The invention is within the general field of electroporation. In particular, the invention is within the general field of endoscopic electroporation and relates to a bipolar electrode suitable for endoscopic use, i.e. an electrode assembly that can be inserted in a resectoscope and deployed so as to treat e.g. internal organs tumors, such as bladder, rectum or esophagus.

A tool has a handle and an elongate shaft that extends distally from the handle. A distal portion of the shaft is inserted into a subject during a surgical procedure. An optical fiber delivers laser energy to a tip at the distal portion of the shaft. The tip includes a mechanical cutting mechanism including a moving part that absorbs the laser energy, thermally conducts the absorbed energy to tissue that is disposed between the moving part and another part, and moves with respect to the other part in order to cut tissue that is disposed between the parts using a mechanical force that is lower than a mechanical force that would be required to cut the tissue in the absence of the laser energy. Other embodiments are also described.

A system to treat a patient comprises a user interface that allows a physician to view an image of tissue to be treated in order to develop a treatment plan to resect tissue with a predefined removal profile. The image may comprise a plurality of images, and the planned treatment is shown on the images. The treatment probe may comprise an anchor, and the image shown on the screen may have a reference image marker shown on the screen corresponding to the anchor. The planned tissue removal profile can be displayed and scaled to the image of the target tissue of an organ such as the prostate, and the physician can adjust the treatment profile based on the scaled images to provide a treatment profile in three dimensions. The images shown on the display may comprise segmented images of the patient with treatment plan overlaid on the images.

A surgical instrument includes a hollow member having a sidewall provided with a window and a closure member movably connected to the hollow member for alternately covering and uncovering the window. The hollow member has a first clamping surface along an edge of the window, while the closure member has a second clamping surface opposing the first clamping surface and disposable substantially adjacent thereto in a clamping or closure configuration of the instrument. The instrument additionally comprises a tissue occlusion component mounted to at least one of the hollow member and the closure member for acting on tissues gripped between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface, to couple the tissues to each other.

Apparatus and methods for electrosurgery are disclosed. In one arrangement, an electrosurgical element and a control system are provided. The electrosurgical element is electrically driven in a first electrical driving mode. The first electrical driving mode is such as to cause heating of human or animal tissue by the electrosurgical element. The heating contributes to modification or cutting of tissue by the electrosurgical element. The electrosurgical element is electrically driven in a second electrical driving mode. An electrical response of the electrosurgical element is measured during the electrical driving of the electrosurgical element in the second electrical driving mode.

Ablation catheters and systems include multiple inline chambers for containing and heating an ablative agent. The heating chamber includes one or more channels to increase the contact surface area of the ablative agent with the walls of the heating chamber to provide more efficient heating. Induction heating is used to heat a chamber and vaporize a fluid within by wrapping a coil about a ferromagnetic chamber and providing an alternating current to the coil. A magnetic field is created in the area surrounding the chamber which induces electric current flow in the chamber, heating the chamber and vaporizing the fluid inside. Positioning elements help maintain the device in the proper position with respect to the target tissue and also prevent the passage of ablative agent to normal tissues.

Ablation catheters and systems include coaxial catheter shafts with an inner lumen for delivering an ablative agent and an outer lumen for circulation of a cooling element about the catheter. Induction heating is used to heat a chamber and vaporize a fluid within by wrapping a coil about a ferromagnetic chamber and providing an alternating current to the coil. A magnetic field is created in the area surrounding the chamber which induces electric current flow in the chamber, heating the chamber and vaporizing the fluid inside. Positioning elements help maintain the device in the proper position with respect to the target tissue and also prevent the passage of ablative agent to normal tissues.

A device for providing fractional treatment of a body orifice includes a source of fractionated energy and a source of electrical muscle (EMS) energy. A programmed controller controls the application of fractionated and/or EMS energy. A probe is inserted by its distal end into the body orifice. The source of fractionated energy is positioned for transmitting fractionated energy from the source of fractionated energy through the probe to tissue in the vicinity around the body orifice; and, the source of EMS is positioned for transmitting EMS energy from the source of EMS energy through the probe to tissue in the vicinity around the body orifice. The programmed controller is configured to control the activation of fractionated energy and EMS energy one of simultaneously or sequentially.

A colonoscopy screening device includes an elongated flexible probe having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end adapted for rectal insertion, and an electrode at the distal end and adapted for contact with a suspect tissue growth. A measurement circuit connected to the electrode for measuring an electrical characteristic of the suspect tissue growth based on delivery of an electrical signal from the electrode. A pair of electrodes in an opposed orientation allows an actuator to drawing at least one of the electrodes towards the other electrode for engaging the suspect tissue growth for passing the electrical signal through the suspect tissue growth. Measurement of the resulting signal determines bioelectrical properties of the growth for determination of possible malignancy.

The present invention describes device, method and system for providing treatment for swollen vascular structures located in a body canal of a patient. The device, method and system described in here provide an easy and, practical treatment and with minimal or without disturb to the patient, including RF emission driven directly and specifically over such vascular structure, and by means of ultrasound technology verify the position of the vascular structure and whether it is closed before, during and after the RF application. The present invention is situated in the field of medical science, more precisely in treatment of vascular structures, and medical devices.