Systems and methods for treating cancer and/or augmenting organ function

1. A medical system, comprising:

a microsurgical tool defining a longitudinal axis, the microsurgical tool configured for percutaneous introduction through a body lumen defined by a lumen wall and having a distal tip segment positionable with respect to a target neural structure, the distal tip segment comprising first, second and third discrete zones longitudinally spaced with respect to the longitudinal axis and each other;

wherein the first zone comprises at least a first component;

wherein the second zone comprises at least a second component;

wherein the third zone is disposed between the first and second zones, the third zone comprising at least a third component;

wherein the first component and the second component each comprise a same one of: one or more physiological sensors; and one or more stimulatory elements;

wherein the third component comprises the other one of: one or more physiological sensors; and one or more stimulatory elements;

wherein the one or more physiological sensors are configured to emit one or more signals representative of physiological data of the target neural structure;

wherein the one or more stimulatory elements are configured to apply stimulation to the target neural structure, the one or more stimulatory elements comprising at least one of one or more energy delivery elements and one or more substance delivery elements;

a controller to control operation of each of the first, second and third zones based on the physiological data obtained by the one or more physiological sensors, the controller configured:

to determine a condition of the target neural structure at least one of before, during and subsequent to application of stimulation to the target neural structure by the one or more stimulatory elements; and

to control operation of the stimulatory element and coordinate positioning of the distal tip segment relative to the target neural structure, based on the determined condition of the target neural structure.

2. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more stimulatory elements comprise the one or more energy delivery elements, the one or more energy delivery elements being configured to deliver energy adjacent the target neural structure, the energy being at least one of thermal energy, radio frequency current, microwave current, ultrasound, HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound), radiation, and cryotherapy.

3. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more stimulatory elements comprise the one or more substance delivery elements, the one or more substance delivery elements being configured to deliver a substance adjacent the target neural structure, the substance being at least one of a medicament, a denervating agent, a sympathetic nerve specific denervating agent, a parasympathetic nerve specific denervating agent, a neuroblocking agent, and a highly specific neuroblocking agent.

4. The medical system of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the one or more substance delivery elements comprises a microneedle.

5. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second zones are each a sensing zone comprising the one or more physiological sensors, and the third zone is a stimulating zone comprising the one or more stimulatory elements.

6. The medical system of claim 5 , wherein the third zone is configured to be biased toward the lumen wall such that the one or more stimulatory elements interface with the lumen wall.

7. The medical system of claim 6 , further comprising a delivery sheath disposed about at least the distal tip segment of the microsurgical tool, the delivery sheath configured for longitudinal movement relative to the microsurgical tool to expose the first, second and third zones.

8. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the distal tip segment comprises a balloon, a basket, a deployable helix, a deployable microneedle, or a combination thereof.

9. The medical system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a stress testing element, the stress testing element being configured to apply at least one of a local and a systemic stress to the lumen wall; and

one or more sensing elements configured to monitor a response of the target neural structure to the applied stress.

10. The medical system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively adjust positioning of at least the distal tip segment of the microsurgical tool relative to a tumor based on the determined condition of the target neural structure.

11. A medical system, comprising:

a microsurgical tool defining a longitudinal axis, the microsurgical tool configured for percutaneous introduction through a body lumen defined by a lumen wall and having a distal tip segment positionable with respect to a target neural structure, the distal tip segment comprising at least two zones, a first one of the at least two zones comprising one or more physiological sensors configured to emit a signal representative of physiological data of the target neural structure and a second of the at least two zones comprising one or more stimulatory elements configured to apply stimulation to the target neural structure, the first zone and the second zone longitudinally spaced with respect to each other along the distal tip segment relative to the longitudinal axis, the one or more stimulatory elements of the second zone comprising at least one of an energy delivery element and a substance delivery element; and

a controller to control operation of each of the at least two zones based on the physiological data obtained by the one or more physiological sensors, the controller configured:

to determine a condition of the neural structure at least one of before, during and subsequent to application of stimulation to the neural structure by the one or more stimulatory elements; and

to control operation of the one or more stimulatory elements based on the determined condition of the neural structure;

wherein the distal tip segment comprises one or more strain measuring elements configured to measure a diameter of the body lumen.

12. A medical system, comprising:

a microsurgical tool defining a longitudinal axis, the microsurgical tool configured for percutaneous introduction through a body lumen defined by a lumen wall and having a distal tip segment positionable with respect to a target neural structure, the distal tip segment comprising:

first and second zones longitudinally spaced with respect to each other along the distal tip segment relative to the longitudinal axis, each of the first and second zones comprising one or more physiological sensors configured to emit one or more signals representative of physiological data of the target neural structure; and

a third zone disposed between the first and second zones, the third zone comprising one or more electrodes configured to apply stimulation to the target neural structure, the third zone being deployable such that the one or more electrodes interface with the lumen wall;

a controller to control operation of at least the third zone based on the physiological data obtained by the one or more physiological sensors of the first and second zones, the controller configured:

to determine a condition of the target neural structure at least one of before, during and subsequent to application of stimulation to the target neural structure by the one or more electrodes of the third zone; and

to continually control operation of the one or more electrodes of the third zone based on the determined condition of the target neural structure; and

an array of microcircuits arranged along a predetermined length of the distal tip segment, the array of microcircuits coupling the one or more physiological sensors and the one or more electrodes with the controller, the array of microcircuits providing signal conditioning of the one or more signals representative of the physiological data of the target neural structure emitted by the one or more physiological sensors; and

one or more strengthening members coupled with the array of microcircuits.

13. The medical system of claim 12 , wherein the third zone is configured to be biased toward the lumen wall such that the one or more electrodes interface with the lumen wall.

14. The medical system of claim 12 , wherein the third zone is incorporated within a deployable segment of the distal tip segment, the deployable segment comprising one of a balloon, a basket, a helix, a microneedle, or a combination thereof.

15. The medical system of claim 14 , further comprising a delivery sheath disposed about at least the deployable segment of the distal tip segment, the delivery sheath configured for longitudinal movement relative to the distal tip segment to expose the deployable segment.

16. The medical system of claim 12 , wherein the distal tip segment comprises one or more strain measuring elements configured to measure a diameter of the body lumen.

17. The medical system of claim 12 , wherein the distal tip segment further comprises one or more substance delivery elements, the one or more substance delivery elements configured to deliver a substance adjacent the target neural structure, the substance being at least one of a medicament, a denervating agent, a sympathetic nerve specific denervating agent, a parasympathetic nerve specific denervating agent, a neuroblocking agent, and a highly specific neuroblocking agent.

18. The medical system of claim 12 , wherein individual microcircuits in the array of microcircuits are arranged in a single file linear pattern along the predetermined length of the distal tip segment.

19. The medical system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more strengthening members allow at least one of compression, tension and torque transfer along the predetermined length of the distal tip segment.

20. The medical system of claim 12 , wherein the array of microcircuits are coupled to the one or more physiological sensors and the one or more sensors utilizing an ultra-high density interconnect technology.