A catheter system (100) includes an inflatable balloon (104), an optical fiber (122), and a laser (124). The optical fiber (122) has a distal end positioned within the inflatable balloon (104). The optical fiber (122) receives an energy pulse (431) to emit light energy in a direction away from the optical fiber (122) to generate a plasma pulse (134) within the inflatable balloon (104). The laser (124) includes a seed source (126) that emits a seed pulse (342) and an amplifier (128) that increases energy of the seed pulse (342) so that the laser (124) generates the energy pulse (431) that is received by the optical fiber (122), the energy pulse (431) having a waveform with a duration T, a minimum power PO, a peak power PP, and a time from PO to PP equal to TP.

Devices and methods are described for a minimally invasive procedure offering immediate relief of brain compression and prevention of subdural hematoma re-accumulation. For example, this disclosure describes devices and methods for embolization of bleeding branch vessels of the middle meningeal artery and subdural hematoma drainage in a single endovascular intervention using multimodal catheter-based technology.

Disclosed are systems and methods for determining target characteristics during a laser procedure, comprising (i) obtaining a relationship between (i) a number of pixels associated with a light beam reflected from a target or an object located in proximity to the target on an endoscopic image obtained from a video sensor coupled to an endoscope and (ii) a distance of the target from a tip of the endoscope. The method further comprising (ii) measuring the number of pixels associated with the light beam reflected from the target or the object located in proximity to the target during a procedure, and (iii) based at least in part on the relationship obtained in step (i) and the measured number of pixels in step (ii), determining at least one of a size of the target or a distance of the target from the tip of the endoscope.

Apparatus and methods for tissue excision. In certain aspects, the apparatus and methods include an annular converging laser beam. The annular converging laser beam can be directed to a surface of a tissue and displace a portion of the tissue in a single or multiple laser pulses. In particular aspects, the dosimetry of the laser beam (e.g. the beam shape, pulse energy and pulse duration) can be controlled to eject the portion of the tissue in a manner to reduce damage to the displaced tissue and the surrounding tissue.

A system is provided to treat sleep apnea, with a method of use. The system includes a handpiece which includes at least one penetrating electrode configured to penetrate tissue and one or more temperature sensors. A processor is coupled with the one or more temperature sensors and the at least one penetrating electrode, and a memory is configured to store instructions executable by the processor. The instructions, when executed, are operable to emit, by the at least one penetrating electrode, RF energy from the electrodes to heat a region of a base of a tongue until a target energy is delivered to the region. The instructions are also operable to measure, by the one or more temperature sensors, the temperature of the region.

According to some embodiments, a medical instrument (for example, an ablation device) comprises an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end, an energy delivery member positioned at the distal end of the elongate body, a first plurality of temperature-measurement devices carried by or positioned within the energy delivery member, the first plurality of temperature-measurement devices being thermally insulated from the energy delivery member, and a second plurality of temperature-measurement devices positioned proximal to a proximal end of the energy delivery member, the second plurality of temperature-measurement devices being thermally insulated from the energy delivery member.

The present invention relates to the field of biomedical engineering and medical treatment of diseases and disorders. Methods, devices, and systems for in vivo treatment of cell proliferative disorders are provided. In embodiments, the methods comprise the delivery of high-frequency bursts of bipolar pulses to achieve the desired modality of cell death. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to a device and method for destroying aberrant cells, including tumor tissues, using high-frequency, bipolar electrical pulses having a burst width on the order of microseconds and duration of single polarity on the microsecond to nanosecond scale. In embodiments, the methods rely on conventional electroporation with adjuvant drugs or irreversible electroporation to cause cell death in treated tumors. The invention can be used to treat solid tumors, such as brain tumors.

The present invention relates to systems for use for radio frequency ablation. The systems can include one or more of an ablation tool, power source for use with the ablation tool and a backstop for use in conjunction with the ablation tool during surgical procedures. Preferred ablation tools comprise a series of three or more blade-shaped electrodes disposed in a linear, curved, curvilinear or circular array. The backstops are useful for reducing direct physical and thermal heat transfer injuries to the patient or surgeon during procedures using radiofrequency (RF) ablation devices.

An electrophysiology catheter is disclosed having a balloon with a membrane. Electrodes may be disposed on the membrane. Each electrode may include a radiopaque marker. The markers may have different forms, e.g., alphanumeric or polygonal, to facilitate visualization of the electrodes using a bi-stable image and allow for selection of the appropriate electrodes to be energized during ablation of tissue. The inventive subject matter allows for proper orientation of electrodes on the balloon under a two-dimensional imaging system. This allows the operator or physician to determine if certain electrodes are adjacent or contiguous to the posterior surface of the left atrium and ablate such posterior surface for shorter duration or at a lower power to create an effective transmural lesion on the posterior wall of the left atrium while reducing the chances of damaging the adjacent anatomical structures.

A ratio of reversible electroporation and irreversible electroporation may be controlled by selecting a symmetric waveform or asymmetric waveform to either minimize or enhance irreversible effects on cells in the target tissue. Combined reversible and irreversible electroporation includes inserting one or more therapeutic electrodes into a target tissue, introducing an electroporation compound into the target tissue, selecting a pulse waveform that is either 1) asymmetric bipolar that has positive and negative pulses with different durations, or 2) symmetric bipolar that has positive and negative pulses with the same duration, and delivering to the target tissue a series of electrical pulses having the selected pulse waveform.