Abstract: A leadless biostimulator, such as a leadless pacemaker, includes a housing sized and configured to be implanted within a heart of a patient and includes both primary and secondary fixation features. The primary fixation feature is adapted to rotate to fix the leadless biostimulator to a wall of the heart during initial implantation. Once the leadless biostimulator is implanted, the secondary fixation feature is adapted to resist counter-rotation of the leadless biostimulator. The primary fixation feature may include a fixation helix configured to affix the housing to the heart by rotating in a screwing direction. The secondary fixation feature may include an apex to engage the heart to resist unscrewing of the primary fixation feature.

Abstract: A leafless biostimulator, such as a leadless pacemaker, includes a housing sized and configured to be implanted within a heart of a patient and includes both primary and secondary fixation features. The primary fixation feature is adapted to rotate to fix the leadless biostimulator to a wall of the heart during initial implantation. Once the leadless biostimulator is implanted, the secondary fixation feature is adapted to resist counter-rotation of the leadless biostimulator. The primary fixation feature may include a fixation helix configured to affix the housing to the heart by rotating in a screwing direction. The secondary fixation feature may include an apex to engage the heart to resist unscrewing of the primary fixation feature.

Abstract: A leafless biostimulator, such as a leadless pacemaker, includes a housing sized and configured to be implanted within a heart of a patient and includes both primary and secondary fixation features. The primary fixation feature is adapted to rotate to fix the leadless biostimulator to a wall of the heart during initial implantation. Once the leadless biostimulator is implanted, the secondary fixation feature is adapted to resist counter-rotation of the leadless biostimulator. The primary fixation feature may include a fixation helix configured to affix the housing to the heart by rotating in a screwing direction. The secondary fixation feature may include an apex to engage the heart to resist unscrewing of the primary fixation feature.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides an implantable medical lead having markings. The lead is easier to implant and improves the accurate localization of lead electrodes at a specific point of the brain for neurostimulation. Also provided is an implantable medical lead having a removable extension that advantageously provides a minimal length of excess lead protruding from the lead insertion site. The improved lead and method of implantation facilitates use of a neurostimulator device that is implanted directly in a patient's cranium.

Abstract: Several embodiments of an intravascular hemostasis device are disclosed which in one embodiment generally comprises at least a first elongated tubular member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and a flexible, deformable sealing member coupled to the distal end portion of the elongated tubular member which has at least a first pre-formed expanded state, the sealing member being at least partially radially compressible to at least a first compressed state for insertion of the sealing member into an opening in a blood vessel, the sealing member being radially expandable from its compressed state to its expanded state after the sealing member is inserted into the opening in the vessel in which the sealing member is adapted to seal against an inner wall of the blood vessel around the opening.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides an implantable medical lead having markings. The lead is easier to implant and improves the accurate localization of lead electrodes at a specific point of the brain for neurostimulation. Also provided is an implantable medical lead having a removable extension that advantageously provides a minimal length of excess lead protruding from the lead insertion site. The improved lead and method of implantation facilitates use of a neurostimulator device that is implanted directly in a patient's cranium.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward providing a composite lead body design for pacing and defibrillation leads. This lead body design improves the lead crush resistance in the lead segment that is implanted in the patient's clavicular region, while maintaining good fatigue resistance in the lead segment implanted in the heart. The clavicular segment has a generally flat profile. By flattening the clavicular segment proximal to the venous entry site, the lead will have a lower profile. Also, by substantially co-aligning the conductors within the clavicular segment, the crush resistance of the lead is significantly improved.

Abstract: A defibrillator having a housing for enclosing and containing defibrillation pulse generator circuitry, particularly adapted to allow for ease of manufacture and use. At least one surface of the housing is electrically conductive and may be connected to the defibrillation pulse generator circuitry for delivering defibrillating energy to the heart. The defibrillator is provided with two case-activating setscrew blocks isolated from two contacts. By tightening the first setscrew onto its contact, the can is activated and is positive for defibrillation. By tightening the second setscrew instead, the can is activated and is negative for defibrillation. Tightening neither setscrew maintains the inactive status of the can. By using this system, various electrode configurations can be used as required to provide the optimum system for a given patient. The defibrillator generator housing is preferably implanted in the left pectoral region proximate the heart with the conductive surface facing the heart.

Abstract: A defibrillator having a housing for enclosing and containing defibrillation pulse generator circuitry, particularly adapted to allow for ease of manufacture and use. At least one surface of the housing is electrically conductive and connected to the defibrillation pulse generator circuitry for delivering defibrillating energy to the heart. The defibrillator is provided with a case-activating lead connector cavity having two isolated conductive elements. By tightening a first setscrew onto a lead connector pin, an electrode of the lead becomes active. Tightening a second setscrew activates the can. Tightening both setscrews onto a plug pin activates the can alone. To use neither a lead in the case-activating port, nor an active can, only one setscrew may be tightened onto a conductive or nonconductive pin to plug the cavity without activating the can. By using this system, various electrode configurations can be used as required to provide the optimum system for a given patient.

Abstract: An epicardial defibrillation electrode having a wide insulating border which insulates the heart from the body is disclosed. The wide insulating border forces defibrillation current to flow through the heart without passing through surrounding tissues, thus increasing the current density throughout the heart, to depolarize the majority of the cardiac tissue with a minimum of energy. By increasing defibrillation efficacy in this way, the conductive surface area of each electrode can be decreased, thus allowing room for implantation of a plurality of conductive electrode portions for controlling energy delivery to the heart both spatially and temporally.

Abstract: An improved power meter for measuring the energy and wavelength of light emanating from an optical fiber. The meter is an integrating sphere having a source aperture for receiving the tip of an optical fiber and coupling the light from the tip into the sphere's central cavity. The source aperture is modified to include a sterilizable, liquid-fillable insert which mimics the optical environment within tissue. The sphere also has improved baffling and the sensitivity of wavelength verification is improved by means of a rotatable interference filter placed between an exit aperture and a light detector.