The present disclosure is directed towards a medical instrument. The medical instrument includes a housing and an end effector assembly operably connected to the housing. The end effector assembly includes first and second jaw members each having a tissue contacting surface, at least one of the first and second jaw members movable between a first, spaced-apart position and a second proximate position, wherein in the second position, the jaw members cooperate to define a cavity configured to receive tissue between the jaw members. The end effector also includes at least one light-emitting element coupled to at least one of the first and second jaw members, the at least one light-emitting element adapted to deliver light energy to tissue grasped between the first and second jaw members to treat the tissue.

Provided and described herein are exemplary embodiments of apparatus, system, computer-accessible medium, procedure and method according to the present disclosure which can be used for providing laser steering and focusing for, e.g., incision, excision and/or ablation of tissue in minimally-invasive surgery. For example, an exemplary apparatus is provided that can include at least one optical element which can be configured to refract and/or diffract light provided in a structure which can be configured to be inserted into a body, where at least one of the optical element(s) is structured to receive the light at a first angle and generate a refracted and/or diffracted light at a second angle which can be different from the first angle relative to an optical axis. According to a particular exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an exemplary actuating arrangement can be provided, which can be configured to control the optical element(s), can be provided and situated at least partially within the at least one structure.

A photoacoustic catheter can include an elongate shaft and a first photoacoustic transducer. The elongate shaft can extend from a proximal region to a distal region and can include a first light guide that is in optical communication with a light source. The first photoacoustic transducer can be disposed within the distal region of the elongate shaft and can be in optical communication with the first light guide. The first photoacoustic transducer can impart acoustic pressure waves upon a calcified lesion to induce fractures. The first photoacoustic transducer can include a light-absorbing material and a thermal expansion material that can be in contact with one another. The thermal expansion material can include polydimethylsiloxane, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, polyisobutylene, polyisobutylene polyurethane, polyurethanes, styrene isoprene butadiene, ethylene propylene polyacrylic, ethylene acrylic, fluorosilicone, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, and/or thermoplastic elastomers. The light-absorbing material can include nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, candle soot, candle soot nanoparticles, carbon black, a nanotube array, multiwall carbon nanotubes, and/or light absorbing dye. The first light guide can be an optical fiber and the light source can be a laser.

Electrode cabling, including a core and n wires coiled on the core in an arrangement topologically equivalent to an n-start thread configuration, wherein n is an integer greater than one. The cabling also includes a sheath covering the n wires and an electrode attached through the sheath to a given wire selected from the n wires.

A method for attaching an electrode to cabling, including providing a cable having a plurality of insulated wires coiled around a central core. The method further includes removing insulation from each wire in a set of the coiled wires so as to provide a respective access channel to a respective section of a respective conductor of each wire in the set while the respective section remains coiled on the central core. The method further includes fastening a respective electrode to the respective access channel while the respective section remains coiled on the central core.

A photoacoustic catheter adapted for placement within a blood vessel having a vessel wall includes an elongate shaft, a balloon and a photoacoustic transducer. The elongate shaft can extend from a proximal region to a distal region. The elongate shaft can include a light guide that is configured to be placed in optical communication with a light source. The balloon is coupled to the elongate shaft, and can be configured to expand from a collapsed configuration suitable for advancing the photoacoustic catheter through a patient's vasculature to a first expanded configuration suitable for anchoring the photoacoustic catheter in position relative to a treatment site. The photoacoustic transducer can be disposed on a surface of the balloon and in optical communication with the light guide. The photoacoustic transducer can include a light-absorbing material and a thermal expansion material.

A catheter system for imparting pressure to induce fractures at a treatment site within or adjacent a blood vessel wall includes a catheter, a fortified balloon inflation fluid and a first light guide. The catheter includes an elongate shaft and a balloon that is coupled to the elongate shaft. The balloon has a balloon wall and can expand to a first expanded configuration to anchor the catheter in position relative. The fortified balloon inflation fluid can expand the balloon to the first expanded configuration. The fortified balloon inflation fluid includes a base inflation fluid and a fortification component. The fortification component reduces a threshold for inducing plasma formation in the fortified balloon inflation fluid compared to the base inflation fluid. The fortification component can include at least one of carbon and iron. The first light guide is disposed along the elongate shaft and is positioned at least partially within the balloon. The first light guide is in optical communication with a light source and the fortified balloon inflation fluid. The light source provides sub-millisecond pulses of a light to the first light guide so that plasma formation and rapid bubble formation occur in the fortified balloon inflation fluid, thereby imparting pressure waves upon the treatment site.

A device and a method for fractional skin treatment. The device employs two diffractive optical elements. One of the diffractive optical elements provides two coaxial laser beams and another diffractive optical element splits the two coaxial laser beams into a plurality of beamlets. A lens arranged to receive the plurality of the laser beams and to focus them in a skin treatment plane. The lens forms an image where each of the beamlets is imaged as a spot with a high intensity central area and a lower intensity area surrounding the central area.

The present disclosure relates to a multi-core optical fiber cable (MCF). In some embodiments, an MCF comprises a plurality of cores surrounded by a cladding and a coating surrounding the cladding, wherein a refractive index of one or more of the plurality of cores is greater than a refractive index of the cladding. The MCF further comprises a probe comprising a probe tip coupled with a distal end of the MCF and a lens located at a distal end of the probe tip. In some embodiments, the lens is configured to translate laser light from the distal end of the MCF to create a multi-spot pattern of laser beams on a target surface and a distal end of the MCF terminates at an interface with the lens.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a thermally robust laser probe assembly comprising a cannula, wherein one or more optical fibers extend at least partially through the cannula for transmitting laser light from a laser source to a target location. The probe assembly further comprises a lens housed in the cannula and a protective component press-fitted to the distal end of the cannula, wherein the lens is positioned between the one or more optical fibers and the protective component.