A system comprises a surgical robot comprising a moveable robotic arm; a radiating applicator positioned at a distal end of the robotic arm, wherein the robotic arm is configured to move the radiating applicator to a desired operational position; and an energy source positioned on a distal portion of the robotic arm, in proximity to the radiating applicator, wherein the energy source is configured to provide RF or microwave energy to the radiating applicator for radiation by the radiating applicator.

An electrosurgical system that includes an electrosurgical generator arranged to supply microwave energy and an electroporation signal. The system includes an electrosurgical instrument insertable to a treatment region in biological tissue. The electrosurgical instrument includes a coaxial cable connected to the electrosurgical generator to receive microwave energy and the electroporation signal. The instrument includes a rod-shaped radiating tip portion coupled to a distal end of the coaxial cable to receive microwave energy and the electroporation signal, the radiating tip portion for radiating the microwave energy into the treatment region and for establishing an electric field using the electroporation signal to electroporate biological tissue. The instrument includes a conduit for conveying biological tissue away from the treatment region. The system includes a cytometer in fluid communication with the conduit to receive biological tissue, the cytometer for detecting the presence of a first predetermined cell type in the received biological tissue.

A system for ablation treatment of tissues including at least one tissue ablation device, an ablation device controller communicatively connected to the at least one tissue ablation device, and an imaging component, wherein the imaging component is configured to capture a captured image that includes a representation of the tissue ablation device. The system further including an ablation device identification component configured to receive the captured image, generate a plurality of region proposals from the captured image, extract a plurality of feature vectors from the plurality of region proposals, determine a class for each region proposal of the plurality of region proposals, and determine the position and orientation of the tissue ablation device as a function of the classes for each region proposal.

The inventive device (10) can be used for tissue coagulation and/or tissue ablation. It comprises at least one electrode (16) that serves for generating a spark or plasma jet and is connectable to an electric source (20) for this purpose. The probe (11) is assigned to a measuring device (24) that emits and/or receives light in the proximity of the electrode (16) and determines the distance of the probe (11) from the tissue (36) and/or the tissue temperature and/or the composition of the influenced tissue (36). Preferably the measuring device (24) is operated synchronized with pulses or pauses of the pulse-pause-modulated radio frequency voltage (U.sub.HF) of the electrode (16) in order to simultaneously carry out the desired measurements during the operation of the instrument (11) and to feedback control the operation of the instrument (11) based on the gained measurement results.

A method for treating a treatment site within a body of a patient with a catheter system includes generating energy with an energy source; positioning an inflatable balloon substantially adjacent to the treatment site, the inflatable balloon having a balloon wall that defines a balloon interior that receives a balloon fluid; receiving energy from the energy source with an energy guide; guiding the energy with the energy guide into the balloon interior; sensing acoustic sound waves generated in the balloon fluid with an acoustic sensor that is positioned outside of the body of the patient; generating a sensor signal with the acoustic sensor based at least in part on the sensed acoustic sound waves; electrically coupling a system controller to the acoustic sensor; receiving the sensor signal from the acoustic sensor with the system controller; and controlling operation of the catheter system with the system controller based at least in part on the sensor signal, the system controller being configured to recognize one of: (i) normal operation of the catheter system, and (ii) potential damage to the energy guide.

Systems, devices, and methods for determining advancement of a surgical laser fiber in an endoscope and providing interlocking feedback for the surgical laser are disclosed. An exemplary method includes directing light from a distal end of an endoscope to a target, optically detecting an amount of the light reflected from the target, transmitting the optically detected amount of light through a laser fiber extending through a working channel of the endoscope, determining, based on the optically detected amount of light, a position of a distal end of the laser fiber relative to the distal end of the endoscope, and generating a control signal to the surgical laser system to adjust laser emission through the laser fiber.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides techniques for inducing collagen cross-linking in human tissue, such as cartilage, by inducing ionization of the water contained in the tissue to produce free radicals that induce chemical cross-linking in the human tissue. In an embodiment, a femtosecond laser operates at sufficiently low laser pulse energy to avoid optical breakdown of the tissue being treated. In an embodiment, the femtosecond laser operates in the infrared frequency range.

A radio frequency (RF) or microwave energy applicator device (10) for applying radio frequency or microwave radiation to a target (22), the applicator (10) comprising: an energy generator module (12) for generating RF or microwave energy, wherein the energy generator module (12) comprises an energy output (16) for outputting said generated energy; a radiating structure (14) for radiating RF or microwave radiation to the target wherein the radiating structure (14) comprises an energy input (18), wherein the energy generator module (12) and the radiating structure (14) are coupled to provide the energy output (16) of the energy generator module (12) and the energy input (18) of the radiating structure (14) at a transmission interface (20); wherein the transmission interface (20) comprises at least one transmission feature comprising a size, dimension and/or shape selected so that at least part of the energy provided to the transmission interface (20) is transmitted to the radiating structure (18) and/or at least part of the energy provided to the transmission interface (20) is reflected.

Systems, devices, and methods for identifying a target in a body using a spectroscopic feedback from the target are disclosed. An exemplary surgical feedback control system comprises a feedback analyzer configured to receive a reflected signal from a target in response to electromagnetic radiation directed at a target, and a controller in operative communication with the feedback analyzer. The controller can generate a control signal to a surgical system to perform a predetermined operation based upon the received reflected signal, including determining a composition of the target, or programming a laser setting to direct laser energy to the target.

In certain embodiments, a system for sensing occlusions in an optical system includes a first laser source configured to generate optical signals and a set of optical elements arranged to receive the optical signals from the first laser source and to direct the optical signals along a beam path. The system also includes a detector arranged to receive reflections of the optical signals traveling along at least a portion of the beam path and a control system communicably coupled to the detector. The control system is configured to detect, based on signals generated by the detector, reflection signals associated with the reflections of the optical signals, and disable a second laser source based on detection of the reflection signals.