A microneedling system may reciprocate a plurality of microneedles disposed on a handpiece into the skin of a patient. The handpiece may have a plurality of positive and negative electrodes in the form of microneedles or surface electrodes arranged across an array. The microneedles and/or electrode plates may deliver RF energy to the patient for inducing collagen coagulation and regeneration. The electrodes may be arranged such that each electrode is positioned adjacent a closest electrode of opposite polarity. There may be an uneven number of positive and negative electrodes. Central electrodes may be surrounded by at least three adjacent closest electrodes of opposite polarity. The electrodes may be arranged in a hexagonal or other polygonal manner. The electrodes may be arranged to provide uniform distribution of energy, heating, and effectively to some extent damage the entire discrete area that encloses the positive and negative electrodes.

A catheter system includes an inflatable balloon, an optical fiber and a laser. The optical fiber has a distal end positioned within the inflatable balloon. The optical fiber receives an energy pulse to emit light energy in a direction away from the optical fiber to generate a plasma pulse within the inflatable balloon. The laser includes a seed source that emits a seed pulse, and an amplifier that increases energy of the seed pulse. The energy pulse can have a somewhat square or triangular waveform with a duration T, a minimum power P.sub.0, a peak power P.sub.P, and a time from P.sub.0 to P.sub.P equal to T.sub.P, wherein T.sub.P is not greater than 40% of T. T can be within the range of greater than 50 ns and less than 3 μs. T.sub.P can be within the range of greater than 2.5 ns and less than 1 μs. P.sub.P can be within the range of greater than 50 kW and less than 1000 kW. A ratio in kW to ns of P.sub.P to T.sub.P can be greater than 1:5. The seed pulse can at least partially increase in amplitude over time.

The inventive ablation element comprises an elongated cannula having a proximal end and a distal end. The cannula defines an internal lumen and a cannula axis. A plurality of conductors contained within the lumen, each having a proximal end proximate the proximal end of the cannula, and a distal end proximate the distal end of the cannula. A plurality of ablation stylets each has a proximal end and a distal end, and each coupled to the distal end of a respective conductor, the conductors together with their respective stylets being mounted for axial movement. A trocar point defined proximate the distal end of the cannula. A deflection surface positioned between the trocar point and the proximal end of the cannula, the deflection surface being configured and positioned to deflect at least some of the stylets laterally with respect to the cannula axis in different directions defining an ablation volume.

In an embodiment, a method for effecting thermal therapy using an in vivo probe includes positioning the probe in a volume in a patient, identifying an irregularly shaped three-dimensional region of interest and automatically applying thermal therapy to the region using the probe. Applying thermal therapy may include identifying a first emission level at a first rotational angle based in part on a depth of a radial portion of the region in the direction of probe emission, activating emission of the probe, causing rotation of the probe to a next rotational angle, identifying a next emission level at the next rotational angle based in part on a depth of a radial portion of the region in the direction of probe emission, activating emission to deliver therapeutic energy, and repeating rotation and emission until therapeutic energy has been delivered to the volume.

A method for treating the lung dining an acute episode of reversible chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as an asthma attack. The method comprises transferring energy to an airway wall of an airway such that a diameter of the airway is increased. The energy may be transferred to the airway wall prior to, during or after an asthma attack. The energy may be transferred in an amount sufficient to temporarily or permanently increase the diameter of the airway. The method may be performed while the airway is open, closed or partially closed.

A cryosurgery system for application of medical-grade liquid nitrogen to a treatment area via a small, low pressure, open tipped catheter. The system includes a console, including a touch panel computer, a cryogen module, a suction module and an electronics module, and a disposable spray kit. Features include optional low cryogen flow setting to reduce the cryogen flow rate by 50%, improved cryogen flow consistency reducing pressure pulses and peaks, an integrated suction pump for improved consistency and self-checks, specified vent tube areas and corresponding maximum expected pressures during cryospray procedure; optional pressure sensing capability to monitor pressure during a treatment, and novel catheter designs of multilayer and flexible construction providing a variety of spray patterns.

Systems, devices, and methods for identifying a target in a body using a spectroscopic feedback from the target are disclosed. An exemplary surgical feedback control system comprises a feedback analyzer configured to receive a reflected signal from a target in response to electromagnetic radiation directed at a target, and a controller in operative communication with the feedback analyzer. The controller can generate a control signal to a surgical system to perform a predetermined operation based upon the received reflected signal, including determining a composition of the target, or programming a laser setting to direct laser energy to the target.

A method for removing hair by thermolysis is provided. The method steps include oscillating a direct current to create an alternating current (“AC”) micro-pulse, pulsing the AC micro-pulse on and off continuously, delivering the AC micro-pulse to a probe, applying the probe to a hair follicle, and inverting the direction of the AC micro-pulse on the hair follicle. When the probe is applied to the hair follicle, the AC micro-pulse travels from the top of the dermis of the hair follicle to a dermal papilla of the hair follicle. The AC micro-pulse reverses direction at the dermal papilla and travels to the top of the dermis of the hair follicle. The AC micro-pulse produces heat that destroys the tissues controlling the growth of the hair follicle.

A system and method for determining the optimum dose of cryotreatment to an area of target tissue to achieve isolation based on the time to effect (TTE). The system may generally include a treatment device, a sensing device, and a processor programmed to calculate the optimum dose of cryotreatment, in seconds, based on TTE. The TTE may be based on electrical signals received by the processor from the sensing device. The processor may be further programmed to automatically terminate a cryoablation procedure when the optimum dose of cryotreatment has elapsed. The optimum dose of cryotreatment may be the time, in seconds, it takes to achieve isolation, which may be the time it takes for an area of tissue to reach approximately −20° C.

Dermatological systems and methods for providing a therapeutic laser treatment using a handpiece delivering one or more therapeutic laser pulses to a target skin area along a first optical path, and sensing the temperature of the target skin area based on infrared energy radiating from the target skin area along a second optical path generally counterdirectional to the first office action, and sharing a common optical axis with the first optical path for at least a portion of the first and second optical paths. The handpiece may also provide contact cooling for a first skin area comprising the target skin area.