Abstract: The implant comprises a tubular body housing an energy harvesting module adapted to convert external stresses applied to the implant into electrical energy, by means of an inertial pendular unit comprising an elastically deformable element coupled to an inertial mass, as well as a rechargeable battery adapted to be recharged by the energy harvesting module, the battery being previously charged at an initial charge level. The accessory comprises an external source of electrical energy for the temporary storage of an electrical energy during the transportation and storage of the implant, the external source being physically separated from the implant. A temporary electrical coupling link from the external source to the implant rechargeable battery ensures a power supply of the rechargeable battery by the external source and hence maintains, during the whole transportation and storage duration before implantation, a battery charge level higher than a minimum predetermined level.

Abstract: The bending of the catheter is controlled from the handle by a variable tension exerted to a steering cable housed in an offset longitudinal notch of the catheter. The handle comprises: a body adapted to be held in hand by an operator; a piston, axially mobile in rotation and in translation inside the handle body; a first mechanism with a pulley for the winding of the steering cable and a lever for modifying in a controlled manner the tension of the cable and hence controlling the steering of the catheter; and a second mechanism comprising a member for holding a security wire and a member for adjusting the axial position of this wire with respect to the internal tube of the catheter, so as to keep the security wire in tight condition whatever the bend provided to the catheter by operation of the first mechanism.

Abstract: An energy harvester includes a pendular unit subjected with a piezoelectric beam coupled to an inertial mass. On the clamped side of the beam, a beam frame includes two pressing elements between which the beam is taken in sandwich, each including i) an intermediate part, an internal face of which presses on a corresponding face of the beam, and ii) a pressure plate, an internal face of which presses on an external face of the intermediate part, a printed circuit board being interposed between them. The intermediate parts and the pressure plates are passed through by at least one common transverse bore receiving a locking pin. The intermediate parts, the pressure plates and the pin are each massive metal parts ensuring a direct electrical and mechanical contact with the electrodes of the beam and with the printed circuit boards.

Abstract: A capsule includes a tubular body with, at its proximal end, a coupling member adapted to cooperate with a conjugated coupling member mounted at the distal end of a catheter of the implantation tool, for the transmission of a torque for the rotational driving of the capsule by the catheter. The coupling member of the tool includes a dihedral-shaped imprint, with two diverging arms in a V-arrangement, and the capsule coupling member includes a convex surface adapted to frictionally and slidingly urge against the diverging arms of the V-shape.

Abstract: The capsule includes a tubular body and a front-end unit including an anchoring member for the anchoring of the capsule to a wall of a patient's organ. The front-end unit is mobile in relative axial rotation with respect to the tubular body, and a disengageable coupling member is adapted to allow this relative rotation when the tubular body receives an external rotational stress, the anchoring member then exerting a reaction torque higher than a predetermined threshold torque, and to prevent the relative rotation in the absence of external rotational stress applied to the tubular body. The coupling member may in particular include, between the front-end unit and the tubular body, a friction interface, with an elastically deformable element applying an axial compression between a bearing face of the tubular body and a support ring integral with the anchoring member.

Abstract: An autonomous implantable capsule comprises a capsule body provided with an element for its anchoring to a patient's organ. An electronic unit is powered by an energy harvesting module provided with a pendular unit comprising an inertial mass coupled to an elastic piezoelectric beam forming a mechanical-electrical transducer for converting into electrical energy the oscillations of the beam. A mobile support, integral with the clamped end of the beam and mobile in axial rotation about the axis of the capsule body, can be directed by a controllable driver to adjust the angular position of the support so as to maximize the produced electrical power converted by the mechanical-electrical transducer.

Abstract: An energy harvester includes a pendular unit subjected with a piezoelectric beam coupled to an inertial mass. On the clamped side of the beam, a beam frame includes two pressing elements between which the beam is taken in sandwich, each including i) an intermediate part, an internal face of which presses on a corresponding face of the beam, and ii) a pressure plate, an internal face of which presses on an external face of the intermediate part, a printed circuit board being interposed between them. The intermediate parts and the pressure plates are passed through by at least one common transverse bore receiving a locking pin.

