A vapor delivery system and method is provided that includes a number of features. In one embodiment, a method comprises inserting a vapor delivery needle into tissue of a patient, activating a flow of vapor from a vapor generator through vapor delivery ports of the vapor delivery needle to cause condensed liquid to exit vapor delivery ports of the vapor delivery needle, generating vapor in the vapor generator, delivering a dose of vapor through the vapor delivery ports of the vapor delivery needle into the tissue, and after the dose of vapor is delivered, re-activating the flow of vapor from the vapor generator through the vapor delivery ports of the vapor delivery needle to prevent a vacuum from forming in the vapor delivery needle. Vapor therapy systems are also provided.

An electrode assembly (17) is provided for use in a resectoscope, the electrode assembly (17) comprising an elongate shaft (33), at least one arm (33), first connection means (4) for connecting the arm to a source (1) of electrosurgical energy, and a tissue treatment element (26) at the end of the arm. The arm includes a suction lumen (34) extending from a proximal end to a distal end, the distal end of the suction lumen (34) terminating in the general region of the tissue treatment element (26), and the proximal end of the suction lumen including second connection means for connecting the suction lumen to a source of suction.

A liquid feed conduit and a suction conduit extends in a hollow portion from a probe proximal portion direction to a probe distal portion direction in an inside of a probe, and an ejection port of the liquid feed conduit and a suction port of the suction conduit are located in the hollow portion. A collision surface is provided in the probe to be opposed to at least a part of the ejection port, and the collision surface is located on the probe distal portion direction side with respect to the suction port and the ejection port. At least part of a liquid ejected from the ejection port collides with the collision surface in the hollow portion.

An aspect of various embodiments of the present invention system and method provide, but not limited thereto, a novel means for epicardial ablation using a double-curve steerable sheath and a double-curve deflectable open irrigated-tip/suction catheter that can be guided around the apex of the heart and adjusted so as to position the distal tip optimally. The catheter can also both deliver fluid to and withdraw fluid from the pericardial space. Access to the epicardial surface of the heart is via a subxiphoid entry. The method and means presented include, but are not limited to, steering, energy delivery, bipolar mapping, placement and use of electrodes, irrigation, suction of irrigation fluid, and other details of the subject invention.

An irrigated ablation system with retrograde flow includes one or more medical devices (e.g., an ablation catheter and sheath) encompassing an irrigation lumen that terminates distally at an irrigation orifice and a drainage lumen that terminates distally at a drainage orifice. One or more pumps are coupled to the irrigation lumen and to the drainage lumen to deliver irrigant through the irrigation lumen and to extract fluid through the at least one drainage lumen. For example, a peristaltic pump can be used to simultaneously deliver irrigant through the irrigation lumen and to extract an equivalent volume of fluid through the drainage lumen. Alternatively, a feedback controller can be used to monitor parameters, such as impedance, pressure, ablation time, and/or irrigant volume, and control based thereon the rate at which the pump extracts fluid.

An electrode assembly is provided for use in a resectoscope, the electrode assembly comprising an elongate shaft, at least one arm, first connection means for connecting the arm to a source of electrosurgical energy, and a tissue treatment element at the end of the arm. The arm includes a suction lumen extending from a proximal end to a distal end, the distal end of the suction lumen terminating in the general region of the tissue treatment element, and the proximal end of the suction lumen including second connection means for connecting the suction lumen to a source of suction.

The present invention relates to devices capable of a) measuring a temperature at or near the device (e.g., a tissue region in contact with the device), and b) regulating the temperature (e.g., increasing, maintaining, or reducing) at or near the device, and related systems and methods.

Methods and systems are disclosed for removing a tattoo from a subject's skin by application of a cold plasma that is delivered via a liquid-gas mixture. The plasma can be delivered in the form of gas bubbles, in which at least a portion of gas is in the form of a plasma.

The disclosure provides a cooling system for a surgical ablation device, the device having a cooling circuit comprising a device coolant supply line having a supply coupling; a coolant return line having a return coupling; coolant passageways within the device to circulate coolant within the device, the supply line and the return line being in fluid communication via the device coolant passageway(s); a coolant manifold configured to fluidly connect a cooling fluid source to at least one manifold fluid outlet port, such as to place the cooling fluid source in fluid communication with the one or more device coolant passageways, wherein the supply coupling is configured for connection to a manifold outlet port of the manifold.

A reservoir for supplying a cooling fluid to a medical ablation probe includes a wall defining a chamber therein, an outlet fluid port and an inlet fluid port each in fluid communication with the chamber, cooling fluid disposed within the chamber, and a thermochromic material thermally coupled to the cooling fluid. The thermochromic material is configured to exhibit a first color when the cooling fluid is below a threshold temperature, and a second color when the cooling fluid is above the threshold temperature.