The present invention relates to an implantable ultrasonic transducer comprising a first device for generating ultrasound, a second device for receiving ultrasound, and a circuit board, wherein the device for generating ultrasound is formed from a piezoelectric polymer, which is integrated in the circuit board. The invention also relates to a medical device which can be introduced into the body and comprises an ultrasonic transducer of this type.

An intraluminal sensing device includes a catheter or a guidewire with a flexible elongate member that is positioned within a body lumen of a patient. The device also includes a sensor disposed at a distal portion of the flexible elongate member. The sensor obtains medical data associated with the body lumen while the flexible elongate member is positioned within the body lumen. The sensor is an ultrasound transducer, a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, and/or a temperature sensor. The device further includes a radiopaque marker coupled to the flexible elongate member. The radiopaque marker is an ultraviolet (UV) radiation-cured product of a mixture that includes a radiopaque material, an electromagnetic-radiation-curable adhesive, and a photoinitiator. The solution of the mixture is applied directly to the flexible elongate member and UV radiation-cured to form the radiopaque marker. The radiopaque marker is a band extending around a perimeter of the flexible elongate member.

An ultrasound device (10) includes a probe (12) including a tube (14) sized for insertion into a patient and an ultrasound transducer (18) disposed at a distal end (16) of the tube. A camera (20) is mounted at the distal end of the tube in a fixed spatial relationship to the ultrasound transducer. At least one electronic processor (28) is programmed to: control the ultrasound transducer and the camera to acquire ultrasound images (19) and camera images (21) respectively while the ultrasound transducer is disposed in vivo inside the patient; and construct a keyframe (36) representative of an in vivo position of the ultrasound transducer including at least ultrasound image features (38) extracted from at least one of the ultrasound images acquired at the in vivo position of the ultrasound transducer and camera image features (40) extracted from one of the camera images acquired at the in vivo position of the ultrasound transducer.

Provided is an ultrasonic endoscope with which it is possible to improve a brush cleanability of a communication path. A distal end portion (44) of an ultrasonic endoscope (10) includes: a balloon attachment portion (152) for attachably and detachably attaching a balloon (60) to the distal end portion (44), the balloon attachment portion (152) including a first balloon groove (154) that is provided over an outer periphery of the distal end portion at least on a proximal end side of an ultrasound oscillator (92); and a communication path (90) for supply or suction of a fluid with respect to an inner space of the balloon (60). An entrance and exit way (91) of the communication path (90) is formed to be diagonally inclined with respect to a longitudinal axis of an insertion portion (12). The first balloon groove (154) includes a shallow groove portion (158) that is formed to have a groove depth smaller than other portions in a circumferential direction of the distal end portion (44), and the entrance and exit way (91) of the communication path (90) is provided in an internal region of the distal end portion (44) where the shallow groove portion (158) is formed.

Provided is an ultrasonic endoscope with which it is possible to prevent damage to an imaging element even in a case where voltage from an external power supply is directly applied. A distal end portion main body (43) of an ultrasonic endoscope (10) is formed of a resin material, the distal end portion main body (43) includes an illumination system (53) that includes an illumination metal base (156), a first fixing member (170) that fixes the illumination metal base (156) to the distal end portion main body (43), a first insert hole (172) into which the first fixing member (170) is inserted, an observation system (55) that includes a lens barrel (160), a second fixing member (174) that fixes the lens barrel (160) to the distal end portion main body (43), a second insert hole (176) into which the second fixing member (174) is inserted, and an electrical connection member (178) that electrically connects the illumination metal base (156) and the lens barrel (160), and at least one of the illumination metal base (156), the lens barrel (160), or the electrical connection member (178) is connected to a ground.

A transducer device may include an active layer having a proximal surface and a backing layer having a distal side and a proximal side, the distal side being adjacent to the proximal surface. The proximal side may include (1) at least one first reflective surface approximately parallel to the proximal surface and positioned a first distance from the proximal surface, and (2) at least one second reflective surface approximately parallel to the proximal surface and positioned a second distance from the proximal surface, the second distance being different than the first distance.

A handle apparatus comprising detachable hardware and void regions or attachment devices that accommodate the shape of surgical devices and imaging units such that the device is held securely and mechanically fixed to the imaging unit within the handle assembly.

The present disclosure provides an ultrasonic probe assembly and a method using the same. The ultrasonic probe assembly includes: a handle and a probe body separable from the handle; wherein the handle is configured to control movement of the probe body in a body of an examinee; the probe body includes an ultrasonic component for emitting ultrasonic waves to the body of the examinee and receiving reflected ultrasonic waves to generate examination information, and a driving component for driving the ultrasonic component to move to change a direction of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic component.

Medical devices that include a medical tool, a handle and a flexible cable bundle passing through the handle. The handles and cable routing therethrough are adapted to reduce noise within the cable.

To provide a catheter having a simple structure capable of excising an atheroma in a blood vessel and capable of obtaining ultrasonic images of a blood vessel. [Solution] A catheter 10 has a shaft 11 having an opening 20 in a part of the side wall on the distal end side, a cutter 12 which is located in the vicinity of the opening 20 in the internal space of the shaft 11 and which can move in the axial direction 101 of the shaft 11, a balloon 23 which is disposed on the side opposite to the opening 20 with respect to the axis of the shaft 11 and which outwardly expands from the side wall of the shaft 11, and a phased array ultrasound probe 17 disposed along the circumferential direction 102 of the outer peripheral surface of the side wall in the vicinity of the opening 20 at least on the same side as the side where the opening 20 is provided with respect to the axis of the shaft 11.