Systems and methods for controlling vibrations of an ultrasonic handpiece generate an AC drive signal applied to a transducer of the ultrasonic handpiece to vibrate a tip of the ultrasonic handpiece. A property relating to a stiffness of tissue being contacted by the vibrating tip is determined based on a measured voltage and a measured current of the AC drive signal. A target displacement for the tip is determined based on the tissue property, and the AC drive signal is adjusted to achieve the determined target displacement.

A treatment system includes a generator and a fluid transfer cartridge. The fluid transfer cartridge includes a cartridge shell defining a cartridge cavity between a front face and a rear face. The front face includes an opening, and the cartridge cavity is visibly exposed through the opening. The fluid transfer cartridge includes a syringe barrel disposed within the cartridge cavity, and a handle that extends from the front face over the opening. The syringe barrel can be visibly exposed on a side of the handle. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Methods for treating hypertension and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. One aspect of the present technology, for example, is directed to methods for therapeutic renal neuromodulation that partially inhibit sympathetic neural activity in renal nerves proximate a renal blood vessel of a human patient having a 24-hour heart rate at or above a median heart rate for a population of hypertensive patients. This reduction in sympathetic neural activity is expected to therapeutically treat one or more conditions associated with hypertension of the patient. Renal sympathetic nerve activity can be modulated, for example, using an intravascularly positioned catheter carrying a neuromodulation assembly, e.g., a neuromodulation assembly configured to use electrically-induced, thermally-induced, and/or chemically-induced approaches to modulate the renal nerves.

A surgical instrument is disclosed including a transducer, an ultrasonic blade, a protective sheath, and a non-vibrating clamp arm assembly. The ultrasonic blade extends along the longitudinal axis coupled to the transducer. The ultrasonic blade comprises a body having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end is movable along the longitudinal axis by vibrations produced by the transducer. The protective sheath comprises a proximal end and a distal end and disposed adjacent to the body. The protective sheath further comprises a pad positioned toward the distal end of the protective sheath and located between the body and the distal end of the protective sheath. The non-vibrating clamp arm assembly has a proximal end and a distal end and pivotally positioned adjacent to the body. The clamp arm assembly is pivotally moveable from an open position to a closed position.

A system for creating an arteriovenous (AV) fistula comprises a vessel access sheath having a hollow interior and an exit port, a side access needle catheter configured to fit within the hollow interior of the sheath, a needle configured to be inserted into a blood vessel through the side access needle catheter, a toggle delivery catheter configured to fit within the hollow interior of the sheath, and a toggle apparatus configured to be delivered into a vessel through the toggle delivery catheter. The toggle apparatus comprises a shaft and a toggle member pivotably attached to a distal end of the shaft. A source of RF energy or resistive heat energy may be provided for application to the toggle member and/or to a heater insert in the toggle delivery catheter, for the purpose of creating the fistula.

An apparatus comprises an electrically power surgical instrument having a handle assembly. The apparatus also comprises a communication device positioned within the handle assembly. The communication device is operable to communicate with at least a portion of the electrically powered surgical instrument. The apparatus further comprises an external device in wireless communication with the communication device. The external device is operable to receive information from the communication device and the external device is operable to provide an output viewable to the user.

An ultrasonic surgical instrument and method of deflecting an end effector include an acoustic waveguide with a proximal waveguide body portion defining a longitudinal axis, a distal waveguide body portion having an ultrasonic blade distally projecting therefrom, and an articulation body portion extending between the proximal and distal waveguide body portions. The articulation body portion of the acoustic waveguide is configured to flex a first direction to thereby deflect the ultrasonic blade relative to the longitudinal axis and through a first plane. In addition, the articulation body portion of the acoustic waveguide is further configured to flex a second direction to thereby deflect the ultrasonic blade relative to the longitudinal axis and through a second plane. The second direction is different than the first direction such that the second plane is different than the first plane for multiplanar deflection of the ultrasonic blade relative to the longitudinal axis.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a biopsy needle device comprising a biopsy needle attachment mechanism arranged to mechanically couple a biopsy needle to the biopsy needle device, an actuator mechanism comprising a transducer configured to interconnect electrical signals at one port to mechanical motion at another port, the actuator mechanism configured to transmit flexural vibration to the biopsy needle when the biopsy needle is coupled to the biopsy needle device, a sensor device configured to measure a power of the flexural vibration transmitted to the biopsy needle via the transducer and a reflected power of flexural vibration received by the biopsy needle device from the biopsy needle, and circuitry configured to determine a difference between the power of the flexural vibration transmitted to the biopsy needle and the reflected power of flexural vibration received by the biopsy needle device from the biopsy needle.

A path preparation system for preparing a path for a device. The path preparation system includes an ultrasound transmitter and a tracking system. The tracking system is configured to determine a current position of the device on the path. The ultrasound transmitter is configured to focus an ultrasound wave onto a focus position that lies in front of the device in the direction of the path, in spatial relation to the current position of the device.

An ultrasonic probe assembly includes a handle configured to be handheld, and has a housing that defines a chamber. A carriage is slidably coupled to the housing. The carriage has an operator arm configured to be operable by a user to move the carriage between a first position and a second position. An ultrasonic catheter has a catheter sheath and an ultrasonic core wire. The ultrasonic catheter has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. An ultrasonic transducer is positioned in the chamber of the housing. The ultrasonic transducer is connected to the proximal end portion of the ultrasonic catheter, and the ultrasonic transducer is connected to the carriage. The ultrasonic transducer is configured to longitudinally move in the chamber of the housing between a retracted position and an extended position coincident with a corresponding longitudinal movement of the carriage.