An apparatus for treating TBI or TSI comprises at least two optical fibers and a light source which is operatively connected to at least one of the optical fibres. The apparatus may comprise an adapter for securing the optical fibres to the body of the subject, enabling the direct delivery of light to the brain or spinal cord. Methods and kits for treating TBI or TSI, and methods for determining the effectiveness of treatment are also provided.

Catheter-based devices and associated methods for immune system neuromodulation of human patients are disclosed herein. One aspect of the present technology is directed to methods of treating a human patient diagnosed with an immune system condition. The methods can include intravascularly positioning a neuromodulation catheter within a blood vessel proximate to neural fibers innervating an immune system organ of the patient. The method also includes reducing sympathetic neural activity in the patient by delivering energy to the neural fibers innervating the immune system organ via the neuromodulation catheter. Reducing sympathetic neural activity improves a measurable physiological parameter corresponding to the immune system condition of the patient.

An implantable device for implantation in a human body or animal body. The device includes an energy source, an energy storage device, and an electronics unit. Further, an actuator is coupled with the energy storage device and it is configured to emit electromagnetic waves by discharging the energy storage device.

The present disclosure provides a method and a system for treating a tissue using photodynamic therapy (PDT). A photosensitizer is administered to the tissue and one or more optical fibers are placed in the tissue. A treatment light is applied to the tissue by way of the one or more optical fibers. A temperature of the tissue is measured during application of the treatment light, and a fluence rate of the treatment light is modified based on the temperature of the tissue. For example, the fluence rate may be modified to be lower if the temperature of the tissue is higher than a predetermined threshold.

An exemplary ultraviolet (UV) arrangement, can be provided, which can include, for example, a lumen structured to be inserted into a body of a patient and pass a percutaneous structure therethrough into the body of the patient, wherein the lumen can be configured to disperse or provide a UV radiation, and an optical arrangement coupled to the lumen, and configured to generate the UV radiation, and provide the UV radiation to the lumen to be dispersed or provided by the lumen. The lumen can include a weave of a plurality of strands. The optical arrangement can include an optical fiber(s) coupled to the lumen at one of the strands. The optical arrangement can include a plurality of optical fibers coupled to the lumen, where the optical arrangement can include a plurality of diffusing rings, and wherein each ring can be connected to one of the optical fibers.

The present invention relates to a visualization apparatus (1) comprising a signal processor (2) for processing measurement signals from an ultrasound measurement (3) and a rendering device (4) coupled to a processor for rendering a representation for discerning a region of tissue with changed property (42) upon energy application to the tissue from a region with unchanged property (41) within two extremities (44,47) of the representation indicative of two boundaries defining the tissue thickness. The rendering of the tissue with changed property (42) and the tissue with unchanged property (41) with different visual aspects is readily absorbable by a person who applies energy to the tissue.

A system including a thermal sensor with an instrument placed in a volume. The thermal sensor may be useful in determining a temperature at a surface of the instrument and a distance away from the instrument. A therapy may be performed based on a sensed temperature with the thermal sensors.

In certain embodiments, a neural probe comprises a substrate comprising elongated shanks for penetrating neural tissue, each comprising a proximal end and a distal end; at least one optical source integral to the neural probe for illuminating the neural tissue; and microelectrodes located proximate the distal end of the elongated shanks for monitoring neuronal activity. In certain embodiments, a method of monitoring neuronal activity comprises implanting the neural probe into a test subject such that the elongated shanks protrude into neural tissue of the test subject; illuminating the neural tissue with the at least one optical source; and measuring neuronal activity in response to illuminating the neural tissue. In certain embodiments, a device comprises a semiconductor chip; at least one optical source integral to the semiconductor chip; and sensor elements integral to the semiconductor chip for collecting data responsive to light emitted from the at least one optical source.

The technology disclosed can be implemented to construct devices with an array of optical elements to provide power to stimulate a biological process in a nerve system in living objects, and to provide patterned light outputs from the array of optical elements to indicate a corresponding electrical pattern monitored from the biological process in the nerve system. In one aspect a nerve stimulator apparatus is disclosed including a plurality of optical to electrical transducers arranged in a two-dimensional array, wherein each of the plurality of optical to electrical transducers is configured to convert light to an electrical signal; a plurality of electrodes, each electrode associated with one or more associated optical to electrical transducers; and a plurality of electrical interconnects to connect each of the plurality of electrodes to the one or more associated optical transducers. In another aspect nerve sensor apparatus is disclosed including a plurality of optical to electrical transducers; a plurality of optical sources; a plurality of electrodes, each electrode associated with one or more optical to electrical transducers, each optical source configured to modulate light output according to a voltage at one of the plurality of electrodes; and a plurality of electrical interconnects.

An optical electrode having a plurality of electrodes, including a recording electrode having a roughened surface and an optical light source configured to emit light, wherein at least a portion of the light impinges on the recording electrode. Also disclosed are methods of producing an optical electrode and an opto-electronic neural interface system.