For intraluminal ultrasound probes, the transducer is divided into multiple segments. The segments are connected in a way that allows them to slide relative to each other. This sliding arrangement allows for the transducer to be used in two different apertures at different times while in the patient. One aperture is shaped for insertion of the probe through a limited space, and the other aperture forms an array with a larger elevation extent, allowing greater quality imaging along the elevation dimension.

A combined ultrasonic and endoscopy system includes a cannula with a distal tip configured for insertion into an internal organ or other internal body structure. The distal tip is configured to include both an ultrasound probe head and a camera module. The ultrasonic and direct vision endoscopy images can be simultaneously displayed to a user on a display monitor. The ultrasound probe head can be rotated and steered to scan any location in the human organ cavity. The ultrasound probe can be re-usable or single use. The endoscopy system can be configured with a handheld portion that includes a re-usable handle portion and a single use portion that is configured to be disposed of following a single use. The system can also be configured using a conventional re-usable endoscope with working channels and an endoscopy processing tower system.

For deploying a stent at a coronary ostium, an integrated intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) ostial stent delivery apparatus can include a balloon catheter and an elongate shaft defining (1) a longitudinal inflation lumen and (2) a longitudinal IVUS lumen. A balloon can be located at and about the distal shaft portion and inflated with the inflation lumen. The shaft further defines a longitudinal guidewire lumen, extending at least through the distal shaft portion underlaying the balloon for at least a length of the balloon along the shaft. The IVUS lumen can include removable IVUS ultrasound imaging transducer with a signal conduit to external processing and display componentry. The imaging can help ensure proper stent location before placement and deployment, or for post-placement and stent deployment confirmation, without requiring removal of the stent delivery device to deploy a separate IVUS imaging probe.

Ultrasound image devices, systems, and methods are provided. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising an intraluminal imaging device comprising a flexible elongate member configured to be positioned within a patient's body lumen and an ultrasound transducer array coupled to the flexible elongate member, the ultrasound transducer array configured to transmit ultrasound energy into the body lumen and to receive ultrasound echoes associated with the body lumen; and a processor circuit in communication with the intraluminal imaging device and configured to receive, from the ultrasound transducer array, first signal data corresponding to the received ultrasound echoes; transform the first signal data based on a first parameter associated with a reference tissue characterization data; characterize the transformed first signal data based on the reference tissue characterization data; generate a first image of the body lumen based on the characterization; and output, to a display in communication with the processor circuit, the first image.

A method and apparatus used to prevent brain death by use of rapid and safe cooling of the brain is disclosed. The cisterna magna is accessed through a patient's neck and cooled artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) is circulated about spaces within the brain and in a subarachnoid space surrounding the brain by entering the cisterna magna with an entry through the neck of the patient with a specially designed needle/cannula which allows the flow of cooled aCSF about the brain. aCSF exits from an opening in the skull where a temperature/pressure sensor is placed. Data is sent to a computer-controlled motorized system that pumps cooled aCSF to the needle/cannula placed in the cisterna magna. The pumping of aCSF is controlled to maintain a predetermined temperature and/or pressure of the exiting aCSF.

Provided is a puncture device includes: a needle tube; and a tube that is accommodated within the needle tube, is capable of accommodating an optical fiber, and is composed of a cylindrical optically-transparent material. The needle tube includes a tip member fixed to a distal end of the tube and having a blade surface at a tip thereof, and a base member that is disposed at a position where the base member covers a proximal end of the tube relative to the tip member and that is movable along a longitudinal axis of the needle tube. The base member advances to cause a distal end of the base member to abut on a proximal end of the tip member. The base member retracts to cause the distal end of the base member to move away from the proximal end of the tip member in a direction of the longitudinal axis.

The present disclosure includes devices, systems, and methods for reducing signal noise in endoscopic rotational imaging. Many embodiments include an elongate member that includes an impedance matching network disposed between a proximal imaging core and a distal imaging core. In many such embodiments, the elongate member may connect a controller at the proximal end and include a rotational transducer at the distal end. In various embodiments, the proximal and distal imaging cores may include a plurality of insulated conductors disposed within a shield (e.g., a shielded twisted pair (STP)). In various such embodiments, the insulated conductors may be utilized to communicate differential signals between the controller and the rotational imaging transducer. In some embodiments, the insulated conductors in the proximal imaging core may have a larger diameter than the insulated conductors in the distal imaging core.

An imaging assembly for an intraluminal device is provided. In one embodiment, the imaging assembly includes: an array of ultrasound transducer elements spaced apart by air kerfs; a plurality of buffer elements surrounding the array of ultrasound transducer elements, wherein the plurality of buffer elements are spaced apart by gaps; and a sealing material filling portions of the gaps between the plurality of buffer elements.

A radial type ultrasound transducer is arranged in an ultrasound endoscope including a bending portion on a distal end side of an insertion portion. The ultrasound transducer includes: a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged at predetermined intervals in a circumferential manner and configured to transmit and receive ultrasound waves; a plurality of electrodes arranged in the respective piezoelectric elements; and a flexible printed circuit electrically connected to each of the electrodes. The flexible printed circuit includes a plurality of wires that extend such that at least parts of the wires cross a direction perpendicular to an arrangement direction of the piezoelectric elements, and the plurality of wires are electrically connected to the respective electrodes of the piezoelectric elements at positions where at least parts of the wires cross the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the piezoelectric elements.

An adaptor for adjusting electrical signals propagated along an electrically-conductive path between a drive unit and a catheter of an intravascular ultrasound imaging system includes a catheter connector disposed along a first end of a housing and configured to receive the catheter. A drive-unit connector is disposed along a second end of the housing and is configured to couple the adaptor to the drive unit. A catheter-conductor interface electrically-couples to a transducer conductor of the catheter. A drive-unit-conductor interface electrically-couples to an electrical conductor of the drive unit. An adaptor conductor electrically-couples the catheter-conductor interface to the drive-unit-conductor interface. A tuning element is electrically-coupled to the adaptor conductor and is configured to adjust electrical signals propagating along the adaptor conductor based, at least in part, on an operational frequency of a transducer disposed in the catheter.