A method and apparatus are disclosed for preventing injury to an esophagus caused by heat or cold being delivered to the left atrium, the method including altering a heat exchange device from an insertable configuration to a heat exchanging configuration which has an inflated generally flattened cross section (e.g. capsule-shaped, elliptical) corresponding with the cross section of the inside of the esophagus such that the esophagus is maintained in its natural shape and location. In some embodiments the heat exchange device has a heat exchanger which is inflated to be in the heat exchanging configuration.

Methods and devices described herein facilitate diaphragm entry for posterior access of body organs.

Methods, devices, and systems employ cryolysis of oropharyngeal adipose tissues to selectively remove fat cells from the tissues causing obstructive sleep apnea. In various embodiments, a chilled liquid—e.g., a liquid or air—is applied to the target tissue at a temperature and for a duration sufficient to cause cryolysis.

An unattended approach can increase the reproducibility and safety of the treatment as the chance of over/under treating of a certain area is significantly decreased. On the other hand, unattended treatment of uneven or rugged areas can be challenging in terms of maintaining proper distance or contact with the treated tissue, mostly on areas which tend to differ from patient to patient (e.g. facial area). Delivering energy via a system of active elements embedded in a flexible pad adhesively attached to the skin offers a possible solution. The unattended approach may include delivering of multiple energies to enhance a visual appearance.

A system and method can be used to denervate at least a portion of a bronchial tree. An energy emitter of an instrument is percutaneously delivered to a treatment site and outputs energy to damage nerve tissue of the bronchial tree. The denervation procedure can be performed without damaging non-targeted tissue. Minimally invasive methods can be used to open airways to improve lung function in subjects with COPD, asthma, or the like. Different sections of the bronchial tree can be denervated while leaving airways intact to reduce recovery times.

Devices and methods provide for ablation of cardiac tissue for treating cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. Although the devices and methods are often be used to ablate epicardial tissue in the vicinity of at least one pulmonary vein, various embodiments may be used to ablate other cardiac tissues in other locations on a heart. Devices generally include at least one tissue contacting member for contacting epicardial tissue and securing the ablation device to the epicardial tissue, and at least one ablation member for ablating the tissue. Various embodiments include features, such as suction apertures, which enable the device to attach to the epicardial surface with sufficient strength to allow the tissue to be stabilized via the device. For example, some embodiments may be used to stabilize a beating heart to enable a beating heart ablation procedure. Many of the devices may be introduced into a patient via minimally invasive introducer devices and the like. Although devices and methods of the invention may be used to ablate epicardial tissue to treat atrial fibrillation, they may also be used in veterinary or research contexts, to treat various heart conditions other than atrial fibrillation and/or to ablate cardiac tissue other than the epicardium.

Methods for using a surgical device integrating a suction mechanism with a coagulation mechanism for improving lesion creation capabilities. The device comprises an elongate member having an insulative covering attached about means for coagulating soft tissue with at least one diagnostic element coupled to an energy transfer element of the device. Openings through the covering expose regions of the coagulation-causing elements and are coupled to lumens in the elongate member which are routed to a vacuum source and a fluid source to passively transport fluid along the contacted soft tissue surface in order to push the maximum temperature deeper into tissue.

Provided is a high frequency hyperthermia device which includes a main body (110) which includes a high frequency generator (114) which generates high frequency currents using drive power, a hand piece (120) which is connected to the main body (110) through a cable (140) and in which a handle (121) to be gripped by a user is disposed on an upper portion of the hand piece (120), and four or more contact electrodes (122), through which the high frequency currents being supplied are applied to skin (S) in contact with the contact electrodes (122) to generate deep heat in an internal body, are disposed on a lower surface of the hand piece (120), and an alternating switch (130) which is disposed between and connected to the high frequency generator (114) and the contact electrodes (122) in a circuit manner and which supplies the high frequency currents output from the high frequency generator (114) to the contact electrode (122), wherein the contact electrodes (122) are divided into pairs each having two contact electrodes (122), and the high frequency currents are alternately supplied to the pairs at a first speed.

A device for intrabody surgery comprises a cutting arrangement rotatable by a hollow driveshaft, which is formed by a hollow front cutting region and a rear region. The front region includes multiple longitudinal drilling sections interconnected by transversely oriented cutting blade sections. The drilling sections are positioned at an angle to each other defining in combination with the cutting blades a conically shaped grid formation having a hollow internal cavity. The grid formation defines a plurality of ports between the drilling sections and the blades. A low-pressure zone is formed within the hollow internal cavity, wherein cut occlusion materials are aspired by the low-pressure zone through the plurality of ports into the hollow internal cavity for further evacuation from the cutting arrangement.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus (1) for fractional treatment of skin tissue of a patient. The apparatus (1) comprises a handpiece with a housing, at least one first electrode (11) and at least one second electrode (15) located on a distal end of the handpiece and an energy source, which is connected to said at least one first (11) and said at least one second (15) electrode. The apparatus (1) is adapted for applying radio frequency (RF) energy to the tissue. The at least one second electrode (15) is arranged on a base plate (13) and the at least one first electrode (11) is or comprises a pin or a needle (11), in particular a microneedle, which penetrates the base plate (13) through a through hole (17). The apparatus (1) further comprises a vacuum chamber (9) behind the base plate (13) and inside of the housing of the handpiece, which is in fluid communication with the at least one through hole (17) provided in the base plate (13) for exerting attraction onto a surface (33) of the skin tissue towards the at least one first electrode (11) and towards the at least one second electrode (15), when the first electrode (11) and the at least one second electrode (15) is placed in proximity of or is touching the surface (33) of the tissue.