A method for removing tissues may comprise disposing a tissue resection device at a target tissue site, causing the tissue resection device to resect a core of tissue from the target tissue site, removing the core of tissue from the body, wherein the removing the core of tissue from the body creates a core cavity at the target tissue site.

Improved systems for diagnosing and/or treating arrhythmia of a heart makes use of an array of articulation balloons to control movement of a distal portion of a catheter inside the heart, and may be used to align a diagnostic or treatment tool with a target tissue surface region along or adjacent an inner surface of one of the chambers of the heart. The articulation balloons can generate articulation forces at the site of articulation, and the movement may provide greater dexterity than movements induced by transmitting articulation forces proximally along a catheter body that winds through a tortuous vascular pathway. One or more fluid channels may transmit pressure signals that can be used to determine engagement forces between an electrode or other surface near the distal and of an elongate flexible structure and a tissue or other surface, and those same channels may also be used to control inflation of a balloon articulation array, with the pressure signals optionally providing both force and engagement orientation information.

The disclosed technology is directed to a method of operating a treatment tool for excising a lesioned portion of a body tissue. The method comprises applying a treatment tool to the lesioned portion. The treatment tool includes an elongated sheath having a snare wire disposed therein. The snare wire is configured to be movable forward or backward along a longitudinal direction. Next, forming the snare wire into a loop and tilting the loop in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated sheath with a force tending to push a snare wire portion out of a distal-end opening of the elongated sheath. And finally, placing the loop around the lesioned portion of the body tissue to excise the lesioned portion in a state in which the snare wire positioned transverse to the lesioned portion.

Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include grouping a set of electrodes disposed at a distal end of a medical probe and configured to contact tissue in a body cavity into a plurality of groups of adjacent electrodes. A set of selectable widgets having a one-to-one correspondence with the groups are presented on a display, and in response to receiving an input indicating selection of a given widget, an ablation selection status of one or more of the electrodes in the group corresponding to the selected widget can be toggled.

An electrosurgical snare, e.g. suitably sized for insertion down the instrument channel of an endoscope, arranged to radiate microwave frequency energy (e.g. having a frequency greater than 1 GHz) from an elongate conductive element within an area encircled by a retractable loop. The elongate conductive element and retractable loop may be independently slidable relative to a snare base at a distal end of a sleeve to provide an appropriate device configuration. By controlling the shape of the emitted microwave field, the risk of collateral thermal damage can be reduced.

A probe device (50), for a resectoscope (10) or another microinvasive instrument for working or manipulating tissue, includes a probe shaft (60) with a cylindrical portion (66) for arrangement in an instrument shaft (20) and with a distal end for arrangement near a distal end of the instrument shaft (20), an effecting device at the distal end of the probe shaft (60), and a sealing device (70) with a probe shaft channel (76) in which the cylindrical portion (66) of the probe shaft (60) is arranged. The probe shaft (60) is movable relative to the sealing device (70) parallel to the longitudinal axis of the probe shaft (60) and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the probe shaft channel (76). The sealing device (70) is formed from metal or ceramic or from another non-elastic material and is connected permanently to the probe shaft (60).

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 radiofrequency guidewire includes a core wire configured to be coupled to a radiofrequency generator. The core wire includes a proximal end and a distal end with respect to the radiofrequency generator. A tip structure is coupled to the core wire proximate the distal end. The tip structure includes one or more edge surfaces. The one or more edge surfaces provide an area of reduced curvature radius on the tip structure. The area of reduced curvature radius generates a higher electric field than other areas of the tip structure during a delivery of radiofrequency energy on the tip structure. A method of ablating an occlusion utilizing the radiofrequency guidewire is also disclosed.

A medical device may include a handle, a sheath fixed relative to the handle, a longitudinal actuator movable relative to the handle, an end effector, a member extending proximally from the end effector through the sheath, with a portion of the member being fixed relative to the longitudinal actuator, and a rotation actuator. Movement of the rotation actuator may cause rotation of the member relative to the sheath, and movement of the longitudinal actuator may cause longitudinal movement of the member relative to the rotation actuator.

High-frequency (HF) tools are used in medicine for manipulating body tissue, using an HF resectoscope. For electrical insulation of an electrode from an electrode support, the ends of the electrode are initially guided through ceramic tubes. These ceramic tubes are sensitive in particular to forces transverse to the longitudinal axis of the resectoscope. Disclosed herein is a high-frequency tool that has increased stability with respect to transverse forces. An electrode has two ends, which for establishing a connection to an electrode support are each insertable into a receiving opening of the ends of the electrode support, or positionable in front of the ends. The electrode is contacted in an electrically conductive manner, at least in the area of a receiving opening, with a conductor wire that is guided in the electrode support.