Patent classifications
A61B2018/00446
MAGNETIC GUIDANCE SYSTEM PARTICULARLY FOR NEUROLOGICAL DEVICE
A magnetic guidance system (20) for guiding a guidewire (70) or other elongate medical device includes a magnet unit (20) disposed in one implementation adjacent a head end of a patient table (30). The magnet unit is disposed on a magnet support which enables the magnet unit (20) to move in a periodic motion substantially around a single plane. The preferred motion is a rotary motion about a patient's head, which creates a repetitive repulsive force at the distal end of the medical device, causing the distal end of the medical device to move in different directions within the patient's vasculature, useful in assisting the guidance of the medical device through tortuous vessel structures. The repetitive alternating medical field makes guidance of a medical device within a patient's vasculature a relatively simple task.
CANNULA WITH PROXIMALLY MOUNTED CAMERA AND TRANSPARENT OBTURATOR
A cannula system and method for accessing a blood mass in the brain. The system comprises a cannula with a camera mounted on the proximal end of the cannula with a view into the cannula lumen and the surgical field below the lumen. A prism, reflector or other suitable optical element is oriented between the camera and the lumen of the cannula to afford the camera a view into the cannula while minimizing obstruction of the lumen. The system may also include an obturator with a small diameter shaft and a large diameter tip which is optically transmissive, so that a surgeon inserting or manipulating the assembly can easily see that the obturator tip is near brain tissue (which is white) or blood (which is red).
PROTECTING NON-TARGET TISSUE DURING ABLATION PROCEDURES AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Systems and methods for protecting non-target tissue from damage during a medical procedure for disrupting target tissue via heat application are disclosed. Data associated with the target tissue to be disrupted may be received. Based on the received data, one or more non-target objects of tissue that may be affected by the applied heat are identified. Both a temperature threshold and thermal dose threshold for each of the one or more non-target objects may be generated. Both the temperature and the thermal dose of each of the one or more non-target objects may be evaluated during performance of the medical procedure. A response may be generated when either the evaluated temperature of any of the one or more non-targe objects reaches the corresponding temperature threshold or the thermal dose of any of the one or more non-target objects reaches the corresponding thermal dose threshold.
Treatment trajectory guidance system
Treatment trajectory guidance systems and methods are provided. In one embodiment, the method for treatment trajectory guidance in a patient's brain includes obtaining a three- dimensional (3D) brain model that includes a model of an anatomy, the model of the anatomy including a plurality of feature points; modifying the 3D brain model based on magnetic resonance (MR) data of the patient's brain from a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device to obtain a plurality of modified feature points on a modified model of the patient's anatomy in the patient's brain; displaying on a display a first planned trajectory for treating the patient's anatomy based on the plurality of modified feature points; and displaying, on the display, a first estimated treatment result for the first planned trajectory.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CORRELATING PROTON RESONANCE FREQUENCY THERMOMETRY WITH TISSUE TEMPERATURES
Devices and systems used to ablate tissue of a tumor using laser energy are disclosed. The devices and systems include a laser probe and a magnetic resonance (MR) safe temperature probe. The MR safe temperature probe includes an optical sensor. A bone anchor fixture separates the laser probe and the MR safe temperature probe to prevent interference in the MR safe temperature probe data. Proton Resonance Frequency (PRF) thermometry is used to model a temperature of a pixel of an MR image located adjacent the optical sensor. The modeled pixel temperature and the measured temperature are compared and monitored. Exceeding a threshold difference value causes an intervening action to occur.
Robot for minimally invasive neurosurgery
A robotic device for performing intracranial procedures, comprising a baseplate for mounting on the subject's skull and a rotatable base element rotating on the baseplate. The rotatable base element has a central opening through which a cannulated needle can protrude such that it can rotate around an axis perpendicular to the baseplate. This cannulated needle is robotically controlled to provide motion into and out of the subject's skull. A flexible needle is disposed coaxially within the cannulated needle, and it is controlled to move into and out of a non-axial aperture in the distal part of the cannulated needle. Coordinated control of the insertion motion of the cannulated and flexible needles, and rotation of the combined cannulated/flexible needle assembly enables access to be obtained to a volume of a region of the brain having lateral dimensions substantially larger than the width of the cannulated needle.
Multimodal Neuroimaging-Based Diagnostic Systems and Methods for Detecting Tinnitus
The present disclosure includes provides methods for assessing resting-state fMRI functional connectivity, resting-state MEGI functional connectivity, and/or task-based spatiotemporal auditory cortical activity latency in a subject to detect, monitor, and/or diagnose Tinnitus, with or without hearing impairment. The present disclosure also provides systems, devices, and methods for diagnosing Tinnitus and/or hearing impairment in a subject. Also provided are systems configured for performing the disclosed methods and computer readable medium storing instructions for performing steps of the disclosed methods.
ZERO VERGENCE ULTRASOUND WAVES FOR SONODYNAMIC THERAPY
Disclosed are methods of obtaining zero vergence ultrasound waves for providing sonodynamic therapy with ultrasound waves that do not converge and do not diverge. The method includes coupling a sonodynamic therapy device with an array of flat piezoelectric transducers to a skin surface. A controller is configured to generate an electrical drive signal at a frequency, modulate the drive signal, and drive the transducer with the modulated drive signal at the frequency to produce a zero vergence ultrasound wave to produce an average acoustic intensity sufficient to activate a sonosensitizer in a treatment region without damaging healthy cells in the treatment region.
MEDICAL INSTRUMENT WITH COAGULATION
In one embodiment, a medical system includes a medical instrument includes an elongated shaft having a distal end, at least one cutting element disposed at a distal end of the shaft, a position-tracking transducer disposed at the distal end of the shaft, and electrically insulated from the shaft and the at least one cutting element, and at least one metal coagulation electrode disposed at least partially over the position-tracking transducer, which electrically isolates the at least one metal coagulation electrode from the shaft, a signal generator coupled to apply an electrical current to the at least one metal coagulation electrode, and processing circuitry configured to receive signals generated by the position-tracking transducer, and track a location of the distal end responsively to the received signals.
APPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSVASCULAR ACCESS TO THE BRAIN
The present disclosure discusses a devices, systems and methods for transvascular, transvenous and/or transdural access, to the brain parenchyma, subarachnoid or subdural spaces. In some embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods may be used for local drug delivery, tissue biopsy, nanofluidic or microelectronic device/component delivery/insertion/implantation, in situ imaging, ablation of abnormal brain tissue and the like. Embodiments of the present disclosure include an access catheter system for extravascular procedures in the brain having an elongate, flexible tubular body, with at least one lumen extending axially there through between a proximal end, and a distal end. The access catheter system may include a side exit port and a distal end port. Further, the access catheter system may include a selective deflector positioned within the lumen configured to deflect a procedure catheter and permit a guide catheter.