Methods, apparatus, and kits for applying thermal energy to tissue in a region of interest. Certain embodiments include registration of fiducial markers with an image guidance system and temperature monitoring via magnetic resonance imaging thermography.

An exemplary ablation system is provided. The system is designed for safe and efficacious energy delivery into tissue by, for example, emitting energy in a controlled, repeatable manner that allows for feedback and energy emission titration based on sensed parameters (e.g., tissue temperature) measured during ablation. The system may include a switching antenna for both heating of target tissue and radiometry to monitor the temperature of the heated tissue. For example, the switching antenna may include a monopole formed by proximal and distal radiating elements, such that the proximal radiating element includes a short to defeat a choke action of the proximal radiating element. The system further includes a processor for calculating the temperature of the target tissue and estimating volume of the ablation lesion based on the target tissue temperature.

A laser device for treating a target region of biological tissue comprises: a sheath; at least two optical fibers in the sheath, each configured to guide a laser beam to the target region, distal ends of at least two of the optical fibers configured so that each emits a laser beam in a different direction; a system of laser sources configured to generate at least two laser beams, the two laser beams having different or identical wavelengths with adjustable power; and a laser-beam control unit configured to control the system of laser sources so as to select the wavelength, the power, the duration of the deposition of laser energy, and the moment of emission of each of the laser beams in the direction of the target region so as to dynamically generate and adjust a 3D thermal distribution having a geometric shape matching a geometric shape of the target region.

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.

Radiometric systems may comprise a radiometer, an antenna and a processor communicatively coupled together. The processor may provide a contact-focused output based on filtering or other processing of a raw radiometric output signal. The contact-focused output may facilitate determination of whether contact has been achieved and/or assessment of contact. A miniaturized reflectometer may be configured to determine an amount of reflected power from the antenna. The processor may be configured to determine a reflection coefficient of the reflected power determined by the reflectometer and to identify tissue type based on the reflection coefficient. Systems and methods for facilitating deeper temperature measurements of a radiometer are described.

An irrigated ablation catheter includes a shaft and an electrode assembly affixed to a distal end of the shaft. The distal electrode assembly includes a manifold and an ablation electrode affixed together and extending along a center axis. The electrode has a distal irrigation passageway extending therethrough to an opening at a distal tip of the electrode. The opening of the irrigation passageway is offset in distance from the center axis, and allows a thermal sensor such as a thermocouple to be located in a sensor cavity in the electrode on or near the center axis. One variation involves providing a pair of distal irrigation passageways through the electrode where both of the openings of the passageways are offset from the center axis. The thermal sensor in this variation is located in the sensor cavity substantially on the center axis.

Methods and devices described herein facilitate improved treatment of body organs.

A method and system for aesthetic skin treatment. The system includes a treatment energy source for generating a treatment beam and a treatment beam deflecting mechanism configured to direct the treatment beam to a treated skin area. One or more video cameras configured to capture a treated skin area and communicate captured treated skin area image to a processor. Based on a captured treated skin area the processor constructs a three-dimensional representation of the captured skin area and controls a treatment energy beam deflecting mechanism to deflect the treatment energy beam to follow the three-dimensional representation of the captured skin area.

An irrigated ablation catheter includes a shaft and an electrode assembly affixed to a distal end of the shaft. The distal electrode assembly includes a manifold and an ablation electrode affixed together and extending along a center axis. The electrode has a distal irrigation passageway extending therethrough to an opening at a distal tip of the electrode. The opening of the irrigation passageway is offset in distance from the center axis, and allows a thermal sensor such as a thermocouple to be located in a sensor cavity in the electrode on or near the center axis. One variation involves providing a pair of distal irrigation passageways through the electrode where both of the openings of the passageways are offset from the center axis. The thermal sensor in this variation is located in the sensor cavity substantially on the center axis.

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.