The present invention has for object a device (1) for detecting the temperature of the esophagus (E) in cardiac ablation treatments which device, unlike known devices, allows to more securely monitor the temperature of the esophageal lumen, thereby promptly detecting any possible criticality to which the patient (P) may be exposed due to excessively rapid temperature fluctuations.

A resectoscope in which the volume flows for the flushing fluid are optimized and at the same time a particularly laminar flow is formed in front of the distal end of the resectoscope in order to improve the visibility during treatment. This is achieved by the fact that the resectoscope has a shaft with an outer tube and an inner tube. The inner tube serves as an inflow, and a volume between the outer tube and the interior serves as an outflow for a flushing fluid. The inner tube has different cross sections at its distal and proximal regions.

A nerve mapping system includes an elongate medical device, a non-invasive mechanical sensor, and a processor. The elongate medical device includes a distal end portion configured to explore an intracorporeal treatment area of a subject, and the distal end portion includes an electrode. The non-invasive mechanical sensor is configured to provide a mechanomyography output signal corresponding to a monitored mechanical response of a muscle innervated by the nerve. The processor is in communication with the electrode and the sensor, and is configured to provide a plurality of electrical stimuli to the electrode. Each of the plurality of stimuli is provided when the electrode is located at a different position within the intracorporeal treatment area. The processor determines the likelihood of a nerve existing at a particular point using the magnitudes of each of the stimuli and the detected response of the muscle.

A method of treating tissue includes extending a distal tip of an electrode of a surgical instrument from a body of the surgical instrument to expose the distal tip by sliding the electrode along a longitudinal axis defined by the body, delivering energy from the distal tip to tissue, and applying suction adjacent the distal end of the body with a suction pipe of the surgical instrument. The distal tip of the electrode may include a collapsible portion. Extending the distal tip of the electrode may include moving the collapsible portion to extend beyond an outer radial dimension of a nose of the surgical instrument.

A catheter has a distal assembly with at least one loop with ring electrodes. A single continuous puller wire for bidirectional deflection is pre-bent into two long portions and a U-shape bend therebetween. The U-shape bend is anchored at a distal end of a deflectable section which is reinforced by at least one washer having at least two holes, each hole axially aligned with a respective lumen in the deflectable section. Each hole is centered with a lumen so that each puller wire portion therethrough is straight and subjected to tensile force only. A proximal end of the support member is flattened and serrated to provide a better bonding to the distal end of the deflectable section.

A system and method for measuring a hydration level in human tissue. The system includes a coaxial probe have a first end configured to be in contract with human tissue and configured to be emit and receive signals associated with a spectroscopic technique and having a second end adapted to be coupled to transmit and receive circuitry. The system further includes a patch or other means coupled to the coaxial probe and configured to be adhered to human tissue so as to provide a force upon at least a portion of the coaxial probe configured to be in contact with human tissue. In embodiments, the system may further include means coupled to receive signals from the coaxial probe, for determining an amount of liquid within a portion of human tissue in contact with the first end of the probe.

An electrosurgical coagulation instrument includes a body, a suction pipe, and an electrode. The body has a central passage that defines a longitudinal axis. The suction pipe has a distal end and defines a lumen. The suction pipe is disposed within the central passage. The electrode has a distal tip that is configured to deliver energy to tissue. The electrode is disposed within the lumen of the suction pipe. The suction pipe and/or the electrode is slidable along the longitudinal axis with respect to the body and the other of the electrode and the suction pipe.

A method, including injecting a current between an electrode of a catheter and tissue in proximity to the catheter, the catheter having a force sensor configured to measure a force between the catheter and the tissue. The method further includes measuring a succession of phase shifts of the current relative to a fixed reference and verifying that a cardinality of the measured phase shifts falling below a predetermined threshold increases over a predetermined time period. A zero-force point for the force sensor is calibrated according to the force measured by the force sensor during the predetermined time period.

Techniques for High-Frequency Irreversible Electroporation (HFIRE) using a single-pole tine-style internal device communicating with an external surface electrode are described. In an embodiment, a system for ablating tissue cells in a treatment region of a patient's body by irreversible electroporation without thermally damaging the tissue cells is described. The system includes at least one single-pole electrode probe for insertion into the treatment region, the single-pole electrode probe including one or more tines. The system further includes at least one external surface electrode for placement outside the patient's body and configured to complete a circuit with the single-pole electrode probe. The system also includes a control device for controlling HFIRE pulses to the single-pole tine-style electrode and the skin-surface electrode for the delivery of electric energy to the treatment region. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

This disclosure relates to forming a lesion in a patient's neurological tissue without requiring general anesthesia. The lesion can be either temporary or permanent. In either case, the lesion can be created by a steerable probe that includes a steerable guide, a laser device, and at least one electrode. The steerable guide steers the probe to a target location in the subject's neurological tissue. When the probe reaches the target location, the laser can create the lesion. The at least one electrode can detect a progressive vanishing of neural activity from the portion of the neurological tissue due to the lesion.