A catheter system (100) for treating a treatment site (106) within or adjacent to the vessel wall of a blood vessel (108), or the heart valve, includes an energy source (124), a balloon (104), an energy guide (122A), and a balloon integrity protection system (142). The energy source (124) generates energy. The balloon (104) is positionable substantially adjacent to the treatment site (106). The balloon (104) has a balloon wall (130) that defines a balloon interior (146). The balloon (104) is configured to retain a balloon fluid (132) within the balloon interior (146). The energy guide (122A) is configured to receive energy from the energy source (124) and guide the energy into the balloon interior (146) so that plasma is formed in the balloon fluid (132) within the balloon interior (146). The balloon integrity protection system (142) is operatively coupled to the balloon (104). The balloon integrity protection system (142) is configured to inhibit rupture of the balloon (104) due to the plasma formed in the balloon fluid (132) within the balloon interior (146) during use of the catheter system (100).

A system and method for detecting relative location of a surgical laser fiber tip relative to a surgical laser target during a surgical laser procedure utilizes a spectrophotometer to detect radiation indicative of the relative location. For example, the detected radiation may indicate contact between the fiber tip and a stone being subjected to laser lithotripsy, so as to prompt the surgeon to withdraw the fiber tip from the stone and/or take other action to limit contact-induced erosion of the fiber tip, and to avoid saturation of the endoscope camera resulting from the flash that occurs following contact. In addition, the absence of any detected radiation by the spectrophotometer may be used to indicate that the stone is no longer present, or that the fiber tip is no longer aimed at the stone, prompting the operator to reposition the fiber and/or temporarily cease firing of the laser. The main surgical laser may be a pulsed Holmium laser, which is delivered to the target through the optical fiber together with a pulsed 532 nm aiming beam.

A catheter system for treating a vascular lesion within or adjacent to a vessel wall within a body of a patient includes a single light source that generates light energy, a first light guide and a second light guide, and a multiplexer. The first light guide and the second light guide are each configured to selectively receive light energy from the light source. The multiplexer receives the light energy from the light source in the form of a source beam and selectively directs the light energy from the light source in the form of individual guide beams to each of the first light guide and the second light guide. The multiplexer includes a system of optical valves arranged in a linear sequence within the multiplexer. The system of optical valves includes an individual valve that receives the light energy from the light source.

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.

A shock wave generating device includes an optical fiber and a reflective part, and is configured to reflect and converge the shock wave generated inside the reflective part to an outside of the reflective part. The reflective part includes: a reflector having a concave surface having a cut surface-of-revolution shape, and a through hole, which is formed coaxially with a rotating axis of the concave surface, and into which the optical fiber is to be inserted; a sealing body configured to seal an opening portion of the concave surface; and a liquid to be charged between the concave surface and the sealing body. The optical fiber has a distal end arranged at a position on a rear side of a focal point of the concave surface, at which the shock wave reflected by the concave surface is convergeable outside the reflective part.

A catheter system (100) for treating one or more treatment sites (106) within or adjacent to the heart valve (108) includes an energy source (124), a plurality of energy guides (122A), and a balloon assembly (104). The energy source (124) generates energy. The plurality of energy guides (122A) are configured to receive energy from the energy source (124). The balloon assembly (104) includes a plurality of balloons (104A) that are each positionable substantially adjacent to one or more treatment site(s) (106). Each of the plurality of balloons (104A) has a balloon wall (130) that defines a balloon interior (146). Each of the plurality of balloons (104A) is configured to retain a balloon fluid (132) within the balloon interior (146). A portion of at least one of the plurality of energy guides (122A) that receive the energy from the energy source (124) is positioned within the balloon interior (146) of each of the plurality of balloons (104A) so that plasma is formed in the balloon fluid (132) within the balloon interior (146).

A method treating a root canal in a tooth by introducing into the pulp chamber of a tooth and pulsing a laser light into the fluid reservoir so as to disintegrate pulp within the root canal without generation of any significant heat in said liquid fluid so as to avoid elevating the temperature of any of the dentin, tooth, or other adjacent tissue more than about 5° C.

Apparatus, systems and methods for fracturing calcium in an artery of a patient. Certain embodiments include an expandable member, a laser light source and an optical fiber coupled to the laser light source. The optical fiber can comprise one or more emission points configured to emit electromagnetic energy from the laser light source. The electromagnetic energy can be transmitted through a fluid in the expandable member to fracture the calcium.

A method for treating a treatment site within a body of a patient with a catheter system includes generating energy with an energy source; positioning an inflatable balloon substantially adjacent to the treatment site, the inflatable balloon having a balloon wall that defines a balloon interior that receives a balloon fluid; receiving energy from the energy source with an energy guide; guiding the energy with the energy guide into the balloon interior; sensing acoustic sound waves generated in the balloon fluid with an acoustic sensor that is positioned outside of the body of the patient; generating a sensor signal with the acoustic sensor based at least in part on the sensed acoustic sound waves; electrically coupling a system controller to the acoustic sensor; receiving the sensor signal from the acoustic sensor with the system controller; and controlling operation of the catheter system with the system controller based at least in part on the sensor signal, the system controller being configured to recognize one of: (i) normal operation of the catheter system, and (ii) potential damage to the energy guide.

A catheter system for treating a treatment site within or adjacent to a vessel wall or a heart valve includes an energy source, a balloon, an energy guide, and an electrical analyzer assembly. The energy source generates energy. The balloon is positionable substantially adjacent to the treatment site. The balloon has a balloon wall that defines a balloon interior that receives a balloon fluid. The energy guide is configured to receive energy from the energy source and guide the energy into the balloon interior. The electrical analyzer assembly is configured to monitor a balloon condition during use of the catheter system. The electrical analyzer assembly can include a first electrode, a second electrode, and an impedance detector that is electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. The impedance detector is configured to detect impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode.