Provided herein are methods, devices, compositions, and kits for monitoring neuromodulation efficacy based on changes in the level or activity of one or more target biomarkers.

A pulmonary treatment system includes a compact configuration for delivery to an airway of a patient. An energy delivery system of the pulmonary treatment system delivers ultrasound energy to target nerve tissue in or along an airway wall of the airway radially outward from surface tissue to reduce airway resistance in a downstream airway. The pulmonary treatment system may protect tissue in the airway wall of the airway located between the target nerve tissue and the ultrasound energy delivery system by a coolant system that may also act as a coupling fluid for the emitted ultrasound energy.

The present disclosure relates generally to devices and methods for full thickness tissue resection of an organ (e.g., intestine). In some embodiments, a device includes a conduit, and a plurality of arms rotatably coupled to the conduit. Each of the plurality of arms is movable between a collapsed position and an expanded position, wherein the plurality of arms extends radially outward from the conduit in the expanded position. The device may further include an electrocautery wire coupled to each of the plurality of arms, the electrocautery wire positioned directly adjacent an exterior tissue wall when the plurality of arms is in the expanded position. The device may be advanced back in towards a lumen of the organ until a targeted section of tissue is cut by the electrocautery wire and removed.

An instrument for therapeutically cytotoxically ablating parathyroidal tissue is disclosed. A substance is capable of transforming the parathyroid gland from overproduction of parathyroid hormone when the substance's quantity exceeds a set amount, and is capable of transforming the parathyroid gland from overproduction only when activated by application of sufficient units of an electromagnetic energy having a frequency ranging from 400 THz to 30 PHz when the substance's quantity is below the set amount. A delivery device is operable to introduce the substance into the parathyroidal tissue and to quantitatively limit the quantity to below the set amount. An energy device is operable to apply units of the electromagnetic energy after the substance has been introduced. A sensor is operable to monitor the activation of the substance as the electromagnetic energy is applied. The energy device is further operable to modulate applying the electromagnetic energy when the substance has been activated.

A medical device is disclosed, which is capable of suppressing damage to an expansion body that expands a biological tissue, or suppressing the difficulty in storing the expansion body in a tubular member when the expansion body is stored in the tubular member. The medical device includes a shaft portion that is elongate; and an expansion body provided at a distal portion of the shaft portion to be expandable and contractable in a radial direction. The shaft portion includes a central shaft extending along an axis of the expansion body. The expansion body includes a plurality of wire portions that are expandable and contractable in the radial direction. Each of the wire portions includes a contact portion that comes into contact with the central shaft, when contracted. An opening portion is formed in the contact portion and a protruding portion is formed in the central shaft.

Devices, systems, and methods for the selective positioning of an intravascular neuromodulation device are disclosed herein. Such systems can include, for example, an elongated shaft and a therapeutic assembly carried by a distal portion of the elongated shaft. The therapeutic assembly is configured for delivery within a blood vessel. The therapeutic assembly can include a pre-formed shape and can be transformable between a substantially straight delivery configuration; and a treatment configuration having the pre-formed helical shape to position the therapeutic assembly in stable contact with a wall of the body vessel. The therapeutic assembly can also include a mechanical decoupler operably connected to the therapeutic assembly that is configured to absorb at least a portion of a force exerted on the therapeutic assembly by the shaft so that the therapeutic assembly maintains a generally stationary position relative to the target site.

A medical introducer includes an elongated tubular member having a proximal end, a distal portion, and a central lumen extending from the proximal end to a distal port in the distal portion. A frame structure is coupled to the distal portion of the elongated tubular member, where frame structure supports the distal portion of the elongated tubular member in a tapered shape and alternatively in a non-tapered shape. The elongated tubular member may include a rigid outer tube and a rigid inner tube carried in an interior lumen of the outer tube. The distal portion is typically a reinforced elastomeric tubular extension of the outer tube, and the reinforced elastomeric tubular extension may have a conical shape.

An apparatus includes a body, a shaft assembly, and a visualization assembly. The body includes first and second actuators. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body and includes a rigid proximal portion and a steerable distal portion. The steerable distal portion is positioned distally relative to the rigid proximal portion. The first actuator is operable to drive the steerable distal portion to deflect laterally relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the rigid proximal portion. The steerable distal portion is configured to fit within a nasal cavity of a patient. The visualization assembly is disposed within the shaft assembly. The visualization assembly includes a camera. The second actuator is operable to drive longitudinal translation of the visualization assembly relative to the shaft assembly.

Ablation catheters and systems include catheter tips with at least one hollow needle that is extendable at an angle from the catheter body to ablate a target prostate tissue while avoiding structures in regions near the prostate tissue, including the urethra, the ejaculatory duct, and the rectum wall. The vapor ablation system has a pump, a catheter that includes a connection port positioned on a proximal end of the catheter, a lumen in fluid communication with the connection port and configured to receive, via the connection port, saline from the pump, at least one electrode positioned within the lumen, and at least two positioning elements, having a lumen with vapor ports between them and configured to be coupled to the distal tip of the catheter. Embodiments of catheter handle mechanisms are described that provide ergonomic methods for handling and using the catheter.

A multimodality or hybrid ablation system includes an ablation apparatus for creating a lesion in target tissue. The ablation apparatus has an ablation shaft including a handle, a first portion, an ablation portion, distal tip, at least one ablation energy delivery lumen, at least one ablation energy return lumen, and a stylet lumen that extends substantially along a length of the ablation shaft from the handle to at least the ablation portion. The ablation apparatus also includes a stylet that is capable of being inserted into the stylet lumen where the stylet is made of a shape-memory material. A plurality of electrodes are arranged on the ablation portion for measuring or verifying tissue contact with the tissue and applying a pulsed electric field. Optionally, the pulsed electric field may be applied after, contemporaneously, or for only a portion that the cryo-modality is applied to the target tissue.