Various embodiments provide an electrosurgical instrument comprising: a flexible coaxial transmission line arranged to convey microwave energy; a radiating tip portion connected at a distal end of the flexible coaxial transmission line and configured to receive the microwave energy, the radiating tip portion comprising: a distal coaxial transmission line for conveying the microwave energy; and a needle tip mounted at a distal end of the distal coaxial transmission line, the needle tip being arranged to deliver the microwave energy into biological tissue; and a heat sink mounted at an interface between the flexible coaxial transmission line and radiating tip portion. The heat sink is in thermal communication with a proximal end of the distal coaxial transmission line and configured to draw thermal energy from the radiating tip portion. Also, a maximum outer diameter of the radiating tip portion is smaller than an outer diameter of the flexible coaxial transmission line. An associated electrosurgical system is also disclosed.

A variable-length microwave ablation probe is provided. The probe is configured to have a range of resonant frequencies. The probe includes a microwave antenna, an outer conductor, and a cap. The probe further includes a radiation window that is at least partially transparent to microwave energy. The distal boundary of the outer conductor or the proximal boundary of the cap varies in distance from the probe distal end. The probe can have a choke length, an arm length, a radiating portion length, and a cap length. The lengths can each affect the resonant frequency of the antenna. Some examples provide a variable choke length, a variable arm length, a variable radiating portion length, and/or a variable cap length.

The present invention discloses medical systems and methods adapted for the delivery of various medical components such as microwave antennas within or on a body for performing one or more medical procedures. Several embodiments herein disclose medical systems comprising a combination of one or more medical components and one or more elongate steerable or non-steerable arms that are adapted to mechanically manipulate the one or more medical components. Several embodiments of microwave antennas are disclosed that comprise an additional diagnostic or therapeutic modality located on or in the vicinity of the microwave antennas.

Surgical visualization systems and related methods are disclosed herein, e.g., for providing visualization during surgical procedures. Systems and methods herein can be used in a wide range of surgical procedures, including spinal surgeries such as minimally-invasive fusion or discectomy procedures. Systems and methods herein can include various features for enhancing end user experience, improving clinical outcomes, or reducing the invasiveness of a surgery. Exemplary features can include access port integration, hands-free operation, active and/or passive lens cleaning, adjustable camera depth, and many others.

A bioimpedance system is used to obtain multi-bioimpedance measurements for guiding a clinical tool into a body. The system includes a medical instrument that is to be inserted into a body and a plurality of electrodes disposed on a surface of the medical instrument, embedded within the instrument, or both. Each electrode is configured to apply electrical current to the immediate surroundings in contact with the electrode in order to obtain multiple bioimpedance measurements. The bio-impedance measurements are used to guide the medical instrument during insertion and determine positioning and composition of the surrounding environment. The electrodes can also be used to direct application of electricity for cauterizing tissue.

Examples of a probe for microwave ablation are disclosed. The probe comprises a feed coaxial cable and an antenna that has a cylindrical outer housing with a predetermined diameter and a predetermined length defining a cavity therein and a radiating conductor positioned within the cavity with a matching stepped portion. The antenna further comprises a dielectric material placed in the cavity between the radiating conductor and the outer housing of the antenna to increase the mechanical strength of the probe as well as to improve the power coupling to the tissue to be ablated. The design of the coaxial cavity of the antenna with radiating conductor with a stepped portion fitted into dielectric materials increases antenna's mechanical strength to withstand higher temperatures and reduces an energy reflected back to the feed coaxial cable due to a good impedance match between the antenna and the feed cable such that antennas with smaller length can be used to fit curved paths.

Surgical visualization systems and related methods are disclosed herein, e.g., for providing visualization during surgical procedures. Systems and methods herein can be used in a wide range of surgical procedures, including spinal surgeries such as minimally-invasive fusion or discectomy procedures. Systems and methods herein can include various features for enhancing end user experience, improving clinical outcomes, or reducing the invasiveness of a surgery. Exemplary features can include access port integration, hands-free operation, active and/or passive lens cleaning, adjustable camera depth, and many others.

Electromagnetic (EM) tissue ablation device comprising an EM field generator unit, at least two coaxial elongated elements (i.e. an external one and an internal one) and a mechanism for varying the EM field, wherein said internal element is a part of said generator and said mechanism being adapted to vary the EM field for a specific tissue area.

An introducer set for a microwave ablation probe is disclosed. The introducer set includes a cannula that is at least partially transparent to microwave energy, and a stylet sized to be received by the lumen of the cannula. Other examples provide a microwave ablation system including a microwave ablation probe having a radiating portion and a cannula that is at least partially transparent to microwave energy. The radiating portion of the probe aligns with the transparent portion of the cannula when the probe is inserted into the cannula lumen. The technology provides a method including introducing a microwave ablation probe into the lumen of a cannula having a cannula body that is at least partially transparent to microwave energy, aligning the transparent portion of the cannula with the radiating portion of the probe, and causing microwave energy to be emitted from the radiating portion of the probe.

An ablation probe tip 100 having a shaft 102 with an insertion end 104 and an annular aperture 120 near the insertion end 104. A center of ablation 124 is located within the shaft 102 and surrounded by the annular aperture shaft 102. The ablation probe tip 100 may be part of an ablation probe system 50 that includes an ablation source 60 that provides ablation means 62 to the ablation probe tip 100. The center of ablation 124 is a focal region from which the ablation means 62 radiates through the annular aperture 120 to form an ablation zone 150, 160, 170. The system 50 has at least one intra-operative control selected from the group of: ablation zone positioning control, ablation zone shaping control, ablation center control, ablation zone temperature control, guided ablation volume/diameter control, and power loading control.