Abstract: The instrument includes a dual-wall deformable tube, with an inner sleeve, a coaxial outer sleeve, and an imaging module connected to the inner and outer sleeves. An array of transducers is carried by an outer face of the imaging module. The inner sleeve and the outer sleeve are mobile in relative axial translation between: a folded position in which the inner and outer sleeves both have a cylindrical shape, and in which the imaging module substantially extends in the continuation of the inner sleeve; and an expanded position, in which the inner sleeve has a cylindrical shape and the outer sleeve has a flared shape widening on the distal side and in which the imaging module substantially extends with the face that carries the transducers of the array turned in axial direction towards the front of the deformable tube.

Abstract: The device includes an energy harvesting module with a pendular unit formed of an elastically deformable piezoelectric beam associated with an inertial mass. A multifunction part includes an axial through-recess with inner bearing surfaces opposite respective outer faces of the beam. These bearing surfaces having an increasing transverse spacing, such as, during an oscillation cycle, the beam comes into contact with one of the bearing surfaces, hence reducing the free length of the beam as the bending of the latter goes along. The multifunction part also allows rationalizing the manufacturing and the assembly of the capsule, with high-level integration of the inner components of the implant.

Abstract: A steerable catheter comprises a mobile tube and an intermediate tube, coaxial with each other, which extend from a proximal end to a distal end of the catheter and are telescopically mounted into each other with possibility of mutual rotation and axial translation. The mobile tube comprises a central lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end. The intermediate tube comprises, along its whole length, a longitudinal notch radially offset in a direction of offset with respect to the axis of the steerable catheter and extending axially from the proximal end to the distal end. The longitudinal notch contains a cable adapted to undergo a traction exerted from the proximal end, the traction generating a bending of the steerable catheter directed towards the offset direction. The steerable catheter further comprises around the intermediate tube a sealed external sheath surrounding the intermediate tube over its periphery and covering the longitudinal notch over its length.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a communication amplification device for an implantable capsule, in particular for an autonomous cardiac stimulation capsule. The amplification device comprises a first holding element and a second element configured to hold the implantable capsule. The first holding element is configured to receive the distal end of the capsule and the second holding element is configured to receive the proximal end of the capsule. The first holding element comprises a communication amplification antenna configured to couple to a distal electrode of the capsule.

Abstract: An implantation accessory for an intracardiac capsule includes a catheter with a catheter body and a tubular protection tip disposed at a distal end of the catheter body. The tubular protection tip includes a flexible portion disposed between a base portion structured to couple the tubular protection tip to the catheter body and a cylindrical portion structured to house the intracardiac capsule.

Abstract: A hybrid system forming an active implantable medical device includes a subcutaneous autonomous capsule and at least one intracorporeal autonomous leadless capsule. The subcutaneous capsule is a hybrid capsule having a seal body of dimensions comparable to those of a leadless capsule, but extended by a detection/stimulation microlead, without any intermediate connector. The leadless capsule includes a seal body, anchoring means in a wall of an organ and a detection/stimulation electrode. The hybrid capsule and the leadless capsules each include transmitter/receiver means for intracorporeal mutual wireless communication so as to constitute a network wherein the hybrid capsule is the master and leadless capsules are the slaves. The hybrid capsule further includes means for centralizing data transmitted by the leadless capsules and for exchanging data with remote external equipment.

Abstract: An autonomous capsule includes a tubular body provided at its distal end with an anchoring screw, and in its proximal region of a capture groove. An explantation accessory includes a reinforced catheter combined with a flexible wire which can slide in the catheter and has a deformable loop which can be clamped by gradual introduction of its ends in the catheter under the effect of a traction exerted on the wire. During tightening, the capture groove receives the wire loop, allowing, after complete tightening, to secure in tension and rotation an assembly formed by the catheter, the capsule, and the wire. The reinforced catheter is then used to transmit a tensile force and an axial torque from its proximal end to its distal end, allowing safe unscrewing of the capsule and its extraction through the patient venous network.

