A dual-mode microwave applicator for treating tissue comprises a control unit, a rod-shaped element, a coaxial line, and a metal sleeve. The control unit controls the applicator in an application mode and a sensing mode. In the application mode microwave radiation is applied and during the sensing mode tumorous tissue is detected. The rod-shaped element comprises a tip. The coaxial line is formed in the rod-shaped element to relay microwaves to the tip for treatment of the tissue. The coaxial line comprises an inner conductor and an outer conductor. The outer conductor includes a slot of a slot length formed at a slot distance from the tip. The metal sleeve at a sleeve distance from the slot. The sleeve distance is about 0.55 mm, the slot length is about 1.75 mm, and the slot distance is about 7.7 mm.

The present invention is directed to a multi-probe ablation simulation and guidance system and method for use in tissue ablation procedures. In use, the relative locations of a plurality of ablation probes capable of providing ablation energy are determined, and the effect of energy provided by the probes based on the determined locations is predicted to identify a simulated ablation volume. This simulated ablation volume is compared with a target tissue volume. The relative locations of the probes can be adjusted based on the comparison between the simulated ablation volume and the target tissue volume, and the predicted effect rerun until the simulated ablation volume encompasses the target tissue volume to be ablated and necrotized.

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.

Presented herein are methods, systems, devices, and computer-readable media for image guided surgery. The systems herein allow a physician to use multiple instruments for a surgery and simultaneously provide image-guidance data for those instruments. Various embodiments disclosed herein provide information to physicians about procedures they are performing, the devices (such as ablation needles, ultrasound wands or probes, scalpels, cauterizers, etc.) they are using during the procedure, the relative emplacements or poses of these devices, prediction information for those devices, and other information. Some embodiments provide useful information about 3D data sets. Additionally, some embodiments provide for quickly calibratable surgical instruments or attachments for surgical instruments.

Ferritin or iron-based image enhancement agents identify target tissue for treatment or ablation and are heated by microwave absorption. Microwave heat substrates enhance microwave hyperthermal ablation treatment, and may be percutaneously delivered and imaged by x-ray CT during placement of the microwave treatment antenna, allowing more precise positioning and more complete ablation of a tumor site. One method of treating a target tissue uses image-guided delivery of a heat substrate with a reverse-phase change polymer, and may apply energy to fix a mass of the material in the tissue. The fixed polymer may increase hyperthermia, form a thermal boundary, or blockade a vessel or passage so as to reduce or prevent undesired conductive cooling by contiguous tissue, or may deliver a localized treatment drug at the site, upon heating or as it degrades over time.

An ablation needle with a positioning sensor installed on a head portion thereof includes a positioning sensor, a needle body, and a handle. The positioning sensor is installed at a front end of an inner cavity of the needle body, and wires connected to the positioning sensor are led out from a rear end of the inner cavity of the needle body. The ablation needle can obtain real-time three-dimensional coordinate information and posture information of the head portion during passing thereof, without being affected by bending of the needle body; and with assistance of three-dimensional image processing software and hardware, a route of passing the ablation needle and a position of the ablation needle can be dynamically displayed in real time.

Flexible instruments and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a flexible instrument comprises an elongate device having an inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor, and a dielectric layer insulating the inner conductor from the outer conductor. The flexible instrument further includes a recess formed in the outer conductor. An insert is positioned within the recess and about the inner conductor.

A microwave ablation antenna based on a spiral slot, including a conical ablation needle head and a semi-rigid coaxial needle rod. A front end of the semi-rigid coaxial needle rod is interconnected with a tail end of the ablation needle head. An outer conductor behind a connection is provided with a plurality of optimizable spiral slots for radiation, and a plurality of annular slots are not formed or formed behind the spiral slots for impedance matching and radiation. Energy is transmitted along a semi-rigid co-axis and is efficiently radiated at the slots.

An access device for accessing an intervertebral disc having an outer shield comprising an access shield with a larger diameter (˜16-30 mm) that reaches from the skin down to the facet line, with an inner shield having a second smaller diameter (˜5-12 mm) extending past the access shield and reaches down to the disc level. This combines the benefits of the direct visual microsurgical/mini open approaches and the percutaneous, “ultra-MIS” techniques.

Provided in accordance with the present disclosure are systems and methods for identifying a percutaneous tool in image data. An exemplary method includes receiving image data of at least a portion of a patient's body, identifying an entry point of a percutaneous tool through the patient's skin in the image data, analyzing a portion of the image data including the entry point of the percutaneous tool through that patient's skin to identify a portion of the percutaneous tool inserted through the patient's skin, determining a trajectory of the percutaneous tool based on the identified portion of the percutaneous tool inserted through the patient's skin, identifying a remaining portion of the percutaneous tool in the image data based on the identified entry point and the determined trajectory of the percutaneous tool, and displaying the identified portions of the percutaneous tool on the image data.