Systems and methods are disclosed for treating back pain associated with a vertebral body of a patient. The system may include an external energy source configured to be positioned at a location external to the body of the patient, a linear configured to drive translation of the external source in one or more axes, a computer coupled to the external source and linear drive and programming executable on said computer for determining a target treatment site within or near the vertebral body based on acquired imaging data, positioning a focal point of the external energy source to substantially coincide with the target treatment site, and delivering a treatment dose of therapeutic energy at said target treatment site, wherein the treatment dose is configured to modulate a nerve within or near the vertebral body.

Devices and methods for treating tissue with microwave energy used in applications such as destroying a soft tissue by microwave ablation and/or creating point, line, area or volumetric lesions. Various embodiments of flexible, low-profile devices are also disclosed where such device can be inserted non-invasively or minimally invasively near or into the target tissue such as cardiac tissue. The devices disclosed herein comprise antennas wherein the field profile generated by an antenna is tailored and optimized for a particular clinical application. The antennas use unique properties of microwaves such as interaction of a microwave field with one or more conductive or non-conductive shaping elements to shape or redistribute the microwave field.

Catheter-based devices and associated methods for immune system neuromodulation of human patients are disclosed herein. One aspect of the present technology is directed to methods of treating a human patient diagnosed with an immune system condition. The methods can include intravascularly positioning a neuromodulation catheter within a blood vessel proximate to neural fibers innervating an immune system organ of the patient. The method also includes reducing sympathetic neural activity in the patient by delivering energy to the neural fibers innervating the immune system organ via the neuromodulation catheter. Reducing sympathetic neural activity improves a measurable physiological parameter corresponding to the immune system condition of the patient.

The present invention relates to a visualization apparatus (1) comprising a signal processor (2) for processing measurement signals from an ultrasound measurement (3) and a rendering device (4) coupled to a processor for rendering a representation for discerning a region of tissue with changed property (42) upon energy application to the tissue from a region with unchanged property (41) within two extremities (44,47) of the representation indicative of two boundaries defining the tissue thickness. The rendering of the tissue with changed property (42) and the tissue with unchanged property (41) with different visual aspects is readily absorbable by a person who applies energy to the tissue.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a phototherapy eye device. In an example, the phototherapy eye device includes a number of radioluminescent light sources and an anchor. Each radioluminescent light source includes an interior chamber coated with phosphor material, such as zinc sulfide, and containing a radioisotope material, such as gaseous tritium. The volume, shape, phosphor material, and radioisotope material are selected for emission of light at a particular wavelength and delivering a particular irradiance on the retina (when implanted in an eyeball). The wavelength is in the range of 400 to 600 nm and the irradiance is substantially 10.sup.9 to 10.sup.11 photons per second per cm.sup.2.

A microwave field-detecting needle assembly includes a needle assembly. The needle assembly includes a distal portion, a proximal portion, and a junction member disposed between the distal portion and the proximal portion. The junction member includes a recess defined therein. The needle assembly also includes a rectifier element disposed in the recess. The rectifier element includes a first terminal electrically coupled to the distal portion and a second terminal electrically coupled to the proximal portion.

A process that provides protective therapy for biological tissues or fluids includes applying a pulsed energy source to a target tissue or a target fluid having a chronic progressive disease or a risk of having a chronic progressive disease to therapeutically or prophylactically treat the target tissue or target fluid. The pulsed energy source has energy parameters selected so as to raise the target tissue or bodily target fluid temperature up to a predetermined temperature for a short period of time to achieve a therapeutic or prophylactic effect, while the average temperature rise of the target tissue or target fluid over a longer period of time is maintained at or below a predetermined level so as not to permanently damage the target tissue or target fluid.

Systems and methods for informing and evaluating neuromodulation therapy are disclosed herein. A system configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, a guidewire having a proximal portion, a distal portion configured to be positioned at a target site in a blood vessel of a human patient, and a sensing element positioned along the distal portion. The sensing element can be a pressure sensing element, a flow sensing element, an impedance sensing element, and/or a temperature sensing element. The system can further include a controller configured to obtain one or more measurements related to a physiological parameter of the patient via the sensing element. Based on the measurements, the controller can determine the physiological parameter and compare the parameter to a predetermined threshold. Based on the comparison, the controller and/or the operator can assess the likelihood of the patient benefiting from neuromodulation therapy.

A process for preventing or treating myopia includes applying a pulsed energy, such as a pulsed laser beam, to tissue of an eye having myopia or a risk of having myopia. The source of pulsed energy has energy parameters including wavelength or frequency, duty cycle and pulse train duration, which are selected so as to raise an eye tissue temperature up to eleven degrees Celsius to achieve therapeutic or prophylactic effect, such as stimulating heat shock protein activation in the eye tissue. The average temperature rise of the eye tissue over several minutes is maintained at or below a predetermined level so as not to permanently damage the eye tissue.

Methods and systems for delivering toxin and toxin fragments to a patient's nasal cavity provide for both release of the toxin and delivery of energy which selectively porates target cells to enhance uptake of the toxin. The use of energy-mediated delivery is particularly advantageous with light chain fragment toxins which lack cell binding capacity.