The current disclosure relates to a system for treating impotence. In some embodiments, the device includes a mount for holding a transducer in intimate contact to a penile tissue. For example, an ultrasound transducer and/or a vibration transducer may be held in vibrational communication with a corpora, a crura, a root of the penis and/or a glans. For example, the mount may include a sheath and/or a tubular body that may be rigid, partially flexible and/or flexible. The sheath may be open on one or both ends and/or may fully surround the penis and/or include a slit on one side. Optionally, the tubular body includes one or more extensions that reach the root of the penis and/or the crura. For example, the extensions may extend proximally from a proximal end of the sheath and/or the extensions may include transducers that face and/or inward (towards one another).

The present invention relates to an ultrasound contrast agent for use in treating a retina disorder by transiently disrupting the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) of a human, wherein the ultrasound contrast agent is administered just before and/or during the application, to the retina of the human, of an unfocused ultrasound (US) beam. The present invention further relates to a therapeutically active agent for use in treating a retina disorder in a human, wherein the therapeutically active agent is to be delivered in combination with an ultrasound contrast agent, which is administered before and/or during the application, to the retina of the human, of an unfocused ultrasound (US) beam in order to transiently disrupting the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) of the human, to allow the therapeutically active agent to cross the BRB and to target the retina. The present invention also relates to an eye ultrasound delivery device that may be used to treat a retina disorder.

A multi-frequency ultrasound therapy apparatus is configured to operate at its center frequency and at the higher harmonic of its center frequency. The center frequency can be for the entire apparatus or for each ultrasound source element. At least one source element can generate ultrasound energy at its center frequency while, simultaneously, at least another source element can generate ultrasound energy at the higher harmonic of its center frequency. In addition, the same source element can generate ultrasound energy at its center frequency and the higher harmonic of its center frequency, respectively, but at different times. A data storage unit that stores encrypted and encoded data is disposed on the apparatus. The encoded data includes a unique identification code of the apparatus, the condition of use of the apparatus, the center frequency of each source element, the ultrasound efficiency of each source element, and/or other parameters relating to the apparatus.

Systems and methods for noncontact ablation of tissues or materials in/on the body using an ablation catheter that has a directional ablation unit. The ablation unit has a set of individual transducer (e.g., ultrasound) elements that are movably positioned. A position adjustment element (a deformer) is movable with respect to the ultrasonic transducer to alter the positions of the individual transducer elements and thereby alter the directions in which the transducer elements emit ultrasonic energy. In one embodiment, the ablation catheter is a lumen catheter through which a positioning/measurement catheter can be inserted. The luminal ablation catheter is inserted through the skin and into the body via conventional methods. The ablation and positioning catheters can be used to make electrical measurements with respect to the surrounding tissue, and the ablation catheter can be used to emit energy in a desired direction and/or pattern to ablate target tissue.

A portable, light-weight ultrasound therapy system includes a wearable garment and a flexible ultrasound device. The flexible ultrasound device includes a plurality of piezoelectric transducers. A control system is configured to couple the flexible ultrasound device to an external processing system configured to control operation of the plurality of piezoelectric transducers.

An improved ultrasound apparatus and methods of use are provided, the apparatus comprising at least one ultrasound transducer electrically connected to another electrical component by a flexible electrical connection. In some embodiments, the other electrical component is a printed circuit board. In some embodiments, the flexible electrical connection may allow vertical, horizontal and/or tilting displacement of the ultrasound transducer with respect to the flexible circuit board while maintaining electrical connectivity. In some embodiments, the flexible electrical connection is capable of temporarily disconnecting when an excessive deformation force is applied and self-reconnecting after the excessive deformation force is removed.

A piezoelectric band (10) includes: a base sheet (11) that has flexibility and is formed into a sheet shape; a piezoelectric sheet (20) that has flexibility and is formed into a sheet shape and placed over one side of the base sheet (11); and a cover sheet (12) that has flexibility and is formed into a sheet shape and placed over and in contact with one side of the piezoelectric sheet (20) that faces away from the base sheet (11). Upon reception of a drive signal, the piezoelectric sheet (20) vibrates at or above a frequency of 15 kHz. The cover sheet (12) has a plurality of holes (12a) passing therethrough from one side facing the piezoelectric sheet (20) to the other side, and the plurality of holes (12a) forms respectively air layers through which vibration of the piezoelectric sheet (20) propagates toward the other side.

Methods of treating tumors by administering compounds to a patient are provided. Compounds such as pro drugs, e.g., 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), may be administered to the patient orally, by injection, intravenously, or topically, which then accumulate preferentially as compounds such as protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in tumor cells. After such accumulation, compounds such as PpIX are then activated in various aspects to treat tumors cells, thereby treating cancer. Cancers such as glioblastoma may be treated.

System for inducing sonoporation of a drug into cancer cells in a tumor and method thereof, the system comprising a generator configured to provide electrical energy at an ultrasound frequency; an ultrasound probe electrically connected to the generator and configured to convert the electrical energy into low intensity pulsed ultrasonic waves defined by operation parameters, said operation parameters comprising the frequency, the duty cycle, the operation time of the ultrasonic waves; an input device enabling an operator to enter configuration data comprising: type of tumor, type of drug, localization of secondary tumor, anthropometric measurements and grade of tumor, and a processor configured to determine the values of the operation parameters on the basis of the entered configuration data and control the generator and the ultrasound probe to operate according to said determined values, wherein the value of the frequency is determined on the basis of the type of tumor, the localization of the tumor, the grade of tumor and the anthropometric measurements, the value of the duty cycle is determined on the basis of the drug, the type of tumor and the grade of the tumor, and the value of said operation time being determined on the basis of at least the type of tumor and the type of drug.

Systems and methods can include wearable, non-invasive ultrasound modalities for treating a variety of medical conditions, including but not limited to peripheral vascular disease. The modality could be therapeutic ultrasound (TUS), and be configured to promote angiogenesis within a patient via stimulation of cavitation and shear stress, among other mechanisms.