Patent classifications
A61B2018/1467
DEPLOYABLE RADIO-FREQUENCY ABLATION NEEDLE
A deployable radio-frequency (RF) ablation needle is provided. The deployable RF ablation needle is used to apply RF energy to hard and/or soft tissues to facilitate ablation thereof. Portions of the deployable RF ablation needle are configured for expansion from an undeployed configuration to a partially or completely deployed configuration via actuation by a user. The undeployed configuration of these portions of the deployable RF ablation needle affords a relatively small insertion size to facilitate insertion thereof into the hard and/or soft tissues, and the expansion of these portions from the undeployed configuration to the partially or completely deployed configuration correspondingly increases the application area of the RF energy to correspondingly increase the ablation zone afforded by use thereof.
COMBINED ELECTRODES FOR TISSUE PENETRATIVE IRREVERSIBLE ELECTROPORATION (IRE)
An irreversible electroporation (IRE) system includes an IRE ablation power source configured to generate bipolar IRE pulses, a switching assembly, and a processor. The switching assembly is configured to short-circuit a first group and a second group of electrodes of a catheter, the groups of electrodes configured to be placed in contact with tissue of organ, so as to create respective combined electrodes of a first size and a second size smaller than the first size, and to connect the IRE ablation power source to the groups of electrodes. The processor is configured to receive target tissue depth of ablation, select the groups of the electrodes, to control the switching assembly to create the combined electrodes and to ablate the tissue by controlling the switching assembly to apply the bipolar IRE pulses to the groups of electrodes to ablate tissue location in contact with a combined electrode to target depth.
Delivering tumor treating fields (TTFields) using implantable transducer arrays
Tumor treating fields (TTFields) can be delivered by implanting a plurality of sets of implantable electrode elements within a person's body. Temperature sensors positioned to measure the temperature at the electrode elements are also implanted, along with a circuit that collects temperature measurements from the temperature sensors. In some embodiments, an AC voltage generator configured to apply an AC voltage across the plurality of sets of electrode elements is also implanted within the person's body.
Selection of hypertensive patients for treatment with renal denervation
Methods, systems, devices, assemblies and apparatuses for treatment of hypertension in a patient using renal denervation. The therapeutic assembly includes an energy delivery element. The energy delivery element is configured to provide renal denervation energy to a nerve within a blood vessel of a patient. The therapeutic assembly includes a controller. The controller is coupled to the energy delivery element. The controller is configured to determine that the hypertension in the patient is orthostatic. The controller is configured to apply renal denervation energy to the patient using the energy delivery element.
SYSTEM AND METHOD TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION OF A CATHETER
Systems, devices, and techniques are disclosed for automatically generating CPM matrices. The system includes a processor configured to receive a plurality of historical, sparse CPM matrices and a plurality of historical, supplemented CPM matrices, wherein each sparse CPM matrix is associated with a respective supplemented CPM matrix; train a learning system based on the plurality of historical, sparse CPM matrices and the plurality of historical, supplemented CPM matrices, wherein the learning system is trained so as to generate a supplemented CPM matrix given a sparse CPM matrix; receive, by the trained learning system, a new, sparse CPM matrix; and generate, with the trained learning system, a new supplemented CPM matrix.
Systems and methods for delivering energy to passageways in a patient
Systems and methods for delivering energy to passageways in a patient, such as airways in the lung of a patient for treating asthma. One embodiment of a method for delivering energy to a passageway comprises positioning an access device in a lung airway of a patient and advancing an elongated body of a treatment device along the access device until an energy delivery unit at a distal portion of the elongated body projects from the access device. The method can further include expanding the energy delivery unit such that energy delivery elements contact a sidewall of the airway and activating an energy supply coupled to the treatment device such that energy is delivered to the sidewall of the airway. A single person physically operates both the access device and the treatment device while expanding the energy delivery unit and activating the energy supply.
METHODS, APPARATUSES, AND SYSTEMS FOR THE TREATMENT OF DISEASE STATES AND DISORDERS
Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for treating pulmonary tissues via delivery of energy, generally characterized by high voltage pulses, to target tissue using a pulmonary tissue modification system (e.g., an energy delivery catheter system). Example pulmonary tissues include, without limitation, the epithelium (the goblet cells, ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelial cells, and basal cells), lamina propria, submucosa, submucosal glands, basement membrane, smooth muscle, cartilage, nerves, pathogens resident near or within the tissue, or a combination of any of these. The system may be used to treat a variety of pulmonary diseases or disorders such as or associated with COPD (e.g., chronic bronchitis, emphysema), asthma, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), acute bronchitis and/or other pulmonary diseases or disorders.
PULLER WIRE T-BAR FOR MEDICAL CATHETER
A medical probe includes a generally tubular member with a tip portion coupled to the tubular member. A puller wire is disposed in the tubular member and configured for movement along the longitudinal axis to bend the tip portion with respect to the longitudinal axis. An anchor is disposed within the tubular member and connected to the puller wire such that the anchor has a t-bar. The t-bar includes a generally transverse extension and a ferrule connected to the puller wire. The probe includes a fiber engaged to the generally transverse extension and extending distally into the probe to increase a strength of the anchor with respect to forces applied to the puller wire to deflect the tip of the medical probe.
METHODS AND DEVICES FOR AESTHETIC TREATMENT OF BIOLOGICAL STRUCTURES BY RADIOFREQUENCY AND MAGNETIC ENERGY
A treatment device for providing a magnetic treatment and a radiofrequency treatment to a body area of a patient. The device includes an energy storage device for storing electric energy, a magnetic field generating device, and a switching device to discharge the electrical energy from the energy storage device to the magnetic field generating device, such that a time-varying magnetic field is generated and provides muscle contraction to a muscle in the body area of the patient. The time-varying magnetic field may have a magnetic field density in a range of 0.1 Tesla to 7 Tesla and a repetition rate in a range of 0.1 Hz to 700 Hz. The device may also include a radiofrequency electrode to generate radiofrequency waves to heat a tissue in the body of the patient. A body of the radiofrequency electrode may include a plurality of openings in a range of 5 to 1000 openings.
Medical instrument
A medical instrument comprising a device for activating or deactivating a function of the instrument. The device comprises first and second parts, which are each movable into an operative position relative to the other part to activate or deactivate a function of the instrument. A second control element for moving the second part into the operative position provides a control portion and comprises, for moving the first part into the operative position, a first control element which provides an additional control portion. The first control element can be moved in an opposite direction the direction from the second control element. Accordingly, the function is activated by moving a control element in a distal direction, and by moving another control element in a proximal direction. A deflection of force by one actuating element for actuating the first part or the second part in the opposite direction is not necessary.