A surgical access assembly and method of use is disclosed. The surgical access assembly comprises an outer sheath and an obturator. The outer sheath and obturator are configured to be delivered to an area of interest within the brain. Either the outer sheath or the obturator may be configured to operate with a navigational system to track the location of either within the brain. Once positioned at a desired location, the obturator is removed, leaving a distal end of the outer sheath adjacent an area of interest, and creating a working corridor. Interrogation of the area of interest may be performed to evaluate a disorder and/or abnormality, as well as evaluate treatment regimes. Interventional devices may also be introduced to the area of interest, as well as a variety of treatments.

The present technology relates to intracardiac sensors and associated systems and methods. In some embodiments, the present technology includes a device for monitoring pressure within a patient's heart. The device can include an implantable capacitor having a capacitance value that is variable based on the pressure within the patients heart and a sensing circuit configured to measure the capacitance value. The device can also include an implantable inductor and a power circuit configured to wirelessly receive power from an external source via the inductor. When the device is in a first configuration, the capacitor can be electrically coupled to the sensing circuit and the inductor can be electrically coupled to the power circuit. When the device is in a second configuration, the capacitor can be electrically coupled to the inductor to form a resonant circuit.

One aspect of the present disclosure relates a method of diagnosis and/or treatment of a solid tumor. The method includes directly measuring neural activity within a solid tumor for a time and determining a state of the solid tumor based on the neural activity. The diagnosis and/or treatment can be determined based on the state of the solid tumor. In some instances, the neural activity can be used in a closed loop to detect the neural activity, determine the state, determine the risk, apply treatment, check again for neural activity, and cease treatment when the neural activity is gone.

This sensor has a probe inserted into a living body, and measures an analyte, wherein the probe has a substrate, an electrode formed on the substrate, a reagent layer formed on the electrode, a first protective film formed on the reagent layer, and a second protective film which is thinner than the first protective film and formed on the first protective film.

An implantable array suitable for being placed in anatomic tissue of a human or animal body is provided. The implantable array has a substrate and a reference structure, the reference structure being formed by a number of notches arranged in at least one outer edge of the substrate, the reference structure defines a spatial relationship with predefined points of the array.

A powered surgical stapling assembly comprising a motor, an end effector, a sensor, a display, and a control circuit is disclosed. The end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw. The end effector is configured to clamp tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw. The sensor is configured to measure a parameter of the tissue clamped within the end effector. The control circuit is configured to monitor the parameter sensed by the sensor and identify when the monitored parameter stabilizes within a stabilization range. The monitored parameter is considered stable when a rate at which the monitored parameter changes falls below a predetermine threshold rate of change. The control circuit is further configured to display to a user when the parameter stabilizes.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an electrode, preferably an implantable electrode array comprising the following steps: Applying (101) a layer of electrically conducting material (4) above a substrate material (1) for forming the electrically conductive traces; applying (102) a layer of insulating material (6) directly on top of the layer of electrically conducting material (4) for covering the electrically conductive traces; patterning (103) the layer of insulating material (4) by partly exposing the layer of electrically conducting material (4) to form at least one contact area (8) on the layer of the electrically conducting material (4), wherein a mask for patterning the layer of insulating material (6) defines a region (9) in the at least one contact area (8) at which the insulating material (6) in the at least one contact area (8) remains; and partly applying (104) a top layer (13) of electrically conducting material (4) at the contact area (8) on top of the layer of insulating material (6) for coating the remaining insulating material (9) to lift the contact area (8a). The invention further relates to an electrode, preferably an implantable electrode array.

An endoscopic instrument for use with a trocar, said endoscopic instrument comprising an elongate shaft body having a proximal end and a distal end; an end effector assembly at said distal end operable by manipulation of actuator mechanism at said proximal end; a substrate core having a first surface and a second surface; at least one sensing element on said first surface, said at least one sensing element located adjacent to said distal end; an electronics module for receiving sensed signals from said at least one sensing element, said electronics module located adjacent to said proximal end; a first conductive layer residing on said first surface, said first conductive layer having first solder mask coated thereon; a second conductive layer residing on said second surface, second conductive layer having a second solder mask coated thereon, and wherein said second conductive layer coupled to said at least one sensing element relays said sensed signals from said at least one sensing element to said electronics module and said a first conductive layer is grounded.

A pessary system for providing pelvic floor support for USL and other ligaments. The pessary has an elongated probe with independently inflatable balloons each located substantially the same distance from the insertion end of the probe and which inflate into separate radial sectors. The probe can be inserted into a vaginal cavity and the balloons inflated provide mechanical support to the USLs. Independent inflation of each balloon allows the mechanical USL support provided to be varied on left and right sides to compensate for differences in the degree of degradation and positioning of the USL ligaments on either side.

Methods and kits for sampling mucous from within a sinus to determine if a single sample includes one or more bacterial types indicating a bacterial infection, such as bacterial sinusitis, and one or more viruses indicating a viral infection, such as influenza.