the image analysis, and determining the perfusion slope of the flow of the fluorescent contrast agent through at least one of said regions of interest.

Apparatus (1) for rupturing muscle fibres in a lower oesophageal sphincter (2) comprises a balloon catheter (4) having a catheter (5) and a balloon (8) located at the distal end (7) of the catheter (5). A multi-electrode impedance planimetry measuring system (10) comprising a pair of stimulating electrodes (11) and sensing electrodes (12) is located on the catheter 5 within the balloon (8) for monitoring the diameter of the balloon (8) when the balloon (8) is inflated by a pump (25) with a liquid saline solution from a reservoir (26) through a flowmeter (33) under the control of a microprocessor (20). With the balloon (8) located in the sphincter (2) as the balloon (8) is being inflated, the microprocessor (8) computes the minimum diameter value of the balloon (8) from signals read from the sensing electrodes (12) each time the cumulative volume of the liquid saline solution in the balloon (8) increases by a predefined unit volume. The microprocessor computes a curve (40) of a plot of the minimum diameter values against the corresponding cumulative volume values of the liquid saline solution in the balloon (8) and determines the slope of the curve at each computed minimum diameter value. Rupture of the muscle fibres of the sphincter (2) is determined at the point of inflection (42) of the curve (40).

Apparatus and methods for capsule endoscopy are described for locating, positioning, steering, aiming and tracking of an endoscopy capsule (100) within a patient's esophagus and stomach. The apparatus includes an endoscopy capsule (100) with a magnetic element (110), an external capsule positioning system (200) including at least one magnet (202) movable along a track (204) for positioning the endoscopy capsule (100) within a patient. Also described are apparatus and methods for performing endoscopic spectroscopy using different wavelengths of light and other imaging technologies to diagnose various disease conditions, such as premalignant or inflammatory changes and internal bleeding.