A measuring method for optically determining a distance (z) of a surface located in a medium from an end of an optical waveguide is described and has the following steps: emitting electromagnetic measuring radiation of a first wavelength (λ1) and of a second wavelength (λ2) from the end of the waveguide towards the surface, wherein the medium more strongly absorbs the electromagnetic measuring radiation of the second wavelength (λ2) than the electromagnetic measuring radiation of the first wavelength (λ1); measuring a first reflection signal (I.sub.1) of the electromagnetic measuring radiation of the first wavelength (λ1) reflected from the surface, and measuring a second reflection signal (I.sub.2) of the electromagnetic measuring radiation of the second wavelength (λ2) reflected from the surface, and determining the distance (z) from a ratio (I.sub.2:I.sub.1) of the second and the first reflection signal. Furthermore, a measuring device and a laser lithotripsy device are described.

Various embodiments are described herein for a bipolar catheter that generally comprises: a catheter body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion; a first electrode at the distal end portion, the first electrode being on a spiral structure for rotational insertion into a physiological target region; a second electrode at the proximal end portion and spaced apart from the first electrode; and first and second electrode terminals spaced apart from one another at the proximal end portion and electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes respectively. The first and second electrodes are configured to function as active and dispersive electrodes respectively, or vice-versa. Also described are various embodiments of methods which generally include coupling the bipolar catheter to a signal generator; inserting the bipolar catheter at a physiological target region; and performing the procedure.

Systems and methods for treating tissue including an apparatus that applies or a method involving separating septa to eliminate or reduce the appearance of cellulite or liposuction in combination with separating septa to eliminate or reduce the appearance of cellulite. In one approach, an interventional tool is placed between tissue layers to engage and treat tissue layers between which fat deposits are contained.

A catheter system for treating a treatment site within or adjacent to a vessel wall or a heart valve, includes a light source, a balloon, a light guide and an optical analyzer assembly. The light source generates first light energy. The balloon is positionable substantially adjacent to the treatment site. The balloon has a balloon wall that defines a balloon interior that receives a balloon fluid. The light guide receives the first light energy and guides the first light energy in a first direction from a guide proximal end toward a guide distal end positioned within the balloon interior. The optical analyzer assembly optically analyzes a second light energy from the light guide that moves in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. The optical analyzer assembly includes a safety shutdown system to inhibit the first light energy from being received by the guide proximal end of the light guide.

Methods and apparatus for dermatological laser treatment, e.g. for the removal of unwanted tattoos or other skin pigmentation. Removal of multiple colors with a single pulsed laser beam may be achieved using intensities in excess of about 50 GB/cm.sup.2. Methods for reducing the pain and tissue damage associated with laser tattoo removal include using a spot size of less than 2 mm with a fluence in the range of 0.5-10 J/cm.sup.2. Scanning the laser beam over an area of skin to be treated allows such areas to be treated accurately with scanning patterns calculated to promote rapid dissipation of heat away from treated portions of the skin. Multiple treatment rooms may be served by a single pulsed treatment laser by beam toggling, splitting or pulse-picking to minimise downtime of the laser.

Ablation systems and methods detect and address distortion caused by a variety of factors. A method includes measuring a temperature curve at target tissue; applying ablation energy to the target tissue; determining a peak temperature on the temperature curve; if the peak temperature is greater than the predetermined peak temperature, determining a time at which the temperature curve crosses to a lower temperature; and if the determined time is greater than a predetermined time, generating a message indicating that the target tissue was successfully ablated. Another method includes determining a distance between a remote temperature probe and an ablation probe, applying ablation energy to target tissue, measuring temperature at the remote temperature probe, estimating ablation size based on the determined distance and the temperature measured by the remote temperature probe, and determining whether the target tissue is successfully ablated based on the estimated ablation size.

Surgical devices and surgical systems are disclosed. The surgical device can comprise an actuator and a control circuit configured to adjust one or more functions of the surgical device based on a signal from a situationally-aware surgical hub. A surgical system can comprise a screen and a control circuit configured to communicate a priority level of a recommendation to the clinician on the display.

Methods and systems for monitoring and modifying pulsed field ablation (PFA) energy delivery to prevent patient safety risks and/or delivery device failure. In particular, some embodiments provide methods and systems for detecting and preventing arcs and arc-induced plasma, and their causal events, during delivery of pulsed field ablation energy, as well as methods and systems for identifying conditions leading to potential delivery device failure and correcting charge imbalance or asymmetry.

This disclosure relates to using stereo-thermo-lesioning (STL) to create lesions at one or more locations in the patient's nervous system at the patient's bedside without general anesthesia. A method that uses STL to treat a patient's neurological condition includes: using a plurality of stereotactically-implanted thermo-coupled multi-contact electrodes to record conduction data within a predetermined theoretical zone of activity within the patient's neurological tissue; detecting abnormal neurological activity of a neurological condition within the conduction data and localize a portion of the predetermined theoretical zone of activity that is responsible for a primary organization of the abnormal neurological activity; creating a lesion at the portion of the predetermined theoretical zone of activity that is responsible for a primary organization of the abnormal neurological activity using at least one contact of the plurality of thermo-coupled multi-contact electrodes.

Systems and methods for the use of cooling to trigger desirable effects of increased vasculature and/or development of new collagen in biological tissue are provided. In particular, the systems and methods provide a cooling treatment system configured to provide bulk or fractionated cooling at either at ablative temperatures or intermediary remodeling temperatures to promote tissue remodeling by inducing increased vasculature and/or the formation of new collagen.