Abstract: This accessory comprises a remotely steerable catheter (40) extended by a tip (50) comprising a base (52) to which the catheter (40) connects to and a cylindrical portion (54) defining a volume (56) suitable for housing the capsule (10). A sub-catheter (30) and the capsule are telescopically extendable with respect to the catheter between i) a retracted position and a deployed position wherein the capsule is removed from the connector and is carried by the distal end of the sub-catheter, and the distal end of sub-catheter and the proximal region (18) of the capsule being provided with disconnectable means of attachment (20, 36). The tip presents, between its base (52) and its cylindrical portion (54), a flexible portion (58) providing, between the base and the cylindrical portion, an elastic deformability in bending and compression.

Abstract: The bending of the catheter is controlled from the handle by a variable tension exerted to a steering cable housed in an offset longitudinal notch of the catheter. The handle comprises: a body adapted to be held in hand by an operator; a piston, axially mobile in rotation and in translation inside the handle body; a first mechanism with a pulley for the winding of the steering cable and a lever for modifying in a controlled manner the tension of the cable and hence controlling the steering of the catheter; and a second mechanism comprising a member for holding a security wire and a member for adjusting the axial position of this wire with respect to the internal tube of the catheter, so as to keep the security wire in tight condition whatever the bend provided to the catheter by operation of the first mechanism.

Abstract: The implantable medical device comprises an elongated composite tubular body comprising a tubular part made of a biocompatible and RF wave permeable dielectric material and a tubular part made of a biocompatible metallic material. The dielectric tubular part and the metallic tubular part are arranged end-to-end at their interface against the respective planar end faces thereof, without being fit into each other. The interface comprises a planar brazing sealing to each other the two opposite respective planar end faces of the dielectric material tubular part and of the metallic material tubular part. With a dielectric material that is a high-purity alumina ceramic and a metallic material that is titanium, the brazing is obtained by gold brazing on a Ti—Nb primer metallization layer deposited on the planar end face of the dielectric material tubular part.

Abstract: This system includes a conductor microcable and an insulating microcatheter, including a hollow tube housing the microcable with the possibility of relative axial translation therebetween. The microcatheter is suitable for permanent implantation. The microcatheter, in its distal portion, includes at least one lateral window formed by a through orifice formed on the wall of the hollow tube. The window forms a stimulation site defined on the wall of the target vein facing the window of the microcatheter, and provides for a region of the microcable surface located at the window to form a stimulation electrode. In its distal portion, the microcable is not isolated at least in the region of the window of the microcatheter. The microcatheter is telescopically moveable on the microcable, so as to modify the position of the stimulation site of the target vein.

Abstract: An autonomous implantable capsule comprises a capsule body provided with an element for its anchoring to a patient's organ. An electronic unit is powered by an energy harvesting module provided with a pendular unit comprising an inertial mass coupled to an elastic piezoelectric beam forming a mechanical-electrical transducer for converting into electrical energy the oscillations of the beam. A mobile support, integral with the clamped end of the beam and mobile in axial rotation about the axis of the capsule body, can be directed by a controllable driver to adjust the angular position of the support so as to maximize the produced electrical power converted by the mechanical-electrical transducer.

Abstract: A steerable catheter comprises a mobile tube and an intermediate tube, coaxial with each other, which extend from a proximal end to a distal end of the catheter and are telescopically mounted into each other with possibility of mutual rotation and axial translation. The mobile tube comprises a central lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end. The intermediate tube comprises, along its whole length, a longitudinal notch radially offset in a direction of offset with respect to the axis of the steerable catheter and extending axially from the proximal end to the distal end. The longitudinal notch contains a cable adapted to undergo a traction exerted from the proximal end, the traction generating a bending of the steerable catheter directed towards the offset direction. The steerable catheter further comprises around the intermediate tube a sealed external sheath surrounding the intermediate tube over its periphery and covering the longitudinal notch over its length.