An improved method of treating an appendage of a patient using acoustic shock waves has the steps of: providing an appendage in need of an acoustic shock wave treatment; placing an acoustic shock wave applicator on a surface of the appendage; placing a gaseous filled membrane on an opposite surface of the appendage; activating an acoustic shock wave generator or source to emit acoustic shock waves from an acoustic shock wave applicator; and wherein the acoustic shock wave is transmitted from the acoustic shock wave applicator through the surface sending the emitted acoustic shock waves into the tissue of the appendage and exiting the opposite surface of the appendage to the gaseous filled membrane where a reflection of the acoustic shock wave occurs sending reflected acoustic shock waves back through the appendage.

Described are methods for reversible occlusion of a body lumen by way of degradation as a result of exposure to one or more stimuli such as light. The methods include administering one or more substance(s) into a body lumen of a subject and forming a stimuli-responsive polymer mass in the body lumen from the one or more substance(s). The mass is sufficient to occlude the body lumen in a manner that prevents transport of at least one material through the body lumen and is susceptible to on-command reversal in the body lumen upon exposure to one or more stimuli. The methods include administering one or more stimuli to a polymer mass in a body lumen for a time and intensity to cause the reverse the polymer mass. The methods are particular useful for applications in which it is desirable to temporarily occlude a body lumen, such as male and female contraception.

At ultrasound intensities below the cavitation threshold of the vitreous and blood cells (e.g., between 0.1 watts per square centimeter (W/cm.sup.2) and 3.5 W/cm.sup.2), relative hyperthermia can induce temperature elevations that result in hemolysis as well as liquefy vitreous, both of which can accelerate clearance. At high intensities (i.e., >800 W/cm2), with temperatures reaching >100 deg C., the target region may be vaporized. At intensities above the cavitation intensities short ultrasound bursts can result in mechanical fragmentation of the clot. In at least some examples, the present systems, devices and methods will allow for all of these modes of therapies.

Provided herein methods for treating a subject suffering from a disease or a disorder associated with hyperproliferating cells, by irradiating the cells with low-frequency ultrasound at an intensity that is either below the cavitational threshold intensity for the ultrasound frequency, or is characterized by a low-frequency mechanical index below 2.5. The methods may further comprise determining an elasticity value of the cells, and adjusting the ultrasound intensity accordingly.

A method for controlling ultrasonic waves to induced sonoporation of a drug into cancer cells in a tumor. The method may include accessing configuration data that may include a type of the tumor and a type of drug, and determining values of operational parameters that may be based on the configuration data to define determined values. The operational parameters may include frequency value and duty cycle value. The method may also include determining frequency value which may be based on the type of tumor that may define a determined frequency value, and determining the duty cycle value which may be based on the type of drug and the type of tumor that may define a determined duty cycle value.

The present invention relates to means and methods for modifying renal function in a subject, comprising selecting a patient requiring an increment in renal function; emitting a quantity of ultrasound radiation, enough to provide an increment in renal function, to at least one part of a kidney for a period of time from about 1 hours to about 30 days.

Disclosed herein are the systems, devices and methods for treating cancer and metastasis using low energy immune priming. The low energy immune priming includes administering immunopriming energy. The low energy immune priming can be combined with an adjunct therapy.

Methods of using pulsed focused ultrasound (pFUS) therapy to treat pancreatic disorders such as type 1 diabetes, pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer are provided. The methods utilize pulsed focused ultrasound (pFUS) therapy either by itself or in combination with islet transplantation and/or stem cell therapy to promote regeneration of damaged pancreatic tissue, increase insulin secretion in response to glucose, or improve engraftment and revascularization of transplanted islets or beta cells. Additionally, methods of using pFUS are provided for modulating paracrine secretion in the pancreas, islets, beta cells, or stem cells, or at a transplantation site to therapeutically alter levels of various factors including, without limitation, cytokines, growth factors, angiogenic factors, and cell adhesion molecules.

A biodegradable and biocompatible barrier membrane of piezoelectric nano composites of Metallic Oxide (MO) (e.g., Magnesium oxide, Zinc oxide and iron oxide)-PLLA (Poly-L-lactide), which can be subjected to acoustic pressure from ultrasound, to generate useful electrical charge for enhanced bone regeneration and enhanced antibacterial effects for guided bone regeneration to treat dental diseases, such as periodontitis.

Apparatus and methods for deactivating bronchial nerves extending along a bronchial branch of a mammalian subject to treat asthma and related conditions. An ultrasonic transducer (11) is inserted into the bronchus as, for example, by advancing the distal end of a catheter (10) bearing the transducer into the bronchial section to be treated. The ultrasonic transducer emits focused ultrasound so as to heat tissues throughout circular impact volume (13) as, for example, at least about 1 cm.sup.3 encompassing the bronchus to a temperature sufficient to inactivate nerve conduction but insufficient to cause rapid ablation or necrosis of the tissues. The treatment can be performed without locating or focusing on individual bronchial nerves.