Methods and systems for distributing electrical energy to tissue which minimize Joule heating, thermal effects, and/or thermal damage, without sacrificing efficacy of treatment, are described. The methods and systems are particularly suitable to electrical energy-based therapies employing multiple electrodes, such as arrays of electrodes.

A laser system that includes a processing laser configured to generate a laser beam, a beam delivery system configured to direct the laser beam at a target, a user input device configured to receive input from a user, and a controller coupled to the processing laser and the user input device and configured to: receive initial user input data from the user input device, the initial user input data including at least one of: one or more properties of the beam delivery system, and one or more properties of the target, determine at least one initial laser operating parameter value and a corresponding initial laser operating parameter range based on the initial user input data, and electronically stored information, and control the processing laser using the at least one initial laser operating parameter value.

Devices for removing occlusive material from blood lumens and similar physiological structures are provided and generally include a progressive cavity pump. The progressive cavity pump may be integrated into a handle assembly or a distal end of a catheter and may be drive by a motor activated by a controller. In certain implementations, the controller may be configured to activate the motor to generate a pulsatile vacuum using the progressive cavity pump. To facilitate activation of the motor by the controller, the device may further include a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure distal the progressive cavity pump.

A therapeutic laser for use in treating ophthalmological conditions can be modulated by a spatial light modulation device in order to focus the therapeutic laser on a plurality of target locations simultaneously.

Methods and systems for the controlled generation of bubbles in a medium having a liquid phase are generally provided. Laser pulses having a time-dependent pulse parameter controllable over their duration are generated. The medium is irradiated with the laser pulses with a radiant exposure sufficient to initiate microcavitation within the medium during each laser pulse. The time-dependent pulse parameter of each laser pulse is controlled according to a generally positive variation over the pulse duration such that the medium absorbs a greater quantity of energy from the laser pulse at an end of the pulse duration than at a beginning thereof. Such methods and systems may be used for various applications such as biology, medicine or material processing.

The preferred embodiment provides apparatus for ablating a vessel by generating heat within a vessel to cause blood clotting to occlude the vessel. The apparatus includes an electrically resistive element at the distal end of the apparatus, the resistive element being uncoated and therefore in bare form. An alternating current supply feeds electrical current through the resistive element to cause heating of the element and surrounding blood or tissue. The alternating current power supply preferably is balanced about a centre point so as to create a net sum of alternating pulses of zero. It has been found that the supply of alternating current to the resistive element reduces or eliminates corrosion of the resistive element in blood as the resistive element is heated. Use of conductive coatings for a sacrificial anode can be avoided.

A method for treating pelvic pain and or chronic prostatitis, and or overactive bladder symptoms. Energy, preferably in the form of infrared or near infrared wavelength light may be applied across the vaginal tissue or rectal tissue to treat pelvic pain and or chronic prostatitis. This method of energy application may cause local heating, alteration of cellular respiration, and alterations of local blood flow resulting in decreased muscle spasm, and or decreased pain, and or decreased overactive bladder symptoms. The method of the present invention may effectively treat chronic pelvic pain and or the symptoms of chronic prostatitis. The method of the invention may combine massaging of tissue with irradiation of same.

In a liquid ejection control apparatus, an operation unit includes an adjustment lever that is used to input an indication value of momentum or kinetic energy related to a pulsed liquid jet ejected from a liquid ejection device. A control unit includes a frequency setting portion that sets a rising frequency of a drive voltage waveform applied to a piezoelectric element and an amplitude setting portion that sets the amplitude of the drive voltage waveform, so that momentum or kinetic energy has an indication value.

A cosmetic method of treating skin tissue with a laser source includes applying a plurality of short pulses of predetermined parameters to ramp up the temperature of the skin tissue to reach a desired temperature and then applying a plurality of short pulses to maintain a temperature dwell time. The predetermined parameters are selected from one or more of: pulse peak power, pulse duration, pulse repetition rate and laser wavelength.

This ultrasonic treatment apparatus treats a treatment target organ, suppressing raise of the temperature at a surface of the treatment target organ, without making the apparatus large. This ultrasonic treatment apparatus includes an ultrasonic element which faces a surface of a treatment target organ through an acoustic propagation medium and which generates ultrasonic wave converged on a depth position of the treatment target organ, and a controller for adjusting the ultrasonic wave irradiated to the treatment target organ from the ultrasonic element, wherein the controller changes intensity of the ultrasonic wave which is irradiated into an area of the surface so that heat which is generated when the ultrasonic wave radiated by the ultrasonic element passes through the surface and which remains at a vicinity of the surface is kept equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value.