Patents Examined by Eunhwa Kim
  • Patent number: 10188444
    Abstract: A cryogenic needle probe having a proximal and distal region. A cooling supply tube provides pressurized cooling fluid within the needle. The proximal region is more conductive that the distal region. The proximal region is conductively coupled to a heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: MyoScience, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Fourkas, Ronald Williams, John Allison
  • Patent number: 10182732
    Abstract: Systems and apparatus for monitoring heart muscle activity of an individual include a first electrode unit, for receiving a first signal indicative of electrical, activity at a first location on a body of the individual and a second electrode unit for receiving a second, signal indicative of electrical activity at a second location on the body of the individual. Each of the first and second electrode units is configurable to operate in a field-sensing mode wherein the electrode unit is placed on or it! proximity to the individual's skin, and a current-sensing mode wherein the electrode unit is coupled to a resistive sensor sensing element placed directly on the individual's skin. The field-sensing mode can be either non-contact field-sensing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: EasyG LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Crannell Evans, Efraim Gavrilovich, Rasvan Catalin Mihai, Ion Isbasescu
  • Patent number: 10182723
    Abstract: Systems and apparatus for monitoring physiological electrical activity of an individual include a first electrode unit for receiving a first signal indicative of electrical activity at a first location on a body of the individual and a second electrode unit for receiving a second signal indicative of electrical activity at a second location on the body of the individual. Each of the first and second electrode units may be operated in a field-sensing mode wherein the electrode unit is placed on or in proximity to the individual's skin. The first and second electrode units comprise a capacitive sensor element, and the capacitive sensor element of each of the electrode units comprising an electrodynamic sensor which is sensitive to electromagnetic waves; and an antenna comprising an electrically conductive radiating element for receiving electromagnetic waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: EasyG LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Crannell Evans, Efraim Gavrilovich, Rasvan Catalin Mihai, Ion Isbasescu
  • Patent number: 10179029
    Abstract: A method of performing denervation with a cooled microwave denervation catheter assembly includes advancing a catheter body over a guide wire in a body lumen of a patient to a treatment location adjacent targeted nerves, with the guide wire being located in an interior lumen of the catheter body, inflating the balloon with cooling fluid to contact a wall of the body lumen of the patient, removing the guide wire from the interior lumen of the catheter body, and inserting a microwave antenna catheter into the interior lumen of the catheter body, so that denervation treatment may be performed by simultaneously circulating cooling fluid in the balloon and supplying power to the microwave antenna, to cause the targeted nerves to be heated to a temperature sufficient to cause thermal damage while the wall of the body lumen is maintained at a temperature where thermal damage does not occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Denervx LLC
    Inventors: Eric N. Rudie, Philip J. Haarstad, Stanley E. Kluge
  • Patent number: 10179023
    Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument is provided and includes a housing configured to connect to a source of bipolar electrosurgical energy and an electrode body coupled to the elongated housing. The electrode body includes an electrode face, first and second bipolar electrodes and a blade. The electrode face is formed on the distal end of the electrode body and includes a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis therethrough. The first and second electrodes have a leading edge and a trailing edge, are formed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and connect to opposed electrical potentials. The blade is positioned between the electrodes with at least a portion of the blade extending beyond the electrode face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Casey M. Ladtkow, Joseph D. Brannan
  • Patent number: 10173054
    Abstract: An implantable medical device including at least one elongate electrical line with a first electrical component as a functional conductor, and at least one second electrical component with an electrical length. The first electrical component includes a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal side is in electrical contact with tissue or blood. The first electrical component is in electrical contact with the at least one second electrical component, and wherein the electrical length of the at least one second component corresponds to at least a tenth of a wavelength (?/10) of electromagnetic waves in a radiofrequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: BIOTRONIK SE & CO. KG
    Inventors: Gernot Kolberg, Jens Rump, Michael Friedrich, Heinrich Buessing, Stefan Knorr, Andreas Bitzer, Kerstin Teaubert, Ingo Weiss, Klaus Bartels, Michelle Maxfield, Hartmut Lenski, Timo Frenzel, Erik Trip
  • Patent number: 10172553
    Abstract: Provided is a conductive textile-based inductance-type electrode apparatus for bio-signal detection, which includes an electrode unit (10) having a textile electrode (200) for receiving an oscillation signal from an oscillating unit and outputting a bio signal of a subject person, the textile electrode having a spiral coil (101) disposed at a textile sheet (103) formed by spirally turning a coil thread with conductivity from one end to the other end disposed at a center portion thereof, a bottom textile sheet (120) coming in contact with a skin of the subject person, and a buffering member (145) disposed between the electrode unit (10) and the bottom textile sheet (120) to separate the electrode unit (10) from the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, YONSEI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Joo Hyeon Lee, Jeong-Whan Lee, Young-Jae Lee, Sunok Gi
  • Patent number: 10172554
    Abstract: A textile electrode kit mounted to the clothing includes a contact-type electrode or a non-contact electrode, and the textile electrode kit may be mounted to a clothing having a lower fixed member configured to reduce a motion artifact and a partially three-dimensional clothing structure by means of sewing. On occasions, the textile electrode kit having a non-contact electrode may be inserted into and used in an electrode-mounting pocket or an electrode-mounting tunnel formed at the clothing. The textile electrode kit of the present disclosure may detect various kinds of bio signals such as a heart activity signal, an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal, an electromyogram signal, a breathing signal or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignees: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University, Konkuk University Industrial Cooperation Corp.
