A device includes a syringe, which has a tip, plunger, and barrel containing a fluid. The device also includes a needle electrode coupled to the tip of the syringe, a release component, and a control component configured to receive electrical measurements made by the needle electrode, determine impedance values from the electrical measurements, and identify a target tissue based on the impedance values. In response to the identification, the control component generates instructions to reposition a release component. A method includes receiving electrical measurements from a needle electrode, determining impedance values based on the electrical measurements. A target tissue is identified based on the impedance values, and a release component is repositioned in response. An article of manufacture includes a needle electrode and a microprocessor configured to receive electrical measurements, determine impedance values, identify a target tissue based on the impedance values, and generate instructions to reposition a release component.

Systems and methods are provided herein that generally involve measuring a prostate or other object. In some embodiments, a finger clip having a roller ring or wheel rotatably mounted thereto is disposed within an inflatable membrane. The roller ring can include a measurement pattern positioned opposite to optical fibers configured to receive light reflected from the measurement pattern. A user can put on the finger clip, position the membrane in proximity to a rectal wall overlying a prostate, and inflate the membrane. As the user slides their finger across the inside of the membrane, which is pressed against the rectal wall, the roller ring can rotate with respect to the fibers such that the fibers move relative to the measurement pattern. A controller can sense light reflected through the fibers from the reference pattern and calculate or estimate various attributes of the prostate based on the reflected light.

A method of evaluating a human knee joint including a femur bone, a tibia bone, and ligaments. The method includes: inserting into the joint a tensioner-balancer that includes at least one force sensor; providing an electronic receiving device; moving the knee joint through at least a portion of its range of motion; using the electronic receiving device to collect data from the at least one force sensor; processing the collected force data to produce a digital geometric model of the knee joint, wherein the data includes: a medial spline representing a locus of points of contact of a medial condyle of the femur F with the tensioner-balancer, over a range of knee flexion angles; and a lateral spline representing the locus of points of contact of the femur F with the tensioner-balancer, over a range of knee flexion angles; and storing the digital geometric model for further use.

The system for monitoring the perfusion of a tissue includes a perfusion sensor and a pressure sensor disposed near or at the perfusion sensor. The sensors are paired with a treatment unit. The treatment unit includes at least one correcting module to determine and/or correct the artifacts of the perfusion sensor linked to a pressure measured by the pressure sensor. The invention further relates to a corresponding monitoring method.

An ablation catheter system configured with a compact force sensor at a distal end for detection of contact forces exerted on an end effector. The force sensor includes fiber optics operatively coupled with reflecting members on a structural member. In one embodiment, the optical fibers and reflecting members cooperate with the deformable structure to provide a variable gap interferometer for sensing deformation of the structural member due to contact force. In another embodiment, a change in the intensity of the reflected light is detected to measure the deformation. The measured deformations are then used to compute a contact force vector. In some embodiments, the force sensor is configured to passively compensate for temperature changes that otherwise lead to erroneous force indications. In other embodiments, the system actively compensates for errant force indications caused by temperature changes by measuring certain local temperatures of the structural member.

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward systems and methods for detecting force applied to a distal tip of a medical catheter. In some embodiments, a medical catheter with a deformable body near a distal tip of the catheter deforms in response to a force applied at the distal tip, and a sensor detects various components of the deflection. Processor circuitry may then, based on the detected components of the deformation, determine a force applied to the distal tip of the catheter.

According to embodiments of the present invention, a sensor patch for detecting extravasation is provided. The sensor patch includes an elastic film, and at least one sensing electrode disposed on the elastic film, wherein an electrical resistance of the at least one sensing electrode is changeable in response to a force acting on the at least one sensing electrode. According to further embodiments of the present invention, a sensing device is also provided.

Disclosed herein are of systems, methods, and computer-program products for determining if a response is an electrically evoked compound action potential (eCAP), refining raw data of an eCAP amplitude growth function (AGF) and utilizing maximum (i.e., steepest) slope from moving linear regression to effectively estimate cochlear nerve function, and determining quality of an electrode-neuron interface (ENI) using a model developed from eCAP attributes.

A heart treatment system is disclosed capable of diagnosing one or more critical regions of interest for a biological rhythm disorder by sensing signals from biological tissue. If a critical region is not present at the current location of sensed signals, the system is capable of indicating a guidance direction in which to navigate to reach one or more critical regions. Ablation energy is delivered to treat said region of interest. Signals are again sensed and analyzed to assess the impact of treatment. This process is repeated until all critical regions of interest are treated. In some embodiments, all functionality is provided by a single sensing and treating catheter with display device and analytical software.

An intracortical-detection device including: at least one electrode that contacts a group of neurons; a first body, forming a surface that contacts a portion of a cerebral region; a first motor that moves the electrode with respect to the first body; a second motor; and a second body, operatively connected to the second motor, the first and second bodies being able to slide with respect to one another in a first direction, under the action of the second motor. The detection device moreover includes a sensor generating an electrical signal indicating a pressure exerted by the portion of cerebral region on the surface.