Exemplary embodiments of devices and method for affecting at least one anatomical tissue can be provided. A configuration can be provided that includes a structure which is expandable (i) having and/or (ii) forming at least one opening or a working space through which the anatomical tissue(s) is placed in the structure. For example, the structure, prior to being expanding, can have at least one partially rigid portion. In addition, or as an alternative, upon a partial or complete expansion thereof, the structure can be controllable to have a plurality of shapes. Further, the structure can be controllable to provide the working space with multiple shapes and/or multiple sizes.

A device for detecting the characteristics of the prostate includes: an insertion element that is intended to be inserted through the anus into a subject’s rectum, a pressure sensor which is mounted on an expandable element and which is configured to detect the elasticity of the prostate tissues of the subject and/or at least a morphological and/or dimensional characteristic of the prostate of said subject, the expandable element which is configured to assume a first condition, in which it is housed in the insertion element, and a second a condition in which the pressure sensor is brought into contact with the prostate, an extractor, associated with the insertion element, which remains external to the anus of the subject, and an introducer element configured to be inserted inside the anus of the subject for stabilization of the device with respect to the anus of the subject.

A method for ventilating the lungs of a patient. The method includes a smart tube for intubation comprising a tip and a cuff. The method also includes one or more cameras, coupled with the smart tube, for providing relative positional intubation measurements of the patient and/or providing intubation images of the patient. Further, the method includes one or more sensors, coupled with the smart tube, for sensing the inflation of the cuff and/or sensing pressure of the cuff. The method for ventilating additionally includes a computing method, coupled with the camera, the at least one sensor and the smart tube, for computing programmed feedback based on the relative positional intubation measurements, and/or the intubation images, and/or the inflation of the cuff, and/or the pressure of the cuff.

Apparatus and methods for deactivating bronchial nerves extending along the secondary bronchial branches of a mammalian subject to treat asthma and related conditions. An ultrasonic transducer (11) is inserted into the bronchus as, for example, by advancing the distal end of a catheter (10) bearing the transducer into the secondary bronchial section to be treated. The ultrasonic transducer emits circumferential ultrasound so as to heat tissues throughout circular impact volume (13) as, for example, at least about 1 cm.sup.3 encompassing the bronchus to a temperature sufficient to inactivate nerve conduction but insufficient to cause rapid ablation or necrosis of the tissues. The treatment can be performed without locating or focusing on individual bronchial nerves. The apparatus and methods utilized for lung tumor ablation.

Systems and methods are provided for injecting one or more agents into tissue within a patient's body that includes a catheter. A needle guide extends from a distal end of the catheter and terminates at a distal tip, e.g., including a foot with an atraumatic contact surface, the needle guide having a cross-section smaller than the distal end and being biased to a curved shape. The needle guide includes a passage communicating from a lumen of the catheter to an outlet at the distal tip, and a needle device is disposed within the passage that may be deployed from the outlet to inject one or more agents into tissue. The catheter also includes an imaging assembly on the distal end configured to acquire images of tissue adjacent the needle guide distal tip.

The present disclosure relates to a device configured to move within a body cavity, such as the gastrointestinal tract, in particular, the small intestine, and methods of using the device. The presently disclosed device may be self-driving, e.g., through the use of one or more traction-motion element, and the articulation of a tip of the device may be controlled and fine tuned. The presently disclosed device may be used in a variety of body cavities such as a vascular body lumen, a digestive body lumen, a respiratory body lumen, or a urinary body lumen, for example, for endoscopic purposes, for delivering a substance into the body cavity, for removing a substance or tissue from the body cavity, for capturing an image of the body cavity, and/or for performing an operation of a tissue or organ using the device.

Electrophysiology mapping and visualization systems are described herein where such devices may be used to visualize tissue regions as well as map the electrophysiological activity of the tissue. Such a system may include a deployment catheter and an attached hood deployable into an expanded configuration. In use, the imaging hood is placed against or adjacent to a region of tissue to be imaged in a body lumen that is normally filled with an opaque bodily fluid such as blood. A translucent or transparent fluid, such as saline, can be pumped into the imaging hood until the fluid displaces any blood, thereby leaving a clear region of tissue to be imaged via an imaging element in the deployment catheter. A position of the catheter and/or hood may be tracked and the hood may also be used to detect the electrophysiological activity of the visualized tissue for mapping.

Devices and methods for treating rhinitis are provided. An integrated therapy and imaging device is provided for single handheld use. The device may have a hollow elongated cannula, a therapeutic element coupled to a distal portion of the cannula, an imaging assembly coupled to the cannula to provide visualization of the therapeutic element, and an articulating region operably coupled to the imaging assembly to articulate the imaging assembly. The imaging assembly may be articulated so as to translate vertically, laterally, axially, and/or rotationally.

An endoscope button for an endoscope including a cylinder communicating with tubes includes: a first unit and a second unit that are attachable and detachable with respect to a fitting part fixed to the cylinder, and that are separable from each other in a state being removed from the fitting part. The first unit has a cylindrical shape, and includes a cylindrical member that is attachable and detachable with respect to the fitting part. The second unit includes: a fixing member that is inserted inside the cylindrical member in a state in which the endoscope button is attached to the fitting part, and is fixed to the cylindrical member; and a first movable member that is installed movably with respect to the fixing member, and that is movable back and forth inside the cylinder in the state in which the endoscope button is attached to the fitting part.

An endoscope device is provided. The device comprises: an elongate member comprising a proximal end and a distal end, and a camera is located at the distal end of the disposable elongate member; one or more external guiding elements configured to guide an articulation movement of the distal end of the elongate member, and each of the one or more external guiding elements is individually controlled; and a handle component removably attached to the proximal end of the elongate member.