An electrosurgical apparatus with a retractable blade for use in cold plasma applications, electrosurgical cutting and mechanical cutting is provided. The electrosurgical apparatus employs a tip of the retractable blade as a sharp conductive point to generate a plasma beam or discharge. When the blade is retracted within the electrosurgical apparatus, it is electrically energized while an inert gas flows over it, producing a cold plasma discharge. In the de-energized state, the blade is advanced and used as a traditional, mechanical surgical blade.

Methods, systems and devices for evaluating the integrity of a uterine cavity. A method comprises introducing transcervically a probe into a patient's uterine cavity, providing a flow of a fluid (e.g., CO.sub.2) through the probe into the uterine cavity and monitoring the rate of the flow to characterize the uterine cavity as perforated or non-perforated based on a change in the flow rate.

Embodiments include a system comprising a non-thermal plasma (NTP) device and at least one container including supersaturated gas emulsion (SSGE). A method is described involving configuring a supersaturated gas emulsion (SSGE) for application to a treatment site and configuring a device to generate a non-thermal plasma (NTP) at the treatment site.

A system for treating uterine tissue having a seal assembly configured for positioning in a patient's cervical canal and uterine cavity; an expandable distal balloon portion; an expandable elongate medial balloon portion configured for movement between a first transversely expanded shape for engaging a cervical canal and a second transversely non-expanded shape for trans-cervical insertion; and a fluid source in communication with distal balloon portion and medial balloon portion for expansion of said balloon portions.

Tissue is treated using a radiofrequency power supply connected to an applicator having a chamber filled with an electrically non-conductive gas surrounded by a thin dielectric wall. A radiofrequency voltage is applied at a level sufficient to ionize the gas into a plasma and to capacitively couple the ionized plasma with the tissue to deliver radiofrequency current to ablate or otherwise treat the tissue.

A body orifice remodeling device includes a cylindrical handpiece having a defined length which is adapted to be inserted into the body orifice and an elongated monopolar electrode mounted outside on the circumference of the cylindrical handpiece and extending substantially along the length of the handpiece. A source of radio frequency (RF) energy in the handpiece is configured to generate RF energy to the elongated monopolar electrode; and a source of electromagnetic stimulation energy (EMagS) in the handpiece is configured to generate (EMagS) energy.

Apparatuses and methods for imposing electric fields through a target region a patient are described. An apparatus includes a transducer array having a first and second electrode element receiving an alternating current waveform and a sensor array having a first temperature sensor positioned to detect a first temperature of the first electrode element and a second temperature sensor positioned to detect a second temperature of the second electrode element. The first temperature sensor is connected to a first conductor and second conductor. The second temperature sensor is connected to the second conductor and third conductor. A circuit provides a first known amount of electricity via the first conductor and second conductor to obtain the first temperature and a second known amount of electricity via the second conductor and the third conductor to obtain the second temperature. A controller adjusts the alternating current waveform based on the temperatures.

A wall of a uterus is ablated by expanding a structure in the uterus and applying energy across the wall of the structure into the uterine wall. An exterior surface of the structure conforms to an inner wall of the uterus, and the energy may cause vapor to collect between the wall and the structure. The vapor is released by providing a barrier to release which is inflated at a pressure above which the barrier at least partially collapses to allow the vapor to leave the uterus.

The present disclosure provides a variety of systems, techniques and machine readable programs for using plasmas and/or electric fields alone, or in combination with other therapies, to treat different tissue conditions as well as other conditions, such as tumors, bacterial infections and the like.

An in vivo potential measurement device includes an insulating member and an amplifier. The insulating member has an electrode. The insulating member is inserted into an organ of a living body such that an outer peripheral face of the insulating member contacts with an inner wall face of the organ at a contact site. The electrode senses electric potential at the contact site. The amplifier amplifies the electric potential to obtain output voltage. The amplifier has input capacitance Cin and input resistance Rin that satisfy Cin/Ce>0.1 and 1/(2fCeRin)>0.1, where Ce represents capacitance of the insulating member at the contact site, and f represents frequency of the electric potential at the contact site on the inner wall face. A contact state between the outer peripheral face and the inner wall face is evaluated using the output voltage.