A method and apparatus are disclosed for regulating a temperature of an esophagus when heat or cold is delivered to a left atrium, the method including altering a heat exchange device from an insertable configuration to a heat exchanging configuration which conforms and corresponds with a cross-section of an inside of the esophagus such that the esophagus is maintained in its natural shape and location. In some embodiments the heat exchange device has a heating/cooling balloon which is inflated to be in the heat exchanging configuration. Some alternative embodiments includes altering the configuration of the balloon to conform to or correspond with the cross section of an esophagus by means other than inflation.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for esophageal heat transfer devices and methods for cardiac tissue ablation procedures. An exemplary method includes collecting esophageal data via one or more sensing elements of an esophageal heat transfer device positioned within an esophagus of the patient. The exemplary method includes determining, based on the esophageal data and/or operator selected power setting, a temperature setting and/or a flow rate setting for fluid flowing through the esophageal heat transfer device to maintain a target temperature of esophageal tissue adjacent to the ablation site via a heat transfer region. The exemplary method includes adjusting, via the controller, a fluid source to provide the fluid to the esophageal heat transfer device at the temperature setting and/or a flow rate setting.

The invention relates to devices and methods for affecting an internal body tube, such as the esophagus, particularly to affecting the internal body tube by inserting a device into the internal body tube and more particularly to affecting the internal body tube by at least partially sealing off a section and moving the walls of the internal body tube, and/or applying cooling to the internal body tube. This invention further relates to methods of using such devices to move portions of an internal body tube away from an area undergoing a treatment or therapy, such as to minimize damage to the internal body tube, and/or providing cooling/temperature monitoring.

Methods and devices for treating patients having cardiopulmonary disease such as cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular arrhythmias, pulmonary hypertension, or heart failure comprising a tracheal approach. The method includes ablating a deep cardiac plexus of a patient by advancing an treatment apparatus into a trachea of the patient, extending an ablative energy delivery element of the treatment apparatus through a wall of the trachea at a level of the trachea proximate a tracheal bifurcation, positioning the ablative energy delivery element at a target space between the trachea, an aorta and a pulmonary artery, and ablating, by the ablative energy delivery element, tissue within the target space to substantially disable the deep cardiac plexus.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for regulating a temperature of an esophagus when heat or cold is delivered to a left atrium, the method including altering a heat exchange device from an insertable configuration to a heat exchanging configuration which conforms and corresponds with a cross-section of an inside of the esophagus such that the esophagus is maintained in its natural shape and location. In some embodiments the heat exchange device has a heating/cooling balloon which is inflated to be in the heat exchanging configuration. Some alternative embodiments includes altering the configuration of the balloon to conform to or correspond with the cross section of an esophagus by means other than inflation.

The illustrated embodiments include an apparatus to reduce or eliminate full thickness injury in tissue and to deform tissue which includes a probe or mechanism for deforming tissue, and a subsystem for selectively cooling and/or heating tissue while deformation is of the tissue is being performed. The illustrated embodiments of the invention also extend to a method to reduce or eliminate full thickness injury in tissue and to deform tissue including the steps of deforming tissue, and selectively cooling and/or heating tissue while deformation of the tissue is being performed.

A nozzle device (1) comprises a plurality of multi-fluid nozzles (5) and a body (2) with a bore (8). The bore (8) has a laser entrance (82) and a laser exit (81). The nozzle device (1) is adapted to be mounted to a laser medical device such that a laser beam generated by the laser medical device enters the laser entrance (82) of the bore (8) of the body (2) and exits the laser exit (81) of the bore (8) of the body (2). The body (2) houses the multi-fluid nozzles (5) and the multi-fluid nozzles (5) are arranged around the laser exit (81) of the bore (8) of the body (2). The nozzle device (1) allows to conditioning a tissue at and near where it is cut or drilled by the laser beam of the laser medical device. Thus, the nozzle device (1) is particularly suitable for a laser osteotomic device allowing to minimize collateral damages of the tissue when being cut or drilled.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for esophageal heat transfer devices and methods for cardiac tissue ablation procedures. An exemplary method includes collecting esophageal data via one or more sensing elements of an esophageal heat transfer device positioned within an esophagus of the patient. The exemplary method includes determining, based on the esophageal data and/or operator selected power setting, a temperature setting and/or a flow rate setting for fluid flowing through the esophageal heat transfer device to maintain a target temperature of esophageal tissue adjacent to the ablation site via a heat transfer region. The exemplary method includes adjusting, via the controller, a fluid source to provide the fluid to the esophageal heat transfer device at the temperature setting and/or a flow rate setting.

Method and apparatus are disclosed for esophageal heat transfer devices and methods for cardiac tissue ablation procedures. An exemplary method includes collecting esophageal data via one or more sensing elements of an esophageal heat transfer device positioned within an esophagus of the patient. The exemplary method includes determining, based on the esophageal data and/or operator selected power setting, a temperature setting and/or a flow rate setting for fluid flowing through the esophageal heat transfer device to maintain a target temperature of esophageal tissue adjacent to the ablation site via a heat transfer region. The exemplary method includes adjusting, via the controller, a fluid source to provide the fluid to the esophageal heat transfer device at the temperature setting and/or a flow rate setting.

In one aspect, embodiments relate to a system for performing preventative dental laser treatment. The system includes, a code reader configured to read a machine readable code, a processor configured to verify the machine readable code and prevent future verification of the machine readable code, and a laser treatment system configured to perform a laser treatment, based upon the verified machine readable code. The laser treatment system includes a laser arrangement configured to generate a laser beam, an optical arrangement configured to direct the laser beam toward a dental hard tissue, and a laser controller configured to control a parameter of the laser beam in order to heat at least a portion of a surface of the dental hard tissue to a temperature above 400 Celsius.