96 results about "Tissue therapy" patented technology

Apparatus and method for the treatment of tissue, such as hard and soft tissues, wounds, tumors, muscles, and cartilage, through the direct contact of ultrasound energy is disclosed. Ultrasound energy is delivered to a target area through direct contact with an ultrasound tip. Ultrasound energy is also delivered through direct contact with a coupling medium. The ultrasound tip is specially designed to comprise of a cavity area for controlled fragmentation and the simultaneous sonication of a target area. The specially designed ultrasound tip allows for ultrasound energy to focus on a target area. The ultrasound apparatus may be moved in a variety of different directions during the treatment of tissue.

Methods and apparatus for accessing and treating regions of the body are disclosed herein. Using an endoscopic device having an automatically controllable proximal portion and a selectively steerable distal portion, the device generally may be advanced into the body through an opening. The distal portion is selectively steered to assume a selected curve along a desired path within the body which avoids contact with tissue while the proximal portion is automatically controlled to assume the selected curve of the distal portion. The endoscopic device can then be used for accessing various regions of the body which are typically difficult to access and treat through conventional surgical techniques because the device is unconstrained by “straight-line” requirements. Various applications can include accessing regions of the brain, thoracic cavity, including regions within the heart, peritoneal cavity, etc., which are difficult to reach using conventional surgical procedures.

Balloon cannula systems may be used for accessing and visualizing the spine and related methods of treatment, including a forward-looking balloon system for creating a working space and the balloon system having atraumatic dissection capability to allow visualization in spine. The devices and methods described may be used, for example, to perform annulus repair, herniated disc excision, and denervation of neurological tissue; to dispense pharmacological agents and / or cell or tissue therapy agents; to diagnose disc degeneration and bony degeneration, spinal stenosis, and nucleus decompression, and to perform disc augmentation.

Systems and methods for non-thermal ablation of tissue are provided. A non-implantable minimally invasive system for treatment of tissue in a body via direct current ablation is provided including a catheter, a plurality of electrodes for deployment through the catheter, a power source for applying power to the electrodes, and a fixation element for maintaining the catheter in a treatment position during treatment of the tissue. A minimally invasive method for treating tissue in a body via direct current ablation is provided including inserting a catheter into the body such that a portion of the catheter remains outside of the body, deploying a fixation element to fix the catheter in a treatment position, deploying a plurality of electrodes through the catheter, applying power to the plurality of electrodes, using the electrodes to apply a current to the tissue, and removing the catheter from the body.

A system and method for using a light source to treat tissue with NIR light. The operation provides for generating higher temperatures in deeper layers of tissue relative to higher layers of tissue. The increased temperature in dermal layers can operate to induce collagen shrinkage, or remodeling. One of the light sources for providing a broad spectrum of NIR light is a filament light. The light from the filament lamp can be selectively filtered, and after filtering this light is applied to the skin, where the selective filtering can enhance the ability to elevate the temperature of deeper layers of tissue, relative to layers of tissue which are closer to the surface of the skin.

Balloon cannula systems may be used for accessing and visualizing the spine and related methods of treatment, including a forward-looking balloon system for creating a working space and the balloon system having atraumatic dissection capability to allow visualization in spine. The devices and methods described may be used, for example, to perform annulus repair, herniated disc excision, and denervation of neurological tissue; to dispense pharmacological agents and / or cell or tissue therapy agents; to diagnose disc degeneration and bony degeneration, spinal stenosis, and nucleus decompression, and to perform disc augmentation.

An electrode catheter device with indifferent electrode for direct current tissue therapies is disclosed. An example of the catheter device has a flexible tubing with at least one ablation electrode. The catheter device also may also be used with a sheath for introducing the flexible tubing inside a patient's body. An indifferent electrode on the sheath can provide a ground for a direct current (DC) pulse to deliver electrical energy and create an electrical field adjacent a tissue. Various other embodiments are also disclosed.

