A method for treating the lung during an acute episode of reversible chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as an asthma attack. The method comprises transferring energy to an airway wall of an airway such that a diameter of the airway is increased. The energy may be transferred to the airway wall prior to, during or after an asthma attack. The energy may be transferred in an amount sufficient to temporarily or permanently increase the diameter of the airway. The method may be performed while the airway is open, closed or partially closed.

A system for monitoring an ablation therapy may include an ultrasound transmitter to transmit ultrasound signals through a region of tissue during an ablation procedure, an ultrasound receiver to receive the ultrasound signals after the ultrasound signals have passed through the region of tissue, and a signal processor to communicate with the ultrasound transmitter and the ultrasound receiver to obtain a set of measurements related to the ultrasound signals transmitted through the region of tissue during the ablation procedure. The signal processor may determine one or more acoustic characteristics of the ultrasound signals transmitted through the region of tissue based on the set of measurements and generate an image representing a thermal map of the region of tissue during the ablation procedure based on a mapping between the one or more acoustic characteristics of the ultrasound signals and changes in temperature.

Various systems and methods for controlling an ultrasonic surgical instrument according to the location of tissue grasped within an end effector are disclosed. A control circuit can be configured to apply varying power levels, via a generator, to an ultrasonic transducer driving an ultrasonic electromechanical system to oscillate an ultrasonic blade. Further, the control circuit can measure impedances of the ultrasonic transducer corresponding to the varying power levels and determine a location of tissue positioned within the end effector according to a difference between the impedances of the ultrasonic transducer relative to a threshold.

An ultrasonic electromechanical system for an ultrasonic electromechanical system may include an ultrasonic blade, a clamp arm disposed opposite the ultrasonic blade, an ultrasonic transducer acoustically coupled to the ultrasonic blade, in which the ultrasonic transducer is configured to oscillate the ultrasonic blade in response to a drive signal, and a control circuit coupled to the ultrasonic transducer. The control circuit can be configured to determine a position of a tissue clamped between the ultrasonic blade and the clamp arm, and control an amount of power of the drive signal based at least in part on the position of the tissue.

Dermatological systems and methods for providing a therapeutic laser treatment wherein the duration of a therapeutic laser pulse is based on one or more determinations of a surface temperature of the skin during the delivery of the pulse. Initiation of the therapeutic laser pulse may be based on sensed skin temperature during a cooling of the skin prior to initiation of the pulse.

Dermatological systems and methods for providing a therapeutic laser treatment using a handpiece delivering one or more therapeutic laser pulses to a target skin area along a first optical path, and sensing the temperature of the target skin area based on infrared energy radiating from the target skin area along a second optical path generally counterdirectional to the first office action, and sharing a common optical axis with the first optical path for at least a portion of the first and second optical paths. The handpiece may also provide contact cooling for a first skin area comprising the target skin area.

An ultrasonic electromechanical system for an ultrasonic surgical instrument may include an ultrasonic blade, a clamp arm disposed opposite the ultrasonic blade, an ultrasonic transducer configured to oscillate the ultrasonic blade in response to a drive signal, and a control circuit coupled to the ultrasonic transducer. The control circuit can be configured to determine a temperature of the ultrasonic blade, increase an amount of power of the drive signal when the temperature of the ultrasonic blade is less than a first predetermined value, and decrease the amount of power of the drive signal when the temperature of the ultrasonic blade is greater than a second predetermined value. The second predetermined value may be greater than the first predetermined value. An ultrasonic generator connectable to the ultrasonic electromechanical system may include the control circuit.

A medical image processing apparatus according to a first embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to generate information related to temperature by using a first image obtained by imaging one or more observation regions prior to treatment and at least one second image obtained by imaging the one or more observation regions during the treatment, generate alert information on a basis of the information related to temperature, and cause a display to output the alert information together with the information related to temperature.

Systems and methods for estimating tissue parameters, including mass of tissue to be treated and a thermal resistance scale factor between the tissue and an electrode of an energy delivery device, are disclosed. The method includes sensing tissue temperatures, estimating a mass of the tissue and a thermal resistance scale factor between the tissue and an electrode, and controlling an electrosurgical generator based on the estimated mass and the estimated thermal resistance scale factor. The method may be performed iteratively and non-iteratively. The iterative method may employ a gradient descent algorithm that iteratively adds a derivative step to the estimates of the mass and thermal resistance scale factor until a condition is met. The non-iterative method includes selecting maximum and minimum temperature differences and estimating the mass and the thermal resistance scale factor based on a predetermined reduction point from the maximum temperature difference to the minimum temperature difference.

A method is disclosed including immersing electrodes disposed on a distal end of an electrosurgical wand, the immersing in a cavity defined within walls of a first material, the cavity comprising a conductive fluid different than the first material, and the electrodes comprising a first electrode and a second electrode. The method further includes applying a voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode, the first and second electrode spaced apart on the distal end of the wand such that the conductive fluid resides between the first and second electrodes. The method further includes measuring an impedance of the conductive fluid between the first and second electrodes; and determining temperature of the conductive fluid based on the measured impedance. The method further includes forming plasma proximate to an active electrode distinct from the first and second electrode, the plasma created based on voltage applied to the active electrode.