Apparatus and methods for ablation efficacy are described herein where a hood having a deployable elongated feature can extend beyond a distal face of the hood. The elongated feature can channel the energy to the deeper regions within the tissue (such as trabeculated regions or other tissue structures) such that the energy can be delivered to the target tissue despite small or large irregularities in the target tissue surface (or region) and/or changes in the relative distances between the hood and the target tissue.

Disclosed is a local cooling anesthesia device for spraying a coolant on a treatment site. The local cooling anesthesia device includes a housing which forms an outward form and from which the coolant is sprayed and a spraying unit installed in the housing to spray the coolant. The device also includes a cooling temperature regulator connected to the spraying unit to apply thermal energy to the sprayed coolant for temperature regulation and a control unit connected to the cooling temperature regulator to control the cooling temperature regulator. The cooling anesthesia device has functions of measuring and regulating the temperature of the coolant, and thus can apply the coolant to the treatment site within a safe temperature range according to the purpose of treatment, thereby enabling a desired treatment purpose such as local anesthesia to be safely and rapidly accomplished without side effects such as cytoclasis.

The instant disclosure relates to electrophysiology catheters for tissue ablation within a cardiac muscle, for example. In particular, the instant disclosure relates to an electrophysiology ablation balloon catheter with a combination of coated and uncoated surfaces for focusing ablation energy at a desired portion of tissue.

Apparatus and techniques for blocking radiation in a medical environment are described. In one or more embodiments, a lock-block shield device includes a base that is configured to adhesively couple to an object associated with a patient. In some embodiments, the base includes a lock mechanism for securing a work piece that has a generally tubular shape. A shield that is configured to at least partially block transmission of radiation can be coupled to the base in a releasable manner. For example, a clasp is used to secure the base and shield together. In embodiments, a ball and socket joint couples the shield and base to permit, for example, the shield to pivot and articulate with respect to the base.

A tissue displacement/separation device includes a seamless bladder constructed of a biodegradable polymer. The bladder is expandable from a collapsed or rolled state for insertion into a body between a first and second tissue to an expanded state for separating the first and second tissue.

An apparatus for generating a magnetic field for tracking of an object can include a localized magnetic field generator that is configured to generate a magnetic field and to control the magnetic field in an area of interest and configured to control the magnetic field in a separate area. The separate area can be displaced from the area of interest and can include a magnetic field-disrupting component. The object can be located in the area of interest.

Apparatus and techniques for blocking radiation in a medical environment are described. In one or more embodiments, a lock-block shield device includes a base that is configured to adhesively couple to an object associated with a patient. In some embodiments, the base includes a lock mechanism for securing a work piece that has a generally tubular shape. A shield that is configured to at least partially block transmission of radiation can be coupled to the base in a releasable manner. For example, a clasp is used to secure the base and shield together. In embodiments, a ball and socket joint couples the shield and base to permit, for example, the shield to pivot and articulate with respect to the base.

An X-ray system is described with a scatter radiation shielding device to be mounted underneath an operating table. The shielding device (10) comprises one or more layers of a radiation blocking material (6) and a cut-out (8) in the one or more layers. The cut-out extends from a point in or near a center of the one or more layers towards an edge to allow radiation transmission to pass. The shielding device is rotatable around a rotation axis. The shielding device substantially reduces the scatter radiation originating from the patient.

Some embodiments of a shielding device can include a base and a shield coupled to the base. The shielding device can be used to provide protection for a healthcare worker (e.g., physician, nurse, technician) during a medical procedure.

The invention refers to an apparatus allowing to determine a planned position of a temperature probe during a planning for an ablation procedure. The apparatus comprises an ablation plan providing unit (121) for providing an ablation plan, wherein the ablation plan comprises geometric information of an ablation region and of a protection region. The protection region should be protected from ablation. The geometric information comprises information on a position and shape of a respective region. A temperature probe position determination unit (122) is adapted to determine a planned position of the temperature probe, wherein the planned position of the temperature probe is determined based on the geometric information of the ablation region and of the protection region. The apparatus allows to increase the protection of regions that should be protected, like a specific organ, such that the security of an ablation procedure for a patient can also be increased.