A tattoo device is provided comprising a housing having a first oscillator which is coupled, in use, to a needle assembly having a sharps end. The first oscillator is arranged and adapted to induce vibrations at a frequency from 1-1000 Hz substantially longitudinally along an axis of the needle assembly in order to cause, in use, the sharps end to penetrate skin. The tattoo device further comprises a second oscillator which is also coupled, in use, to the needle assembly, wherein the second oscillator is arranged and adapted simultaneously to induce vibrations at a higher frequency than the first oscillator and in particular at a frequency from 5-200 kHz in order to lower the insertion force required to penetrate skin layers.

Transcutaneous, ultrasound-mediated methods for administering compound(s) to subject tissue(s) are provided. Examples involve positioning an occluding device in a vessel such that the blockage is adjacent to target tissue; engaging the device to occlude outflow from a region adjacent to the tissue; administering compound(s) to the vessel such that it is substantially retained adjacent to the target tissue; determining the location of the compound and/or a detectable adjunct compound optionally administered with the compound, using diagnostic ultrasound, radiography, or fluorography; administering therapeutic ultrasound energy transcutaneously to mediate delivery of the compound across the vessel wall and into adjacent target tissue.

The present invention provides an apparatus for targeting and disrupting, deactivating or destroying microorganisms (e.g. viruses, bacteria, fungus or diseased cells). The apparatus includes Field-Electric Nano-Particles coated, conjugated or functionalized with one or more guiding agents such as antibodies or proteins that target a type of bacteria, fungus, virus or diseased cells; a delivery module to deliver such nanoparticles into a subject's body, and an external energy field generation module. The nanoparticles, when subject to the applied external energy field, generate an electric field or pulses of electric field localized to the targeted bacteria, fungus or virus to disrupt, deactivate or destroy the targeted bacteria, fungus, viruses, or diseased cells.

An ultrasonic therapy system delivers ultrasonic therapy energy to a therapy site in the body which is infused with microbubbles. A system without an image guidance capability has an array transducer which delivers therapy energy, a therapy transducer driver which causes the array transducer to deliver therapeutic energy, a control for controlling the intensity of the therapeutic energy, and a display of the sonotherapy signal strength of the energy and the concentration of microbubbles at the therapy site. A system with ultrasonic imaging capability will display an ultrasound image for therapeutic guidance and a measure of the microbubble concentration. The method of the present invention is performed as an adjunct to a standard drug therapy or other treatment regimen, following such treatment with an infusion of ultrasound and delivery of ultrasound therapy energy.

Methods for performing non-invasive thrombolysis with ultrasound using, in some embodiments, one or more ultrasound transducers to focus or place a high intensity ultrasound beam onto a blood clot (thrombus) or other vascular inclusion or occlusion (e.g., clot in the dialysis graft, deep vein thrombosis, superficial vein thrombosis, arterial embolus, bypass graft thrombosis or embolization, pulmonary embolus) which would be ablated (eroded, mechanically fractionated, liquefied, or dissolved) by ultrasound energy. The process can employ one or more mechanisms, such as of cavitational, sonochemical, mechanical fractionation, or thermal processes depending on the acoustic parameters selected. This general process, including the examples of application set forth herein, is henceforth referred to as “Thrombolysis.”

The present invention provides methods and devices for treating endovascular disease. Vibrational energy is delivered to change compliance and increase permeability at the treatment area. To improve clinical outcomes, one or more therapeutic drugs may be delivered to the treatment area.

The present invention relates to an implantable ultrasound (US) generating device for implantation within the vertebral column of a vertebrate subject, wherein the implantable US generating device comprises at least one US generating transducer suitable for emitting US beam(s) with an oblique orientation with respect to a longitudinal axis of a vertebral column.

Various approaches for enhancing treatment of target tissue using a source of focused ultrasound while limiting damage to non-target tissue include selecting a frequency of ultrasound waves transmitted from the source of focused ultrasound for generating a focus in the target tissue; providing microbubbles having the first size distribution such that at least 50% of the microbubbles have a radius smaller than a critical radius corresponding to a resonance frequency matching the selected frequency of ultrasound waves; and applying the ultrasound waves at the selected frequency to treat the target tissue.

Methods for enhancing intracellular uptake of active agents by inducing temporary pore formation in a cell membrane are described. The methods generally comprise introducing nanoparticles to a cell in vivo, ex vivo, or in cell culture to magnetic nanoparticles that are taken up into the cell interior. The methods further comprise introducing active agents to the cell. A magnetic field is applied to the cell for targeted excitation of the internalized magnetic nanoparticles to induce temporary pore formation in the cell membrane, such that the active agent is taken up in an increased amount and/or at an increased rate by the cell.

Certain substances (e.g., large molecules) that ordinarily cannot traverse the blood brain barrier can be introduced into the brain by applying an alternating electric field to the brain for a period of time, wherein the frequency of the alternating electric field is selected so that application of the alternating electric field increases permeability of the blood brain barrier. In some embodiments, the frequency of the alternating electric field is less than 190 kHz (e.g., 100 kHz). Once the permeability of the blood brain barrier has been increased, the substance is able to cross the blood brain barrier.