Bipolar belt ablation systems and methods for treating patient tissue involve the use of an ablation an ablation apparatus with a plurality of ablation elements carried by a flexible tube structure, a radiofrequency generator capable of delivering a plurality of differing radio frequency power signals to the ablation elements of the ablation device, wires transmitting the radiofrequency power signals from the radiofrequency generator to the ablation elements, and a control mechanism to enable temperature-based power control to each of the powered ablation elements.

Methods and devices that provide enhanced delivery of a composition to a body region of a patient utilizing radiofrequency energy include directing a first electrode and a second electrode coupled to a radiofrequency energy source to a location proximate to the body region. Radiofrequency energy is provided in modulated pulses from the radiofrequency energy source to the body region from at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode to provide a delivery condition configured to enhance delivery of the composition. The composition is delivered proximate to the body region using a composition delivery element. Devices for enhance composition delivery are also disclosed.

System and techniques for target identification system are described herein. In an example, a system can include a medical instrument for ablating a target and a mechanism for removing the ablated target from an anatomic site into an evacuation path. The evacuation path can include a measurement chamber. The system can also include a turbulence-generation system that can generate turbulence in the measurement chamber. The system can also include a target-identification system that can determine a characteristic of at least a portion of the ablated target in the measurement chamber.

A lithotripsy system can include a lithotripsy device and controller circuitry. The device for acoustic calculi fracture can include an acoustic treatment probe for providing acoustic energy along the probe to treat one or more calculi and an evacuation pathway extending at least partially via the prob, for removing at least a portion of the one or more calculi via the evacuation pathway. The controller circuitry, coupled to the lithotripsy device, can be configured to receive an indication of clogging of the evacuation pathway and at least one of initiate or adjust a anti-clogging mode for changing at least one characteristic of evacuation via the evacuation pathway in response to the received indication of clogging.

Bipolar belt ablation systems and methods for treating patient tissue involve the use of an ablation an ablation apparatus with a plurality of ablation elements carried by a flexible tube structure, a radiofrequency generator capable of delivering a plurality of differing radio frequency power signals to the ablation elements of the ablation device, wires transmitting the radiofrequency power signals from the radiofrequency generator to the ablation elements, and a control mechanism to enable temperature-based power control to each of the powered ablation elements.

A probe (10) transmits and receives diagnostic ultrasound and therapeutic ultrasound. A transmission unit (12) forms a transmission beam of the therapeutic ultrasound having a higher wave number than the diagnostic ultrasound and scans the transmission beam of the therapeutic ultrasound in a therapeutic region set inside a diagnostic region by controlling the probe (10). Since the therapeutic ultrasound having a higher wave number than the diagnostic ultrasound is used, the therapeutic effect is higher than when using a therapeutic ultrasound having a similar wave number to the diagnostic ultrasound, and since the transmission beam of the therapeutic ultrasound is scanned in the therapeutic region, the therapeutic effect is higher than when the transmission beam of the therapeutic ultrasound is not scanned.

A method of treating a patient exhibiting a lung disease or pulmonary disorder by applying shock waves or acoustic pulses directed to impinge lung tissue of the lung or lungs exhibiting a lung disease or pulmonary disorder, has the steps of: activating an acoustic shock wave or acoustic wave generator or source to emit acoustic shock waves or pressure pulses from a fixed acoustic wave source or a handheld shock wave or pressure pulse head; and administering a plurality of acoustic waves in a pressure pulse or shock wave pattern within the lung tissue of less than 10.0 mJ/mm2 per shock wave, the plurality of acoustic waves in a pressure pulse or shock wave pattern being directed to a portion of the lung exhibiting the lung disease or pulmonary disorder.

Methods and devices that provide enhanced delivery of a composition to a body region of a patient utilizing radiofrequency energy include directing a first electrode and a second electrode coupled to a radiofrequency energy source to a location proximate to the body region. Radiofrequency energy is provided in modulated pulses from the radiofrequency energy source to the body region from at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode to provide a delivery condition configured to enhance delivery of the composition. The composition is delivered proximate to the body region using a composition delivery element. Devices for enhance composition delivery are also disclosed.

A lithotripsy device for tunneling through vascular occlusions comprises a tunneling catheter including a tunneling catheter shaft having a distal end and a proximal end. A tunneling probe is disposed on the distal end of the tunneling catheter shaft. The tunneling probe has a pair of electrodes; each electrode being operatively connected to an electrical lead within the tunneling catheter shaft. The leads are configured for operative connection to an external pulse generator. Activation of an external pulse generator operatively connected to the leads causes repeated electrical discharges between the electrodes. When the electrodes are an in a fluid, the repeated electrical discharges produce repeated hydraulic shock waves in the fluid directed away from the electrical discharges. When the repeated hydraulic shock waves strike calcified tissue, the calcified tissue is broken into a modified plaque. The modified plaque has a lower resistance to mechanical dislocation that the original calcified tissue.

A medical device may include a sheath extending from a proximal end to a distal end. The medical device may further include a light source coupled to the sheath. The light source may have a first state in which light is not emitted distally of sheath and a second state where the light source emits a visual pattern distally of the distal end of the sheath. The visual pattern may represent a cross-sectional dimension of a structural feature of the sheath.