A fluid source on a carrier is configured to rotate relative to a probe to direct a fluid stream from the source toward an opening of an evacuation lumen. This may help to remove material that may collect near the opening, such as blood clots and tissue. Also, directing the fluid stream toward the evacuation lumen can draw flowable material from the surgical site toward the evacuation lumen to improve removal of material from the surgical site.

Regions of tissue having reduced electrical propagation are created in a bladder to affect its electrical or mechanical properties. To create these tissue regions, a tubular device is advanced through the urethra leading to the interior of the bladder, a distal expandable structure of the device is expanded to contact the inner wall of the bladder, and electrodes or other active energy delivery elements of the device are activated to deliver ablation energy. The electrodes or other active energy delivery elements are disposed over the expandable structure which is shaped to conform to the interior of the bladder. The inner wall of the organ is ablated in a predetermined pattern. The same or other electrodes disposed over the expandable structure can used to electrically map the bladder. This map of electrical activity can be used to create the predetermined pattern.

Apparatus and methods are provided to concentrate energy delivery in non-superficial target tissue within a trigone region of a human bladder wall to modulate bladder function.

Surgical handheld devices are used in electrosurgical procedures in urology. For this use, a radiofrequency electric current is applied to an electrode. It is necessary to avoid the electrode coming into electrical contact with the handheld device. Known insulation inserts for electrical insulation can be connected to the handheld device only with difficulty. Moreover, the connection is very unreliable. A surgical handheld device, and an insulation insert which can be connected to a shaft of the handheld device in a safe and easily releasable manner. The insulation insert is of a tubular configuration and is releasably coupled with a proximal end region to a distal end of a tubular shaft of the handheld device. The proximal end region of the insulation insert has at least two resilient fasteners, which each have a latch element pointing into an interior of the insulation insert.

The present invention relates generally to therapeutic compositions comprising chitosan-derived compositions used in connection with methods for treating neoplasms, such as for instance, malignant lung, thyroid and kidney neoplasms, and other types of malignant neoplasms, and other medical disorders.

An electrode unit comprises: an electrode supporting member provided with a pair of distal end rigid members surfaces of which are covered by an electrically insulating material; a treatment electrode configured with electrode bodies arranged in respective distal end portions of the pair of distal end rigid members and protruding downward respectively from the pair of distal end rigid members, and a spanning portion that spans respective lower end portions of the electrode bodies; and a detection sensor arranged on respective proximal end sides of the pair of distal end rigid members and configured to detect a contact state between the pair of distal end rigid members and tissue.

A method for analyzing biological samples using mass spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry that includes producing gas-phase ions and neutrals from the sample in a proximity of the sample; transferring the produced ions from the sample to a distance via a flexible or re-configurable ion transfer device such that the flexible or re-configurable ion transfer device includes a plurality of electrodes configured to be flexible or flexibly connected to each other, and the ion transfer device is configured to be flexible while transferring the ions to allow the ion transfer device to form one or more curvatures; and separating the produced ions with a mass spectrometer or a mobility analyzer located at the distance to provide spectrometric results.

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.

An endoscopic stone-extraction device is provided comprising a support filament comprising an end portion having a plurality of stacked loops, a sheath comprising a lumen, wherein the support filament is disposed in the lumen such that the sheath is slideable with respect to the support filament, and a handle comprising an actuator. Movement of the actuator in a first direction retracts the sheath and causes the plurality of stacked loops to expand outside the lumen in an arc-like shape. Movement of the actuator in a second direction advances the sheath and causes the plurality of stacked loops to at least partially collapse inside the lumen. Other embodiments are provides, and any of these embodiments can be used alone or in combination.

A surgical laser system includes a first laser source, a second laser source, a beam combiner and a laser probe. The first laser source is configured to output a first laser pulse train comprising first laser pulses. The second laser source is configured to output a second laser pulse train comprising second laser pulses. The beam combiner is configured to combine the first and second laser pulse trains and output a combined laser pulse train comprising the first and second laser pulses. The laser probe is optically coupled to an output of the beam combiner and is configured to discharge the combined laser pulse train.