    Inventors: Joo Hyeon Lee, Jeong-Whan Lee, Young-Jae Lee, Hye Ran Koo
  • Patent number: 10166067
    Abstract: Ablation catheter comprising an elongate member with proximal and distal ends, wherein the distal end is arranged to apply a high energy electrical shock from a plurality of locations along the length of said distal end and wherein said distal end is curved. Preferably the distal end of the elongate member extends in a circle segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederik Henricus Mattheus Wittkampf, Helmert Van Wessel, Richard E. Stehr, Martin M. Grasse
  • Patent number: 10166071
    Abstract: A method of assessing a tissue ablation treatment, including positioning a medical device adjacent a target tissue; measuring a first impedance magnitude a first frequency with the medical device; measuring a first impedance phase at a second frequency with the medical device; ablating at least a portion of the target tissue with the medical device; measuring at second impedance magnitude at a third frequency with the medical device; measuring a second impedance phase at a fourth frequency with the medical device; comparing at least one of (i) the first and second impedance magnitudes and (ii) the first and second impedance phases; and providing an indication of the efficacy of the ablation treatment based at least in part on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronic Ablation Frontiers LLC
    Inventors: Marshall L. Sherman, Catherine R. Condie, Mark T. Stewart
  • Patent number: 10166064
    Abstract: A surgical system and method for fusing tissue are disclosed. The system has an electrosurgical generator capable of delivering electrosurgical power, a surgical instrument electrically connected to the electrosurgical generator and adapted to transfer the electrosurgical power from the electrosurgical generator to a distal end of the surgical instrument, and a power control circuit for controlling the delivery of radio frequency energy to the tissue in contact with the distal end of the surgical instrument. The surgical system is configured to: deliver the radio frequency energy at a non-pulsing power to the tissue for a period of time of 3 seconds or less, wherein the non-pulsing power is held constant, the output current is held under 2 Amperes RMS, and the output voltage is held under 100 Volts RMS, the non-pulsing power further causing the tissue to begin to desiccate and to fuse within the period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Just Right Surgical, LLC
    Inventors: Jenifer Kennedy, Dale Schmaltz, David Schechter, Joel Helfer, David Ross
  • Patent number: 10166062
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a method of confirming successful ablation of targeted cardiac tissue of a subject using a high-resolution mapping electrode comprises pacing said cardiac tissue at a predetermined pacing level to increase the heart rate of the subject from a baseline level to an elevated level, the predetermined pacing level being greater than a pre-ablation pacing threshold level but lower than a post-ablation pacing threshold level, delivering ablative energy to the ablation electrode, detecting the heart rate of the subject, wherein the heart rate detected by the high-resolution mapping electrode is at the elevated level before the post-ablation pacing threshold level is achieved, and wherein the heart rate detected by the high-resolution mapping electrode drops below the elevated level once ablation achieves its therapeutic goal or target, and terminating the delivery of ablative energy to the ablation electrode after the heart rate drops below the elevated level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: EPiX Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventor: Dorin Panescu
  • Patent number: 10166386
    Abstract: An electrode assembly includes a retainer, a flexible sheath, and an electrode. The retainer may include a plurality of clasping arms. The retainer is movable to an open position and a closed position. The flexible sheath is positioned below a lower surface of the retainer. The flexible sheath is at least partially surrounded by the clasping arms of the retainer. The retainer is able to hold the flexible sheath around a target tissue when the retainer is in the closed position. The electrode is configured for conducting electrical signals to or from the target tissue. The electrode is connected to at least one of the retainer and the flexible sheath. The retainer is able to hold the electrode in electrical communication with the target tissue when the retainer is disposed around the target tissue in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma
    Inventor: Nilesh Raman Vasan
  • Patent number: 10170846
    Abstract: In electrocardiography (ECG) system, a patient cable connecting one or more electrodes to a processing device for processing ECG signals may include one or more electrode connectors mechanically keyed to respective electrodes and/or a device connector mechanically and/or electronically keyed to a cable connector of the processing device. In some embodiments, keying between the cable and electrode is achieved, for example, with an electrode including a hollow-post portion that defines a bore in conjunction with a post protruding from an arm of the electrode connector that is sized to fit within the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Heart Test Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Hilz, Paul Klotz, Mark Tiegs
  • Patent number: 10085799
