Disclosed is a system provided with cooling fluid for interstitial laser therapy that limits and/or provides control of the laser ablation zone produced by a device for interstitial laser therapy, which allows for better control of the laser ablation zone and more predictive and accurate interstitial laser therapy. The device for interstitial laser therapy includes an optical waveguide having an optical output end and an optical diffuser optically coupled to, optically associated with, or positioned about the optical output end. An irrigation tube directs cooling fluid to flow out of a distal end of the irrigation tube which directs cooling fluid to flow inside of and/or outside of the optical diffuser.

A system comprises a teleoperated manipulator, a manually operated instrument, and a position sensor coupled to the manually operated instrument. The position sensor is configured to generate pose information for the manually operated instrument. The system further comprises a controller configured to map a pose of the manipulator to a fixed world reference frame based on three-dimensional pose information for the manipulator known internally within the system. The controller is further configured to map a pose of the manually operated instrument to the fixed world reference frame based on the pose information for the manually operated instrument.

The present disclosure is directed to a medical device. Systems and methods are provided for utilizing a laser to break a kidney stones into smaller fragments and/or dust, and removing particles, stone fragments and/or stone dust from a patient. The medical device may include a tube having a distal end and a proximal end, a first lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the tube and in fluid communication with the distal end and a plurality of side ports located at a distal portion of the tube, and a second lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the tube.

An apparatus includes a shaft assembly and an end effector. The shaft assembly includes an outer sheath, at least one irrigation conduit, and at least one suction conduit. The end effector includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a web. The electrodes extend distally relative to a distal end of the outer sheath. The electrodes are operable to apply bipolar RF energy to tissue. The web extends laterally between the first and second electrodes. The web is positioned distal to the distal end of the outer sheath.

A medical instrument is presented having a proximal main body and an elongated shaft disposed distally of the main body, wherein the shaft includes a first shaft tube and a second shaft tube coaxially arranged around the first shaft tube, the interior of the first shaft tube forming a first fluid space, and an annular space between the first shaft tube and the second shaft tube forming a second fluid space. The instrument wherein the proximal ends of the first shaft tube and the second shaft tube are received in a common retaining body arranged in the main body, wherein the retaining body includes a first supply channel to the first fluid space and a second supply channel to the second fluid space and is configured as a one-piece injection moulded body.

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.

A bipolar resectoscope (1) has a shaft (2, 2′) with an insulating insert (8) at its distal end (7). A working element (3) is mountable in the shaft (2, 2′) and a cutting electrode (4) is longitudinally displaceable in the shaft (2, 2′). The insulating insert (8) has an exposed conductive area of a neutral electrode (5, 5′). The area of the passive neutral electrode (5, 5′) exposed transverse to the longitudinal axis (34) forms an electrically conductive roof of the insulating insert (8, 8′). An inlet area (26) of the insulating insert (8, 8′) has an inner wall (38, 38′) with two opposing electrically conductive contact surfaces (39, 39′) of the neutral electrode (5, 5′) that are parallel to the longitudinal axis (33) and contact two parallel electrically conductive contact tubes (24) of a fork (26) and opening a cutting loop (25) of the cutting electrode (4).

A method and apparatus are disclosed for regulating a temperature of an esophagus when heat or cold is delivered to a left atrium, the method including altering a heat exchange device from an insertable configuration to a heat exchanging configuration which conforms and corresponds with a cross-section of an inside of the esophagus such that the esophagus is maintained in its natural shape and location. In some embodiments the heat exchange device has a heating/cooling balloon which is inflated to be in the heat exchanging configuration. Some alternative embodiments includes altering the configuration of the balloon to conform to or correspond with the cross section of an esophagus by means other than inflation.

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 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.