Abstract: Various methods and apparatus for treating a condition associated with impaired glucose regulation in a subject comprising in one embodiment, applying a neural conduction block to a target nerve at a blocking site with the neural conduction block selected to at least partially block nerve pulses. In another embodiment, combinations of down-regulating and or up-regulating with or without pharmaceutical agents are used to treat impaired glucose regulation. In other embodiments, up-regulation or down-regulation of various nerves, such as the vagus and its branches, and the splanchnic is used to modify the production of GLP-1 and GIP, thereby controlling glucose levels. In yet further embodiments, combinations of down-regulating and or up-regulating with or without pharmaceutical agents are used to modify the production of GLP-1 and GIP, to treat impaired glucose regulation.

Abstract: This implantable microcatheter includes a hollow tube with a central lumen extending throughout the length of the tube from a proximal region to a distal region. The bending stiffness of the proximal region is greater than the bending stiffness of the distal region, and the tube has a transition region having a decreasing stiffness gradient from the proximal region to the distal region. The tube wall is free of shielding or armor at least in the distal region, and the catheter is made of biocompatible material(s) suitable for a permanent implantation in venous, arterial or lymphatic networks.

Abstract: A method, system, and device for detection of an arrhythmia, and discrimination between different types of arrhythmia, for example to determine whether to administer an electric shock to the heart, the device comprising a wearable monitor with electrodes that detect the electrical activity of a beating heart, attached to an embedded monitoring system having an amplifier, a microprocessor, a data storage device, and a power supply, all disposed on a substrate having large distal end portions that attach to the electrodes and a narrow intermediate portion that attaches to the monitoring system.

Abstract: Evaluation of an implanted electrical lead condition includes comparing electrogram template features with test electrogram features. The evaluating also includes determining the implanted electrical lead condition based solely on the electrogram comparison. The compared test electrogram features and template electrogram features may be atrial amplitudes and ventricular amplitudes. The sensing may be with a quad polar lead. The compared test electrogram features and electrogram template features may account for different patient postures and/or may account for respiration modulation.

Abstract: A robotically controlled surgical tool including a lockout mechanism is provided. The surgical tool may comprise an instrument mounting portion. The instrument mounting portion includes a housing, a plate, a shaft assembly comprising an end effector, and a coupler to couple the shaft assembly to the instrument mounting portion. The end effector comprises a first jaw member and a second jaw member, the first and second jaw members defining a channel therebetween, and a blade slideably receivable within the channel to cut tissue located between the first and second jaw members. The surgical tool may include an actuation mechanism to actuate the end effector to provide reciprocating movement of the blade within the channel. A lockout mechanism is coupled to the actuation mechanism. The lockout mechanism may selectively enable reciprocating movement of the blade. An interface mechanically and electrically couples the instrument mounting portion to a robotic manipulator.

Abstract: Described here are implantable devices and methods for monitoring physiological information relating to sleep. The implantable devices are generally designed to include at least one sensor for sensing physiological information, a processor for processing the physiological information using low computational power to detect a sleep stage, and a battery. The detected sleep stage information may then be used to indicate sleep quality, identify or monitor a medical condition, or guide treatment thereof.

Abstract: Methods for treating a renal associated condition in a subject are provided. Aspects of the subject methods include paradoxically enhancing renal sympathetic bias in the subject in a manner effective to treat the renal associated condition. Also provided are compositions, kits and systems for practicing the subject methods.

Abstract: A sensing device for a collapsible prosthetic heart valve, the sensing device including an elongated shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a sensing body coupled to the distal end of the shaft, the sensing body being adapted to fit within a native valve annulus and at least one microelectromechanical sensor attached to the sensing body, the at least one sensing body being capable of measuring a property of tissue.

Abstract: An Implantable ElectroAcupuncture System (IEAS) treats dyslipidemia or obesity through application of stimulation pulses applied at at least one of acupoints ST36, SP4, ST37, ST40, SP6, SP9, K16, or LR8, or underlying nerves saphenous or peroneal. The IEAS includes an hermetically-sealed implantable electroacupuncture (EA) device having at least two electrodes located outside of its housing. The housing contains a primary power source, pulse generation circuitry, and a sensor that wirelessly senses externally-generated operating commands. The pulse generation circuitry generates stimulation pulses as controlled, at least in part, by the operating commands sensed through the sensor. The stimulation pulses are applied to the specified acupoint or nerve through the electrodes in accordance with a specified stimulation regimen. Such stimulation regimen requires that the stimulation session be applied at a very low duty cycle not greater than 0.05.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are current output architectures for implantable stimulator devices. Current source and sink circuitry is divided into a plurality of stages, each of which is capable via an associated switch bank of sourcing or sinking an amount of current to or from any one of the electrodes of the device. The current source circuitry is distinct from the current sink circuitry, and the two share no common circuit nodes prior to connection to the electrodes. In other words, the current source circuitry and the current sink circuitry do not share a common node other than the electrodes. Each stage is preferably formed of a current mirror for receiving a reference current and outputting a scaled version of current to that stage's switch bank. The scalar at each stage can be set by wiring a desired number of output transistors in parallel.