Described generally herein are tissue therapy devices, which may comprise a sealant layer and a suction apparatus. The sealant layer functions so as to create a sealed enclosure between it and the surface of a patient by forming, preferably, an airtight seal around an area of tissue that requires negative pressure therapy. The tissue therapy device may comprise a suction apparatus. The suction apparatus is typically in fluid communication with the sealant layer and functions so as to reduce the amount of pressure present underneath the sealant layer. The reduced pressure is self-created by the suction apparatus. Together the sealant layer and the suction apparatus preferably create a closed reduced pressure therapy system. Preferably, the pressure under the sealant layer is reduced by expanding the volume of the enclosure space and thereby decreasing the density of the air molecules under the sealant layer.

A system and method for performing tissue therapy may include applying a reduced pressure to a tissue site of a patient. A fluid parameter associated with applying a reduced pressureto the tissue site may be sensed. An audible fluid leak location sound may be generated in response to sensing the fluid parameter. The audible fluid leak location sound may be altered in response to sensing that the fluid parameter changes. By altering the audible fluid leak location sound in response to sensing a change of the fluid parameter, a clinician may detect location of a fluid leak at the drape by applying force to the drape. The force applied to the drape may be a clinician pressing a finger onto an edge of the drape.

A system for treating a target region in tissue beneath a tissue surface comprises a probe for deploying an electrode array within the tissue and a surface electrode for engaging the tissue surface above the treatment site. Preferably, surface electrode includes a plurality of tissue-penetrating elements which advance into the tissue, and the surface electrode is removably attachable to the probe. The tissue may be treated in a monopolar fashion where the electrode array and surface electrode are attached to a common pole on an electrode surgical power supply and powered simultaneously or successively, or in a bipolar fashion where the electrode array and surface electrode are attached to opposite poles of the power supply. The systems are particularly useful for treating tumors and other tissue treatment regions which lie near the surface.

A system and method for performing tissue therapy may include applying a reduced pressure to a tissue site of a patient. A fluid parameter associated with applying a reduced pressureto the tissue site may be sensed. An audible fluid leak location sound may be generated in response to sensing the fluid parameter. The audible fluid leak location sound may be altered in response to sensing that the fluid parameter changes. By altering the audible fluid leak location sound in response to sensing a change of the fluid parameter, a clinician may detect location of a fluid leak at the drape by applying force to the drape. The force applied to the drape may be a clinician pressing a finger onto an edge of the drape.

A tissue treatment system has a radio frequency generator and a handheld treatment instrument that generates a gas plasma jet for delivering thermal energy to a tissue surface to be treated. Incorporated in the housing for the generator is a calibration device for adjusting the energy output of the generator, if necessary, at the beginning of a treatment session. The calibration device has a target element with a target surface, a transducer for sensing changes in temperature of the target element with respect to the temperature of a reference element, and an energy output adjuster for adjusting the radio frequency energy output of the generator in response to a calibration signal generated by the transducer. The generator housing has a receptacle for locating the nozzle of the handheld instrument in juxtaposition with the target element so that when a plasma burst is generated as part of a calibration sequence it is incident on the target surface. The generator output is automatically adjusted to compensate for any deviation of a calibration value, produced from the calibration signal, from a reference value. Also disclosed is a method of regenerating the reticular architecture of tissue, the method including calibrating the energy delivery of a tissue treatment system.

In various embodiments, a device is provided comprising a balloon configured to expand to an expanded state in response to introduction of a fluid at a first pressure, wherein the fluid perfuses through the balloon above a second pressure, the second pressure being the same or greater than the first pressure. In various embodiments, a method comprising fabricating a balloon configured to expand to an expanded state in response to introduction of a fluid at a first pressure, wherein the fluid perfuses through the balloon above a second pressure, the second pressure being at or greater than the first pressure, disposing the balloon on an elongate member having a lumen, placing the lumen in fluid communication with an interior volume of the balloon.

In methods and devices for treatment of tissue of a patient, one or more applicators is positioned adjacent to the tissue to be treated. A cold plasma and radiofrequency energy are applied to the tissue. A negative pressure may be used to draw the tissue towards and / or into contact with the energy delivery elements.

