A method of assembling an ultrasound catheter includes providing an elongated catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; coupling a proximal housing to the proximal end of the elongated catheter body, the proximal housing having a distal bore; inserting an ultrasound transmission member through the lumen of the catheter body; positioning a sonic connector on the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member for connecting the ultrasound transmission member to a separate ultrasound generating device at a connection location, the sonic connector having a proximal section and a front portion, the proximal portion provided for connection to the separate ultrasound generating device; connecting the front portion of the sonic connector to the proximal end of the ultrasound transmission member; and retaining an absorber inside the distal bore of the proximal housing wherein the absorber substantially surrounds the ultrasound transmission member.

The present disclosure is directed to end effectors. An end effector includes an outer shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and an inner shaft partially located within the outer shaft. The end effector may include an ultrasonic blade. The inner shaft may include biased and unbiased portions. The inner shaft and outer shaft may be translatable relative to one another. At one translatable position, the biased portion of the inner shaft may be located within the outer shaft and the unbiased portion may be substantially straight along the longitudinal axis. At another translatable position, the biased portion of the inner shaft may be located outside of and distally positioned from the outer shaft such that the biased portion of the inner shaft is bent away from the longitudinal axis.

A system for intracranial access that includes a support assembly is described. The support assembly has a hub and lobes surrounding a central aperture for introducing a sheathed core that can accommodate an endoscope and/or other devices. Some embodiments include a collar and a ring, each of which can be tightened to secure the sheathed core in place. An accessory device for use during intracranial aspiration procedures is described.

Methods, devices and systems are described for treating venous insufficiency in which the vein is compressed at least partially along a treatment zone. A system can be provided including an injection device, such as a glue gun, that is operably connected to a delivery catheter that can be advanced across a treatment zone in the vein. The delivery catheter can be used to deliver one, two, or more boluses of media (e.g., cyanoacrylate) to occlude the vein along different spaced-apart sections of the treatment zone. External compression can also be applied to the vein by a compression element, such as a hand or multifunctional ultrasound transducer, to occlude portions of the vein along the treatment zone prior to or during the introduction of the boluses of media.

An intravascular catheter for nerve activity ablation and/or sensing includes one or more needles advanced through supported guide tubes (needle guiding elements) which expand to contact the interior surface of the wall of the renal artery or other vessel of a human body allowing the needles to be advanced though the vessel wall into the extra-luminal tissue including the media, adventitia and periadvential space. The catheter also includes structures which provide radial and lateral support to the guide tubes so that the guide tubes open uniformly and maintain their position against the interior surface of the vessel wall as the sharpened needles are advanced to penetrate into the vessel wall. Electrodes at the distal ends of the guide tubes allow sensing of nerve activity before and after attempted renal denervation. In a combination embodiment ablative energy or fluid is delivered to ablate nerves outside of the media.

A system and a method for disrupting an occlusion within a blood vessel is provided The system includes an elongated catheter body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a first lumen. The system further includes an ultrasound transmitter extending longitudinally through the first lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal end. The system further includes a positioning mechanism located at a distal end of the catheter body. The positioning mechanism has a first retracted position and a second deployed position, and the positioning mechanism is radially expandable from the first retracted position to the second deployed position to position the catheter in the blood vessel.

A connector for connecting together first and second mechanical waveguides, including a first connector body having a first jaw portion provided with a first aperture for receiving the first mechanical waveguide therein, a second connector body having a second jaw portion provided with a second aperture for receiving the second mechanical waveguide therein, with the first and second connector bodies removably securable together, a first mediating body having an acoustic impedance lower than that of the first mechanical waveguide, with the first mediating body being inserted within the first aperture to be positioned between the first jaw portion and the first mechanical waveguide, and a second mediating body having an acoustic impedance lower than that of the second mechanical waveguide, with the second mediating body inserted within the second aperture to be positioned between the second jaw portion and the second mechanical waveguide.

A method of operating an ultrasound catheter includes providing an elongate catheter body having at least a first lumen; providing a housing coupled with a proximal end of the elongate catheter body, the housing having an inner cavity; providing a fluid inlet in fluid communication with at least one of the first lumen and the inner cavity; providing a sonic connector coupled to a proximal portion of an ultrasound transmission member; providing vibration absorption O-rings disposed in the inner cavity around at least a portion of the ultrasound transmission member, the plurality of vibration absorption O-rings being located distal to the sonic connector; and delivering fluid to the fluid inlet to supply the fluid at least distally into the first lumen of the elongate catheter body to dissipate heat received from the ultrasound transmission member in the first lumen of the elongate catheter body.

This disclosure disclosed an ultrasonic needle and apparatus used for removal of the vitreous body and other tissues. An ultrasonic vitrectomy needle, comprising: a connector, a connected inner needle, and an outer sheath. The length of the outer sheath at the distal end is slightly longer than that of the inner needle; the sheath distal end is of blind with smooth surface, but there is an open cut at the side of the distal end used for aspirating the vitreous body. The benefits of this disclosure: due to the difficulty if not impossible in the prior arts making a slim long center bore needle for ultrasonic surgical system, this disclosure clears the way to make the ultrasonic vitrectomy a practical reality; the ultrasonic vibration inherent advantages of the quietness, minuscule displacement, liquid repulsion and viscosity reduction improve safety of the surgery; the possibility of integrating ultrasonic vitrectomy and ultrasonic phaco emulsification procedures simplifies the complexity from prior arts, thus brings ease to the ophthalmic surgeries and reduces the cost.

A method for performing an endovascular procedure using ultrasonic energy includes providing a first sheath having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and having a first window in the distal end portion; positioning a wave guide in the first sheath for delivering the ultrasonic energy through the first window for performing the endovascular procedure; and selectively covering the first window with a cover.