    Abstract: Systems for nerve modulation through the wall of a blood vessel are disclosed. An example system for nerve modulation may include an elongate member extending along a central elongate axis and having a proximal end and a distal end. The elongate member may have a radially expandable member disposed proximate the distal end. A tubular sheath may be cooperatively engaged with the expandable member such that the expandable member is collapsed when in the sheath and can expand when moved distally relative to and past a distal end of the sheath. The expandable member may include a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of spacer struts. Each spacer strut may be configured such that when the self-expanding member is in an expanded state the spacer strut extends out radially further than the electrodes from the central elongate axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott R. Smith
  • Patent number: 10085793
    Abstract: An electrosurgical device comprising: forceps including: (i) a first working arm having a contact surface and (ii) a second working arm having a contact surface; wherein the forceps has a first electrical configuration where the contact surface of the first working arm and the contact surface of the second working arm are substantially opposite each other so that the contact surfaces of the forceps can be used to grip an item between the working arms and so that the forceps is configured to deliver a first therapy current through the first working arm, the second working arm, or both; and wherein the forceps has second electrical configuration where the contact surface of the first working arm and the contact surface of the second working arm are askew relative to each other and an electrode edge is formed on at least one side of the forceps so that a second therapy current extends from the electrode edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: GYRUS ACMI, Inc.
    Inventor: Kester J. Batchelor
  • Patent number: 10080505
    Abstract: An electrocardiograph measures an electrocardiac signal by processing electric signals detected by bioelectrode pads. The bioelectrode pads each includes a plurality of sheets of electrodes disposed by being stacked on each other; conductive gel sheets disposed alternately with the sheets of electrodes and interposed between the electrodes; and a dynamic pressure stabilizing plate. The electrocardiograph includes a first differential circuit for obtaining an electrocardiac source signal by taking the difference between signals each obtained from any one of the electrodes of each of two bioelectrode pads; a second differential circuit for obtaining a body motion noise signal by taking the difference between signals obtained from any two of the electrodes of each of said two bioelectrode pads; and a body motion noise removing circuit for removing the low frequency components of the body motion noise signal of each of said two bioelectrode pads from the electrocardiac source signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignees: NIPRO CORPORATION, HARDA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Sano, Masahide Harada
  • Patent number: 10076279
    Abstract: An EEG headset including an amplifier assembly, a headband assembly formed of a right and a left headband arm and an amplifier platform, a right and left lateral support assembly, at least one hinge assembly connecting at least one of the right or left lateral support assemblies to at least one of the right or left curved arms, and at least one EEG electrode assembly formed of a lead and an electrode. The electrode is in electrical communication with the amplifier assembly via electrical connections within the headset assembly and one of the right and left lateral support assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Neba Health, LLC
    Inventor: Altan Nahum
  • Patent number: 10070799
    Abstract: Bio-potentials are sensed on the skin of a subject. The bio-potentials include muscle bio-potentials, and nerve bio-potentials. Skin sensors are positioned to enable the sensing circuitry to emphasize the nerve bio-potentials and deemphasize the muscle bio-potentials in processed bio-potential signals generated by the sensing circuitry. A machine learning component identifies control sequences or tracks body motions based on the processed bio-potential signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: Pison Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dexter W. Ang, David O Cipoletta, Samuel J. Karnes, Michael Kowalczyk, Sidhant Srikumar
  • Patent number: 10058377
    Abstract: An end effector assembly for an electrosurgical device includes first and second jaw members movable between spaced-apart and approximated positions. The jaw members include tissue-contacting surfaces that define a tissue grasping area. One of the jaw members includes an electrically-insulating body, an interior electrode, and an exterior electrode. The interior electrode is positioned interiorly of outer bounds of the tissue grasping area. A portion of the interior electrode forms part of the tissue-contacting surface. The exterior electrode is positioned exteriorly of the outer bounds of the tissue grasping area. At least one portion of the exterior electrode: extends along the outer back surface of the body, is disposed within the body, and is positioned adjacent the outer bounds of the tissue grasping area. The interior and exterior electrodes are configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped within the tissue grasping area to seal tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Craig A. Keller, Guillaume Lessard, Richard M. Ferrell