A method of treating a mobile target tissue with a laser beam includes: providing a laser device for generating a laser beam and providing an optical fiber having a delivery end for guiding the laser beam to the target tissue; a controller causes the laser device to generate one or more laser pulses substantially along the same longitudinal axis. The controller causes the laser device to provide one or more laser pulses. The one or more pulses are selected to allow a vapor bubble formed by the one or more pulse to expand an amount sufficient to displace a substantial portion of the liquid medium from the space between the delivery end of the fiber and the target tissue. The one or more pulses are delivered to the target tissue through the vapor bubble after the vapor bubble has reached its maximum extent and has begun to collapse to reduce retropulsion of the mobile target tissue.

Kidney stone removal system is disclosed having components including a handle mechanism, a nozzle tip, and a guiding device. The handle mechanism employs a trigger that enables control of irrigation and vacuum/suction. Depression of a trigger in the trigger mechanism conveys status of vacuum/suction and irrigation to a user by providing increased resistance at different points of depression. When the trigger is in a home (undepressed) position, irrigation and vacuum/suction are turned off. When the trigger is in a fully depressed position, irrigation and vacuum/suction are turned on. When the trigger is in an intermediate position, irrigation may be turned on, while vacuum/suction remains turned off. The nozzle includes one or more irrigation ports positioned at a distal end of the nozzle and having an irrigation port departure angle of 30 to 60 degrees for directing irrigation fluid forward and laterally from the distal end of the nozzle. The guiding device is configured to be removably positioned in the nozzle for receiving a debris fragmentizing device, such as a laser device. The guiding device is configured to prevent an unintended movement of the fragmentizing device when the fragmentizing device is positioned in the nozzle while allowing fluid and debris to flow past the fragmentizing device and through a vacuum tube.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides techniques for inducing collagen cross-linking in human tissue, such as cartilage or cornea, without using a photosensitizer (e.g., riboflavin), by inducing ionization of the water contained in the tissue to produce free radicals that induce chemical cross-linking in the human tissue. In an embodiment, a femtosecond laser operates at sufficiently low laser pulse energy to avoid optical breakdown of tissue. In an embodiment, the femtosecond laser operates in the infrared frequency range.

A system (101) for treatment of an epithelial tissue layer (3) is provided. The system comprises a reservoir (107), for containing an amount of a flowable medium, arranged to enable the medium, when contained in the reservoir, to be in contact with a surface (5) of the epithelial tissue layer, a light source (109) for generating a laser beam (11) during at least a predetermined pulse time, and an optical system for focusing the laser beam into a focal spot (15), and for positioning the focal spot in a target position. The target position of the focal spot is within the reservoir and within the medium, when contained in the reservoir, and the dimension of the focal spot and the power of the generated laser beam are such that, in the focal spot, the laser beam has a power density, which is above the characteristic threshold value for the medium, above which, for the predetermined pulse time, a laser induced optical breakdown event occurs in the medium. A method for treatment of an epithelial tissue layer is also provided.

Provided is a micro-jet drug injection device comprising: a pressure chamber having a pressure driving liquid hermetically filled therein; a drug chamber having a micro nozzle defined in a wall; an elastic membrane elastically expandable and restorable and to separate the pressure chamber from the drug chamber; an energy-focusing unit concentrating energy on the pressure driving liquid in the pressure chamber; and the storage unit supplying the drug solution therein into the drug chamber through a drug supply channel. The drug chamber has a partial inner space defined therein. The partial inner space is in fluid communication with the drug supply channel and is partially defined by the membrane. A nozzle closure is disposed inside or outside the drug chamber. The nozzle closure blocks inflow of air outside the micro-nozzle into the partial inner space after the elastic membrane has expanded and before elastic recovery of the membrane is completed.

Provided is a surgical handpiece for providing an electromagnetic cutting blade. The handpiece, comprises a body portion having an input end and an output end, a plurality of optical fibers for receiving laser energy having a wavelength within a predetermined wavelength range, wherein the optical fibers are received in the body portion at the input end and extend to the output end, and an optical fiber transition region within the body portion for arranging the plurality of optical fibers into a predetermine cutting shape at the output end, wherein laser energy transmitted from the arranged optical fibers at the output end interact with water molecules near the surgical target to generate micro-explosions that result in a cutting effect.

Described herein are shock wave devices and methods for the treatment of calcified heart valves. One variation of a shock wave device may comprise an elongated flexible tube carried by a sheath. The tube may have a fluid input end, which may be located near a proximal end of the sheath. The tube may include a loop portion. The loop portion may be configured to be at least partially accommodated within a cusp of the heart valve. The tube may be fillable with a conductive fluid. In some variations, the shock wave device may include an array of electrode pairs associated with a plurality of wires positioned within the loop portion of a tube. The electrode pairs may be electrically connectable to a voltage source and configured to generate shock waves in the conductive fluid in response to voltage pulses.

Disclosed is an impact-during-suction surgical ureteroscope, comprising: a ureteroscope main body, an operating portion operably arranged in the ureteroscope main body, and a lithotripter. The ureteroscope main body comprises a ureteroscope structure main body and a suction channel extending from a front end to a rear end in the ureteroscope structure main body. The suction channel has a suction opening at the front end. The lithotripter is movably disposed in the ureteroscope structure main body so as to switch between a first state and a second state. When in the first state, a cutting head of the lithotripter extends out of the suction opening so as to impact a stone; when in the second state, the cutting head of the lithotripter is retracted into the suction opening and is used to impact crushed stones blocking the suction opening.

Described herein are shock wave devices and methods for the treatment of calcified heart valves. One variation of a shock wave device may comprise an elongated flexible tube carried by a sheath. The tube may have a fluid input end, which may be located near a proximal end of the sheath. The tube may include a loop portion. The loop portion may be configured to be at least partially accommodated within a cusp of the heart valve. The tube may be fillable with a conductive fluid. In some variations, the shock wave device may include an array of electrode pairs associated with a plurality of wires positioned within the loop portion of a tube. The electrode pairs may be electrically connectable to a voltage source and configured to generate shock waves in the conductive fluid in response to voltage pulses.

Described herein are laser emitting medical devices and techniques implementable by laser emitting medical devices to determine a power of light emitted from a distal end of an optical fiber coupled to the medical device where the distal end of the optical fiber is disposed in a liquid environment. The devices and techniques provide to determine the power of the emitted light based on the duration or length of a bubble formed in the liquid environment by the emitted light.