Abstract: Some embodiments of an electrical stimulation system employ wireless electrode assemblies to provide pacing therapy, defibrillation therapy, or other stimulation therapy. In certain embodiments, the wireless electrode assemblies may include a guide wire channel so that each electrode assembly can be advanced over a guide wire instrument through the endocardium. For example, a distal tip portion of a guide wire instrument can penetrate through the endocardium and into the myocardial wall of a heart chamber, and the electrode assembly may then be advanced over the guide wire and into the heart chamber wall. In such circumstances, the guide wire instrument (and other portions of the delivery system) can be retracted from the heart chamber wall, thereby leaving the electrode assembly embedded in the heart tissue.

Abstract: A current generation architecture for an implantable stimulator device such as an Implantable Pulse Generator (IPG) is disclosed. Current source and sink circuitry are both divided into coarse and fine portions, which respectively can provide coarse and fine current resolutions to a specified electrode on the IPG. The coarse portion is distributed across all of the electrodes and so can source or sink current to any of the electrodes. The coarse portion is divided into a plurality of stages, each of which is capable via an associated switch bank of sourcing or sinking a coarse amount of current to or from any one of the electrodes on the device. The fine portion of the current generation circuit preferably includes source and sink circuitry dedicated to each of the electrode on the device, which can comprise digital-to-analog current converters (DACs).

Abstract: One embodiment is a method of making a stimulation lead that includes providing a pre-electrode assembly comprising a plurality of segmented electrodes and a plurality of raised connectors. Each of the segmented electrodes is coupled to at least one other of the segmented electrodes by at least one of the raised connectors. The method further includes forming the pre-electrode assembly into a tube with the tube defining a longitudinal axis. Each of the raised connectors is disposed at a radius with respect to the longitudinal axis that is greater than a radius of any of the segmented electrodes with respect to the longitudinal axis. The method also includes forming at least a portion of a lead body around the segmented electrodes of the pre-electrode assembly; and grinding the tube comprising the pre-electrode assembly and portion of the lead body to remove the plurality of raised connectors leaving the plurality of segmented electrodes and the portion of the lead body.

Abstract: Methods for treating cardiac complex rhythm disorder in a patient can include receiving a plurality of electrical signals from a sensor system, wherein each electrical signal corresponds with a separate location on a cardiac wall of the heart of the patient, and wherein each electrical signal comprises an electrogram waveform; and ranking the electrical signals relative to each other based on at least a uniformity and a frequency of the electrogram waveform of each electrical signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring complex electrical admittance and/or complex electrical impedance in animal or human patients includes a first electrode and at least a second electrode which are adapted to be disposed in the patient. The apparatus includes a housing adapted to be disposed in the patient. The housing has disposed in it a stimulator in electrical communication with at least the first electrode to stimulate the first electrode with either current or voltage, a sensor in electrical communication with at least the second electrode to sense a response from the second electrode based on the stimulation of the first electrode, and a signal processor in electrical communication with the sensor to determine the complex electrical admittance or impedance of the patient.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided that determines a connection quality of an electrode to a patient. A current source is connected to a first electrode and a switch is connected to a second electrode for selectively connecting the second electrode to ground. A processor is connected to the first electrode and a third electrode and the processor detects a voltage difference between the first electrode and the third electrode upon application of a current to the first electrode by the current source to determine connection quality data for the first electrode.

Abstract: An improved deformable carrier or connector for an implantable neural interface device is described. The neural interface device comprises a carrier supporting at least one electrode array. The carrier comprises a tubular sidewall extending from a proximal carrier portion to a distal carrier portion. At least one deformable segment is provided in the carrier sidewall. The deformable segment is more pliable than the remainder of the carrier sidewall to preferably move in response to forces imparted on the carrier and the electrode array by the shifting forces in body tissue. The deformable segment takes the form of a thinned sidewall segment or a slitted wall segment.

Abstract: A system and method for generating an estimated volume of activation (VOA) corresponding to settings applied to a stimulation leadwire includes a processor performing the following: determining, for each of a plurality of neural elements, one or more respective parameters characterizing an electrical distribution along the neural element, looking up the one or more parameters for each of the neural elements in a look-up table (LUT), obtaining threshold values for each of the neural elements recorded in the LUT in association with the looked-up parameters, comparing, for each of the neural elements, a value of the leadwire settings to each of the respective threshold value, estimating based on the comparisons which of the neural elements would be activated by the settings, and generating a structure corresponding to a region including the neural elements estimated to be activated.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for applying a predefined functional shape to coefficients of a discrete Fourier transform of a waveform. The waveform may based, at least in part, on an electro-cardiogram (ECG). The predefined functional shape may be parabolic, and may be defined on a logarithmic scale. The application of a predefined functional shape may allow a more accurate reconstruction of a waveform to be generated at a lower sampling rate.

Abstract: A blood pump includes a rotor having a flared portion downstream proximate a downstream bearing that supports the rotor. The flared portion of the rotor includes a width greater than a width of an upstream portion of the rotor. A blood pump also includes a housing having an internal wall with a flared portion downstream of a motor stator and proximate a transverse outlet.