Apparatus and methods for electrosurgery are disclosed. In one arrangement, an electrosurgical element and a control system are provided. The electrosurgical element is electrically driven in a first electrical driving mode. The first electrical driving mode is such as to cause heating of human or animal tissue by the electrosurgical element. The heating contributes to modification or cutting of tissue by the electrosurgical element. The electrosurgical element is electrically driven in a second electrical driving mode. An electrical response of the electrosurgical element is measured during the electrical driving of the electrosurgical element in the second electrical driving mode.

The disclosure provides various embodiments of catheters having articulable ends that can be used for various procedures. Embodiments of methods are also provided that can be performed with catheters in accordance with the present disclosure.

A coupling system and related methods are disclosed. The system has a first plug detachably coupled to a first housing, and a first socket detachably coupled to a second housing. The first socket is configured to receive the first plug. The system is movable between a first configuration wherein the first and second housings are not engaged and a second configuration wherein the first and second housings are engaged and the first plug and the first socket are coupled together.

A device and system for removing polyps is provided and includes a tubular member having proximal and distal ends, a snare portion operably extending from within the distal end of the tubular member, the snare portion including a cutting member for severing the sealed tissue. The polyp removal device may further include a handle portion operatively extending from within the proximal end of the tubular member. The handle portion may be configured for operable engagement by a user and the cutting member may extend between distal ends of the first and second electrodes.

Methods, devices, and systems are described herein that allow for improved sampling of tissue from remote sites in the body. A tissue sampling device comprises a handle allowing single hand operation. In one variation the tissue sampling device includes a blood vessel scanning means and tissue coring means to excise a histology sample from a target site free of blood vessels. The sampling device also includes an adjustable stop to control the depth of needle penetration. The sampling device may be used through a working channel of a bronchoscope.

The present disclosure provides a capsulotomy device having a unique insertion sleeve configuration comprising beveling and two notches at the distal end of the insertion sleeve. The unique configuration assures that the motion the capsulotomy loop comprising the heating element goes through during deployment from and retraction into the insertion sleeve is minimized and predictable.

An exemplary surgical device includes a shaft with a lumen defined therethrough and an element movable from a stored position to a deployed position in which a larger portion of the element extends out of the distal end of the lumen; wherein motion from the stored position to the deployed position causes a first leg of the element to advance distally relative to the distal end of the shaft, and causes a second leg of the element to move proximally relative to the distal end of the shaft.

A device for cutting polyps via an endoscope lumen, including an over tube arranged to pass through an endoscope, the over tube including (1) a grasping tool arranged to be controlled from a proximal end of the endoscope and to controllably extend from a distal end of the endoscope, and (2) a cutting tool arranged to pass through the endoscope, the cutting tool arranged to be controlled from the proximal end of the endoscope and to controllably extend from the distal end of the endoscope, in which at least one of the grasping tool and the cutting tool is configured to bend away from the other one by including a pre-bent element configured to bend away when extended from the endoscope, and biased to a flat configuration when inside the endoscope, and the cutting tool is coupled to the grasping tool. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

A mucosa dissector comprises an outer sleeve assembly, an electric loop (2), a sliding ring (8) and a pulling cable (4). At a portion of the electric loop (2) is provided an insulating layer (1), and the rest of the electric loop is exposed so as to dissect the mucosa. The sliding ring (8) is provided on the outer sleeve assembly, and is movable axially relative to the outer sleeve assembly; an electrode plug (7) is provided on the sliding ring (8). The pulling cable (4) is movable axially to be inserted into the outer sleeve assembly. One end of the pulling cable (4) is connected with the electrical loop (2), and the other end is electrically connected with the electrode plug (7) on the sliding ring (8). The mucosa dissector can contact the tissue easily and be positioned accurately when used to dissect the submucosa tissue, which facilitates the operation, and avoids the phenomenon of burning out the healthy tissues.

Polypectomy devices and methods for making and using polypectomy devices are disclosed. An example polypectomy device may include an elongate sheath having a proximal end region and a distal end region. A shaft may be slidably disposed within the sheath. A handle may be coupled to the proximal end region of the sheath. The handle may be designed to axially shift the shaft relative to the sheath. A snare may be coupled to the shaft. The snare may include a first region, a traction region, and a distal tip region. The first region may have a non-circular cross-sectional shape. The traction region may include a plurality of traction members. At a position between two adjacent traction members the snare may have a reduced cross-sectional area relative to the first region. The distal tip region may have a circular cross-sectional shape.