An optical spectroscopy probe for providing optical spectroscopy guidance of a mechanical biopsy procedure, and a tissue biopsy device including an optical spectroscopy probe. The optical spectroscopy probe is positionable in a lumen of a mechanical biopsy device. The probe may enable optical spectroscopy guidance in biopsy procedures, include brain biopsy procedures.

A device for insertion of a flexible needle or other such instrument into a tissue, incorporating a collapsible support guide which supports that part of the needle which has not yet penetrated the tissue, preventing it from buckling, and an arrangement which pulls the needle from its proximal end to provide sufficient force for the penetration process. The collapsible support guide can be a pair of flexible strips connected along their length and enclosing the needle along its uninserted length in order to support it, with a mechanism at the distal end of the device to peel the strips from the needle as it is inserted. Insertion can be achieved by a pair of rollers engaging and advancing the strips distally. Alternatively, a telescopic support tube can be used to support the needle, the tube collapsing telescopically as the needle is inserted, to maintain clearance above the needle.

A catheter assembly for navigation including a flexible catheter having a proximal portion adjacent a proximal end and a distal portion adjacent a distal end and defining a longitudinal axis, the flexible catheter defining a lumen extending therethrough along a longitudinal axis and configured to enable translation of an instrument from the proximal end to the distal end. The flexible catheter defines a compound curve formed on the distal portion, wherein the compound curve includes an elbow bend and a radially curved portion. The elbow bend deflecting the distal portion of the flexible catheter from the longitudinal axis, while the radially curved portion extends from the elbow bend farther deflecting the distal portion about a center point. The catheter guide assembly for navigation includes a control handle disposed at the proximal end of the flexible catheter and is configured to advance and rotate the flexible catheter within a luminal structure.

A method of confirming the location of a target tissue within a patient using a navigation system is provided. The navigation system displays images from a pre-acquired image dataset and provides location information of a medical device within a patient in relation to a patient tracking device affixed to the patient. The method includes determining an initial location of the target tissue, navigating a steerable catheter through the airway of the patient to a position proximate the initial location, tracking the location of the steerable catheter in the airway using the navigation system, generating information regarding the presence of the target tissue using a tissue sensing device inserted into the steerable catheter, and determining a confirmed location of the target tissue in relation to the patient tracking device using the generated information regarding the presence of the target tissue and the tracked location of the steerable catheter.

The inventive device is a mechanical wave inducing device being connectable to a needle. The device has a displacement source and a driving signal connection part in order to connect the displacement source to a signal source. The device has also two connections parts, which are connected to the displacement source, and which each wing part has a connection point to be attached with the needle. The wing parts are converters in order to convert longitudinal mechanical wave movement created by the displacement source into transversal mechanical wave movement for the needle, and at least one connection point is designed to match the transversal mechanical waves to the needle.

A needle apparatus having a sheath with a protective hypotube insert and a method of making the needle sheath. An example needle apparatus includes a handle, a needle having a proximal end connected to the handle and a sheath. The sheath is configured to receive of the needle. The sheath includes a proximal end connected to the handle, a distal end, a lumen and the protective insert. The lumen passes from the proximal end to the distal end of the sheath. The protective insert is received within the lumen at the distal end of the sheath when force and/or heat are applied.

Disclosed is a biopsy device having a tip member with a rearward facing cutting portion for use in a biopsy procedure. The biopsy procedure involves introducing and manoeuvring the device into the tissue of a subject and obtaining a biopsy sample. The biopsy device has an elongate flexible rod member having a proximal end and a distal end that define a first longitudinal axis, and a tip member having a proximal end and a distal end that define a second longitudinal axis. The tip member is located at or towards the distal end of the elongate member and positioned or positionable so that the longitudinal axis of the tip member is angularly offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member. The distal end of the tip member is configured to penetrate tissue and the proximal end of the tip member has a cutting portion for cutting tissue.

A method for removing tissues may comprise disposing a tissue resection device at a target tissue site, causing the tissue resection device to resect a core of tissue from the target tissue site, removing the core of tissue from the body, wherein the removing the core of tissue from the body creates a core cavity at the target tissue site. A tracking apparatus may be configured to determine a position of a portion of the tissue resection device in three dimensional space.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for enhanced navigation and visualization of body passages. In particular, the systems and methods of the present disclosure provide enhanced navigation through the pulmonary peripheries, and enhanced visualization within larger pulmonary passages.

An apparatus includes a body, a shaft assembly, and a shaft actuation assembly. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body and defines a longitudinal axis. A portion of the shaft assembly is configured to be inserted into an anatomical passageway associated with an ear, nose, or throat of a patient. The shaft assembly further defines a working passageway that is dimensioned to receive an instrument. An actuator of the body is operable to drive the instrument longitudinally relative to the shaft assembly. The shaft actuation assembly is operatively coupled with a proximal portion of the shaft assembly. Further, the shaft actuation assembly is translatable in a distal direction to extend the shaft assembly distally along the longitudinal axis and is translatable in a proximal direction to retract the shaft assembly proximally along the longitudinal axis.