The invention relates to a method used for preparing a microcarrier / polymer composite scaffold by electro-deposition. The method comprises following steps: the surface of a microcarrier is modified, so that the surface of the microcarrier is positively charged; the microcarrier is loaded with a bioactive component so as to obtain the functional microcarrier; the functional microcarrier is delivered into an organic solvent, and the mixture is treated by ultrasonic and is stirred so as to obtain an electro-deposition solution with a concentration of 0.1 to 1.0mg / ml; a polymer scaffold is prepared, an electrode provided with the polymer scaffold is taken as a cathode, and a blank electrode is taken as an anode; the cathode and the anode are delivered into the electro-deposition solution, and the electro-deposition solution is stirred for electro-deposition so as to obtain the composite scaffold; and the composite scaffold is washed and dried in the air so as to obtain the microcarrier / polymer composite scaffold. Preparation time is short; reaction conditions are mild; and it is impossible to cause early release or inactivation of the bioactive component loaded on the microcarrier. The microcarrier / polymer composite scaffold is capable of simulating the multiple interaction of cells in the body, ECM and growth factors, and providing an ideal environment for tissue therapy and tissue repair.

The invention provides a cartridge assembly to couple a tissue treatment device with an electrosurgical unit, with the cartridge assembly operable with a power delivery apparatus and a fluid delivery apparatus of the electrosurgical unit. The invention also provides an electrosurgical unit comprising a power delivery apparatus and a fluid delivery apparatus operable with the cartridge assembly and a system thereof.

An applicator includes at least one RF electrode coupled to an RF generator. The at least one RF electrode has protrusions each with a curvature radius which is equal to or greater than a curvature radius of an outer edge of the at least one RF electrode.

Systems and methods for applying energy to treat body areas having fat deposits are disclosed in which treatment energy is applied to a patient with a plurality of energy applicators each in contact with a target body subarea of the patient's skin, thereby heating the skin and underlying tissue, including fat. The temperature of fat tissue of each target body subarea may be sensed, and the application of energy to the corresponding energy applicator may be terminated if the temperature exceeds a maximum temperature for the subarea, which may be individually defined by a system user.

Some embodiments of the invention may be related to an apparatus for non-invasive directional tissue treatment. The apparatus includes a radiofrequency (RF) generator and an array of RF energy delivery elements in monopolar configuration, in active communication with the RF generator, at least one of: a return electrode and a return pad, and a power source and a controller. In some embodiments, each of the RF energy delivery elements comprises a monopolar electrode such that each monopolar electrode has a first dimension and a second dimension, the first dimension perpendicular to the second dimension. In some embodiments, the first dimension of each monopolar electrode and the distance between the monopolar electrodes in each pair are configured to create an elongated heated volume of tissue when the RF generator is activated and at least one of the RF delivery elements is in contact with the tissue.

A tissue treatment system has a radio frequency generator and a handheld treatment instrument that generates a gas plasma jet for delivering thermal energy to a tissue surface to be treated. Incorporated in the housing for the generator is a calibration device for adjusting the energy output of the generator, if necessary, at the beginning of a treatment session. The calibration device has a target element with a target surface, a transducer for sensing changes in temperature of the target element with respect to the temperature of a reference element, and an energy output adjuster for adjusting the radio frequency energy output of the generator in response to a calibration signal generated by the transducer. The generator housing has a receptacle for locating the nozzle of the handheld instrument in juxtaposition with the target element so that when a plasma burst is generated as part of a calibration sequence it is incident on the target surface. The generator output is automatically adjusted to compensate for any deviation of a calibration value, produced from the calibration signal, from a reference value. Also disclosed is a method of regenerating the reticular architecture of tissue, the method including calibrating the energy delivery of a tissue treatment system.

The invention relates to the use of CD14+ monocytes for the production of dendritic cells. The invention comprises the use of CD14+ monocytes isolated from peripheral circulating blood for obtaining, by differentiation, at least one mixed population of Langerhans cells and interstitial dendritic cells, both Langerhans cells and interstitial dendritic cells being preconditioned and undifferentiated, and / or differentiated and immature, and / or mature, and / or interdigitated. The invention comprises their use in suspension, monolayer and three-dimensional cell and tissue models. The invention comprises the use of these cells and of these models as study models for the assessment of immunotoxicity / immunotolerance, for the development of cosmetic and pharmaceutical active principles and for the development and implementation of methods of cell and tissue therapy.