Fluid cooled optical fibers are disclosed. An exemplary fiber comprises a fiber body including a distal end, an inner cap surrounding said distal end, an outer cap surrounding said inner cap, and a tube attached to said outer cap. The tube and outer cap may define a first flow channel, the outer and inner caps may define a second flow channel, and the outer cap may including one or openings for placing the first flow channel in communication with the second flow channel. Associated systems also are disclosed.

The invention relates to ablation catheter electrodes that solve in part the problem of tissue charring during radiofrequency ablation. The electrode assemblies of the invention include passageways that lead from the inner lumen of the assemblies to the surface of the assemblies, wherein the passageways have a smooth conjunction with the outer surface. These smooth conjunctions comprise rounded edges or are chamfered. In the case of rounded edges, the rounded edges can have fixed radii of about 0.002 to about 0.008.

A method including transmitting, by a mobile device, a first encrypted gadget token over a wireless link to an Information Handling System (IHS). The method further including transmitting, by the IHS, an encrypted system token based on the first decrypted gadget token over the wireless link to the mobile device, transmitting, by the mobile device, a second encrypted gadget token based on the decrypted system token over the wireless link to the IHS, authenticating, by the IHS, the second decrypted gadget token, and unlocking the IHS based on the second authenticated gadget token.

A surgical instrument is configured to concurrently dissect and coagulate tissue. The surgical instrument includes a handle and a shaft extending distally from the handle. The shaft includes an outer hypotube, a lumen coaxially-disposed within the hypotube and extending beyond a distal end thereof, a coaxial feedline coaxially-disposed within the lumen, and having an inner conductor and an outer conductor disposed coaxially about the inner conductor, and a coolant tube coaxially-disposed between the lumen and the coaxial feedline to form an inflow conduit and an outflow conduit. The instrument further includes a dissecting head assembly coupled to a distal end of the shaft. The dissecting head assembly includes a dielectric core having a substantially planar radiating surface and at least one non-radiating surface, a reflective coating disposed on the at least one non-radiating surface of the dielectric core, and a blade extending from the radiating surface.

The device (3) comprises a first duct (14) having a proximal end, associated with a hand-piece (5), and an open distal end (14A). The first duct (14) is in fluid communication with an inlet port (18) for a liquid containing scattering particles. The device (3) furthermore comprises a light guide (7) so arranged and configured as to convey a laser radiation coming from a laser source (11) near the open distal end (14A) of the first duct (14).

A tissue-treating portion of a surgical instrument includes a body defining a cavity and a light-energy transmissible sphere captured within the cavity such that a portion of the light-energy transmissible sphere protrudes from the body. The light-energy transmissible sphere is capable of unlimited rotation in all directions relative to the body. The light-energy transmission cable extends through the body to a position spaced-apart from the light-energy transmissible sphere. The light-energy transmission cable is configured to transmit light energy to the light-energy transmissible sphere. The light-energy transmissible sphere, in turn, is configured focus the light energy towards tissue to treat tissue.

A method of cutting a bone (2) comprises the steps of: preparing the bone (2) in order to be accessible to an osteotomic instrument; predefining an osteotomic geometry on the bone (2); and applying the osteotomic instrument to the bone (2) thereby cutting the bone (2) along the osteotomic geometry and generating a cut surface (21) to the bone (2). The method further comprises delivering a laser beam to the cut surface (21) of the bone (2) such that the cut surface (21) of the bone (2) is ablated. The method according to the invention allows to improve healing of a bone at its cut surface after being cut by the osteotomic instrument.

Fluid cooled optical fibers are disclosed. An exemplary fiber comprises a fiber body including a distal end, an inner cap surrounding said distal end, an outer cap surrounding said inner cap, and a tube attached to said outer cap. The tube and outer cap may define a first flow channel, the outer and inner caps may define a second flow channel, and the outer cap may including one or openings for placing the first flow channel in communication with the second flow channel. Associated systems also are disclosed.

An apparatus includes a reference fixture. The reference fixture includes a joint, and a joint tracker to track motion of the joint. The apparatus also includes a surgical instrument. A tether is connected between the joint and the surgical instrument. A shape sensor extends from the reference fixture through the joint, through the tether, and into the surgical instrument. The shape sensor is substantially free of twist. The joint tracker measures the motion of the joint. Information from the shape sensor in combination with information from the joint tracker provides absolute three-dimensional information relative to the reference fixture, i.e., provides absolute three-dimensional information in a fixed world reference frame.

A system comprises a manually operated instrument, a reference fixture positioned in a fixed world reference frame, and a shape sensor coupled to the manually operated instrument. The shape sensor extends from the manually operated instrument to the reference fixture. The system further comprises a controller configured to receive, from the shape sensor, shape information for the manually operated instrument. The controller is further configured to determine a pose of the manually operated instrument in the fixed world reference frame based on the shape information for the manually operated instrument.