Methods and devices are disclosed for puncturing tissue, comprising a puncture device for puncturing tissue and a supporting member for supporting the puncture device. The puncture device is capable of being insertable within the supporting member and being selectively usable in co-operation therewith during a portion of a procedure for puncturing tissue and wherein the puncture device is usable independently therefrom during another portion of the procedure. The puncture device comprises visual or tactile markers for determining the relative positioning between puncture device and supporting member.

A specimen retrieval device for extraction of tissue includes a port having a specimen bag attached thereto. The specimen bag includes two openings: one opening attached to the port, and the other opening spaced from the first opening, which may remain open in a patient's body to permit introduction of a tissue specimen therein. The second opening may be closed after introduction of a tissue specimen into the specimen bag, and the tissue within the specimen bag may be broken up as it is passes out of the specimen bag and through the port of the specimen retrieval device.

The invention provides a system for remote control of a surgical device, comprising a first imaging device of a first type having a first image output. The first imaging device is positioned to image an area being subject to surgery. A second imaging device of a second type has a second image output. The second imaging device is positioned to image the area being subjected to surgery. A computer is coupled to receive the first and second image outputs and merge the first and second image outputs into a unitary image output representing a unitary image. Software, resident in the computer generates a graphic user interface including a menu and submenu items. A surgical device is coupled to the computer. Software, resident in said computer, receives and displays information received from the surgical device and/or controls the operation of the surgical device. A display as coupled to the computer for displaying the graphic user interface and the unitary image.

In one embodiment, a catheter includes a shaft assembly having a proximal and distal end, which comprises a deflectable segment including lumens running longitudinally therein, electrodes disposed at the distal end, a connector disposed at the proximal end for coupling to processing circuitry, cables disposed in first respective ones of the lumens, each cable electrically coupled to the connector and a respective group of the electrodes, wherein each cable includes a bundle of wires, each wire connected to a respective one of the electrodes in the respective group, an electrical shielding surrounding the bundle, and an electrically insulating jacket surrounding the shielding and sized to allow longitudinal movement of the respective cable within the respective lumen, respective elongated members disposed in second respective ones of the lumens, and connected to the distal end, and a manipulator connected to the elongated members to actuate the distal end via the elongated members.

A device may include a catheter and a support tube. The catheter includes a lumen extending therethrough. The catheter is sized and shaped to extend through an endoscopic shaft to a target tissue within a living body. The lumen is sized and shaped for receiving a puncturing device therethrough. The catheter includes a first catheter portion distal to a second catheter portion. The first and second catheter portions are formed from different materials. The first catheter portion has a flexible curved distal end. The tube is fixed about an outer surface of a proximal end of the first catheter portion and an outer surface of a distal end of the second catheter portion.

A facet joint surgical tool for treating a facet joint synovial cyst includes rotatable members disposed side-by-side through a minimally invasive sheath and rotatable to reconfigure distal end portions between a facet joint penetration configuration with a tissue piercing tip and a facet joint retraction configuration. Facet joint synovial cysts located to an anterior side of the facet joint are treated by a posterior approach with access to the cyst through the facet joint retracted by the surgical tool. Facet joint synovial cysts located to a posterior side of the facet joint are treated by direct access from a posterior approach.

A device for treating ligamentum flavum by radio frequency includes a hand grip and a cannula fixed at its proximal end to the hand grip extending longitudinally from the hand grip to an opposed distal end of the cannula configured to reach the ligamentum flavum. At least one electrode is electrically connectable to a radio frequency generator. The device also includes an actuating device of the electrode provided in the hand grip for moving the electrode. The actuating device includes a slider along a sliding guide having a first and a second sliding portion placed in succession. The first portion is shaped to allow an axial translation of the slider along the guide to generate a translation of the electrode in the cannula. The second portion is configured to allow rotational translation of the slider along the guide to generate a corresponding rotational translation of the electrode outside the cannula.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for puncturing a target tissue. Apparatus includes an elongate puncture device having a tip electrode that is configured for collecting EGMs and for delivering energy for puncturing the target tissue. The method comprising collecting EGMs to indirectly measure and monitor a pressure applied against the target tissue by the elongate puncture device, thereby confirming a position of the tip electrode of the elongate puncture device relative to the target tissue.

System and methods for channeling a path into bone include a trocar having a proximal end, distal end and a central channel disposed along a central axis of the trocar. The trocar includes a distal opening at the distal end of the trocar. The system includes a curved cannula sized to be received in the central channel, the curved cannula comprising a curved distal end configured to be extended outward from the distal opening to generate a curved path extending away from the trocar. The curved cannula has a central passageway having a diameter configured to allow a treatment device to be delivered through the central passageway to a location beyond the curved path.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of medical devices for accessing body lumens. In particular, the present disclosure relates to medical devices, systems and methods for enlarging an opening of a body lumen. In an embodiment, a device may include a flexible elongate tube. A distal end of the tube may be configured to access an opening of a body lumen. A plurality of wire lumens may extend from the distal end of the tube toward a proximal end of the tube that are radially offset from and substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis. At least a portion of the plurality of wire lumens may be exposed to an outer surface of the tube along a distal portion. A plurality of wires may each extend along a respective wire lumen. A portion of each wire may extend externally to the wire lumens exposed to the outer surface.