Various methods, systems, and devices for treating tissue ablation are disclosed. Some embodiments disclosed herein pertain to methods of treating tumors, systems used for irradiating tissue and tumors with electromagnetic radiation, components and devices of that system, and kits for providing systems used for irradiating tissue and tumors with electromagnetic radiation. In some embodiments, the system provides sub-ablative infrared radiation that is absorbed by nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles absorb the radiation converting it into heat energy. In some embodiments, though the infrared radiation itself may be sub-ablative, the heat energy generated by the nanoparticles is sufficient to cause thermal coagulation, hyperthermia, and/or tissue ablation.

Spinal tumor ablation devices and related systems and methods are disclosed. Some spinal tumor ablation devices include electrodes that are fixedly offset from one another. Some spinal tumor ablation devices include a thermal energy delivery probe that has at least one temperature sensor coupled thereto. The position of the at least one temperature sensor relative to other components of the spinal tumor ablation device may be controlled by adjusting the position of the thermal energy delivery probe in some spinal tumor ablation devices. Some spinal tumor ablation devices are configured to facilitate the delivery of a cement through a utility channel of the device.

A catheter system for treating a vascular lesion within or adjacent to the vessel wall or heart valve includes a balloon and a fluid circulator. The balloon includes a balloon wall that defines a balloon interior. The balloon is configured to retain a catheter fluid within the balloon interior. The fluid circulator is coupled in fluid communication to the balloon interior. The fluid circulator is configured to selectively circulate the catheter fluid out of and back into the balloon interior during use of the catheter system. The fluid circulator is configured so that a temperature of the catheter fluid within the balloon interior is maintained within a predetermined temperature range. Additionally, the fluid circulator can be configured so that a pressure of the catheter fluid within the balloon interior is maintained within a predetermined pressure range. Further, a filtration system can be coupled in fluid communication with the fluid circulator to remove microparticles from the catheter fluid.

A multi-pillar piezoelectric stack (MPPS) ultrasound transducer includes N pillars, each formed of a stack of M piezoelectric elements, N and M being integers of at least two. The ultrasound transducer further includes a bonding layer between each pair of the M piezoelectric elements. The pillars are laterally spaced from each other to form an inter-pillar gap. The transducer further includes at least one electrical interconnect for connecting the ultrasound transducer to a signal source. Through the MPPS design, the therapeutic range and the transducer sensitivity are increased over the conventional single pillar piezoelectric stack (SPPS) transducer design.

Spinal tumor ablation devices and related systems and methods are disclosed. Some spinal tumor ablation devices include electrodes that are fixedly offset from one another. Some spinal tumor ablation devices include a thermal energy delivery probe that has at least one temperature sensor coupled thereto. The position of the at least one temperature sensor relative to other components of the spinal tumor ablation device may be controlled by adjusting the position of the thermal energy delivery probe in some spinal tumor ablation devices. Some spinal tumor ablation devices are configured to facilitate the delivery of a cement through a utility channel of the device.

Various methods, systems, and devices for treating tissue ablation are disclosed. Some embodiments disclosed herein pertain to methods of treating tumors, systems used for irradiating tissue and tumors with electromagnetic radiation, components and devices of that system, and kits for providing systems used for irradiating tissue and tumors with electromagnetic radiation. In some embodiments, the system provides sub-ablative infrared radiation that is absorbed by nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles absorb the radiation converting it into heat energy. In some embodiments, though the infrared radiation itself may be sub-ablative, the heat energy generated by the nanoparticles is sufficient to cause thermal coagulation, hyperthermia, and/or tissue ablation.

Various methods, systems, and devices for treating tissue ablation are disclosed. Some embodiments disclosed herein pertain to methods of treating tumors, systems used for irradiating tissue and tumors with electromagnetic radiation, components and devices of that system, and kits for providing systems used for irradiating tissue and tumors with electromagnetic radiation. In some embodiments, the system provides sub-ablative infrared radiation that is absorbed by nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the nanoparticles absorb the radiation converting it into heat energy. In some embodiments, though the infrared radiation itself may be sub-ablative, the heat energy generated by the nanoparticles is sufficient to cause thermal coagulation, hyperthermia, and/or tissue ablation.

A method and apparatus using radiation-based fiber-optic sensors and ultrasound thermometry to detect temperature before and during surgery. Ultrasound thermometry accurately measures temperature less than 50° C. and requires calibration, which can be conducted in vivo with the disclosed fiber sensor based on blackbody radiation (BBR) and as an early step in the procedure. The monitored wavelength of BBR in a range between about 1.4 μm and about 2.7 μm results in low attenuation for both water and a silica-based fiber. A thermal boundary map at and around the boundaries of the subsequently heated tissue in the region of interest (ROI) is displayed to the surgeon. The system accurately displays the temperature(s) in a thermal boundary map, thereby permitting the surgeon to determine when the ROI has been exposed to sufficient thermal energy to destroy it.

A method and apparatus using radiation-based fiber-optic sensors and ultrasound thermometry to detect temperature before and during surgery. Ultrasound thermometry accurately measures temperature less than 50° C. and requires calibration, which can be conducted in vivo with the disclosed fiber sensor based on blackbody radiation (BBR) and as an early step in the procedure. The monitored wavelength of BBR in a range between about 1.4 μm and about 2.7 μm results in low attenuation for both water and a silica-based fiber. A thermal boundary map at and around the boundaries of the subsequently heated tissue in the region of interest (ROI) is displayed to the surgeon. The system accurately displays the temperature(s) in a thermal boundary map, thereby permitting the surgeon to determine when the ROI has been exposed to sufficient thermal energy to destroy it.

A follicular growth inducing apparatus is suitable for a surgical procedure for inducing follicular growth and is less invasive and less likely to degrade the ovarian functions. The follicular growth inducing apparatus includes an ovarian puncture needle that forms a puncture hole by puncturing an ovary in a traveling direction of ultrasound emitted from a probe in a transvaginal ultrasound device toward the ovary, for inducing growth of follicles, and an optical fiber that guides a laser beam emitted from a laser generator. The ovarian puncture needle includes a needle tube including a basal end, a shaft supported on the basal end, and a needle tip continuous with the shaft. The needle tip punctures the ovary. The optical fiber is installable in the needle tube to have a distal end of the optical fiber adjacent to the needle tip.