A surgical apparatus generates energy that is input onto an appliance. The appliance is one of an implant to be implanted in human or animal bone tissue by the input of the energy, and of a tool being an ultrasonic bone cutting and/or punching tool for cutting and/or punching living human or animal bone tissue by input of energy onto the implant in a surgical operation. The apparatus includes a control device and at least one handpiece, the handpiece being equipped to be held by a surgeon during the operation and to couple the energy into the appliance. The apparatus further includes a reading device equipped to read out, from an appliance data carrier, appliance data dedicated to the appliance. The control device checks, depending on the appliance data, whether the handpiece is suitable for the appliance and chooses operating parameters depending on the appliance data.

A test device to calibrate the pulse energy of a laser device which provides pulsed laser radiation includes a measuring head with multiple measuring probes. The test device is used in such a way that by means of the laser radiation, multiple test ablations are made on a test surface, in an arrangement corresponding to the relative spatial arrangement of the measuring probes, and the depths of the test ablations are then measured, with simultaneous use of the multiple measuring probes of the measuring head.

Methods and surgical tools for treating back pain use a spinal facet debridement tool with cautery and denuding action and minimally invasive protocol that can denude and cauterize soft tissue associated with a synovial capsule of the spinal facet joint.

In an embodiment, a method for effecting thermal therapy using an in vivo probe includes positioning the probe in a volume in a patient, identifying an irregularly shaped three-dimensional region of interest and automatically applying thermal therapy to the region using the probe. Applying thermal therapy may include identifying a first emission level at a first rotational angle based in part on a depth of a radial portion of the region in the direction of probe emission, activating emission of the probe, causing rotation of the probe to a next rotational angle, identifying a next emission level at the next rotational angle based in part on a depth of a radial portion of the region in the direction of probe emission, activating emission to deliver therapeutic energy, and repeating rotation and emission until therapeutic energy has been delivered to the volume.

Phototherapy systems comprising a therapeutic lamp platform for radiant lamps such as LEDs disposed in an assembly comprising a first wall to which the lamps are affixed thereto and a second wall, closer to the patient, spaced from the first wall wherein the lamps are recessed relative thereto. The second wall comprises a reflective surface facing towards a patient and a plurality of light apertures substantially aligned with the LEDs on the first wall for communicating lamp radiation from the lamps to a user. The lamps and associated circuitry are disposed between the first and second wall so that the reflective surface is relatively smooth and seamless towards the patient. The walls may include an eye slot. The device is mounted to the user with a frame comprising an eyeglass frame or goggles including lenses for shielding the user's eyes from lamp radiation.

A surgical instrument includes a temperature sensor and a control unit that is operable to deactivate an end effector of the surgical instrument. In some versions the temperature sensor detects the temperature of a transducer, while in others the temperature sensor detects the temperature of the end effector. The surgical instrument may also include a trigger and a trigger position sensor. A force sensor or a position sensor may be included to determine the force and/or position of the transmission assembly. The end effector may also include a force sensor or a micro coil. A surgical instrument having a sensor may be included in a surgical system that includes a control unit and a remote controller. In some instances the remote controller may have one or more force-feedback components. In addition, a device interface and a surgeon interface may be included to remotely adjust the settings of the control unit.

The invention provides a therapeutic system comprising: a console, wherein the console comprises a controller and an energy generator; a therapeutic device comprising: an operational head configured for transmitting the energy output from to a biological tissue; and a memory device comprising control instructions, wherein said control instructions comprise instructions for controlling the console; a reversible memory operable linkage linking the memory device to the controller; and a reversible connector configured for operably linking the energy generator to the operational head. Optionally, the energy generator is a generator of ablation energy or heat energy (e.g. RF generator) and the control instructions comprise instructions for controlling the output of the energy generator. Optionally, the control instructions comprise one or more parameters of energy output or an algorithm configured for controlling the energy output. Optionally, the system further comprises one or more secondary therapeutic devices and the control instructions comprise instructions for controlling the one or more secondary therapeutic devices. Optionally, the system further comprises one or more sensors configured for sensing parameters of energy output or biological or environmental effects of the energy output and the control instructions comprise instructions for controlling the energy output and/or secondary therapeutic devices based on the parameters of energy output or biological or environmental effects. In some embodiments, one advantage provided by the present invention is the use of a single console with a plurality of interchangeable reversibly connected therapeutic devices.

In combined methods for treating a patient using time-varying magnetic field, treatment methods combine various approaches for aesthetic treatment. A magnetic field generating device is placed proximate to a body region of the patient. The magnetic field generating device generates a time-varying magnetic field with a magnetic flux density in a range of 0.5 to 7 Tesla. The time-varying magnetic field is applied to the body region of the patient in order to cause a contraction of a muscle within the body region. A second therapy may be used by applying one or more of optical waves, radio frequency waves, mechanical waves, negative or positive pressure or heat to the body region of the patient.

An ultrasonic surgical device comprises a handle assembly, a shaft assembly, and a removable transducer module. The transducer module includes a waveguide, a locking mechanism, and an electronics assembly including at least one button. The handle assembly includes a trigger assembly configured to actuate the button(s) of the electronics assembly when the transducer module is coupled with the handle assembly. The shaft assembly engages the waveguide of the transducer module and is disposed at the distal end of the handle assembly. The distal end of the shaft assembly includes a harmonic blade. When assembled with the handle assembly, the transducer module is capable of providing ultrasonic energy to the harmonic blade.

Some surgical instruments become partially or fully disabled at a device firmware level after being used in a surgical procedure in order to prevent overuse or abuse of the surgical instrument that could create patient safety concerns. A reconditioning device may be used by the end user of such a surgical instrument to perform diagnostics and reconditioning of the surgical instrument so that the surgical instrument may be placed back into service without the direct intervention of the manufacturer. The reconditioning device provides power to the surgical instrument, analyzes device usage history, activates and tests the surgical instrument cutting and gripping functions, and measures electrical characteristics and mechanical characteristics of the surgical instrument. Gathered data is used to determine if the surgical instrument may be safely reconditioned for further use. If reconditioning is possible, the device will be reconfigured for safe use, reactivated, and then sterilized for subsequent re-use.