Abstract: The irrigation system comprises a reservoir (1) for irrigating liquid, a probe (3) for arrangement in a user, conduit means (6,7,10,11) for conducting the irrigating fluid from the reservoir to the probe, and a fixation member (5) for fixation of the probe in the user. Pumping means (9) are provided for pumping gas into the reservoir (1) to transfer the irrigating liquid from the reservoir to the probe (3). The fixation member includes an inflatable cuff (5), and the system includes a control unit (8) which may be set in at least a cuff inflating position and a liquid transferring position.

Abstract: A kit for preparing a medical catheter from catheter sections comprises a tubular protective member surrounding a first, proximal one of the catheter sections. The kit further comprises a joint for interconnecting the catheter sections, the joint defining a substantially liquid tight seal at one end of a substantially annular and longitudinally extending cavity provided between the proximal end portion of the first catheter section and an inner wall of the tubular protective member. Following removal of the tubular protective member, one of the catheter sections is exposed and ready for insertion into the urethra.

Abstract: A device for urinary catheterization including an oblong member for opening the human bladder and a guide member for manipulating the oblong member. The guide member may be provided in a bent configuration, e.g. being curled or folded, such that the size of the device is small in comparison with the size of known catheters, especially in comparison with existing catheters for male users.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for treating urinary incontinence in women.

Abstract: Electrodes include a coating that provides a barrier to fluids and ions within a biological environment. The coating increases the overpotential of the electrode. The coating permits the introduction and use of the electrodes into biological environments without the detrimental complications of electro-chemical reactions typically present with the use of metal and metal-alloy electrodes in such environments.

Abstract: An external programmer module adapted for physical and electrical connection to existing clinical monitoring and/or therapy instrumentation is provided for achieving bi-directional communication with an implantable medical device (IMD). The programmer module includes telemetry circuitry necessary for communicating with an IMD and a connector that allows electrical connection to a clinical instrument such as a patient monitor or external defibrillator. The connector is adapted to connect the programmer module with the power supply of the clinical instrument and may connect the programmer module with one or more features or subsystems of the clinical instrument, such as, a central processing system, a printer, an electronic storage medium, a user interface, a communications interface, or graphical display.

Abstract: A medical device having electrically conductive properties includes an electrically conductive member. The electrically conductive member has an anti-antenna geometrical shape. The anti-antenna geometrical shaped electrically conductive member is shaped such that currents induced in the anti-antenna geometrical shaped electrically conductive member, by radio frequency fields, offset currents induced in the medical device by the radio frequency fields.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and method for monitoring for sleep disordered breathing or other types of disordered breathing such as Cheyne-Stokes breathing. More specifically, a device and method for detecting disordered breathing is provided that monitors a physiological parameter, which becomes cyclical due to apnea-hyperpnea (or arousal) alternation and provides the basis for the determination of a number of breathing disorder metrics.

Abstract: Waveforms are digitally sampled and compressed for storage in memory. The compression of the data includes generating a truncated entropy encoding map and using the values within the map to obtain good compression. An encoder further sub-selects values to be encoded and values to remain unencoded to provide an overall compression of the data.

Abstract: Methods of implanting at least one lead for a cardio defibrillator using body surface potential (BSP) electrodes are disclosed. The methods may include installing defibrillation electrodes in a patient, attaching at least three BSP electrodes to the patient's skin, creating a potential difference between the defibrillation electrodes, and measuring the resulting body surface potential at the three BSP electrodes. Once the resulting BSP is measured, the methods may include determining the amplitude of a resultant vector formed by the measured BSP potential differences. The location of a defibrillation electrode may then be manipulated to increase the amplitude of the resultant vector formed by the measured BSP potential differences.

Abstract: A sectional interconnect ribbon for use in a connector assembly for an implantable medical device is formed of two ore more separately-formed sections which are mechanically joined together to form an integral assembly. The sectional interconnect ribbon, as well as at least one connection element, is embedded within the connector assembly.

Abstract: An implantable medical device (IMD) includes both evoked response and algorithmic based threshold testing methodologies. The leads used with the IMD are evaluated to determine whether they are high or low polarization. The evoked response methodology is only utilized if the leads are low polarization.

Abstract: An implantable medical device (IMD) communicates with an external processing unit by transmitting device data and configuration information that describes the device data. The external processing unit processes the device data for display based on the configuration information. The IMD notifies the external processing unit of a change to characteristics of the device data by transmitting the changed device data and updated configuration information.

Abstract: A mechanical response of an implantable medical device (IMD) to a first static magnetic field and a first gradient magnetic field slew rate is simulated by exposing the IMD to a second static magnetic field having a magnitude greater than the first static magnetic field and generating a second gradient magnetic field at the IMD such that a product of the second static magnetic field and a second gradient magnetic field slew rate is substantially equal to a product of the first static magnetic field and the first gradient magnetic field slew rate.

Abstract: An implantable medical device operates to promote intrinsic ventricular depolarization according to a pacing protocol. The medical device monitors the number of attempts made to promote intrinsic conduction in comparison with the number of successful cardiac cycles to determine an efficiency value.

Abstract: The invention is directed to rate control techniques for implantable pulse generator (IPG) systems. The techniques make use of a plurality of timing intervals that may replace conventional rate control and allow “double-pacing” pulses to be delivered in certain instances. For example, a second pulse, i.e., a “double-pacing” pulse, may delivered within a first time interval relative to delivery of the first pulse. However, the second pulse is not allowed once the first time interval has elapsed, if a second time interval has not also elapsed. If the second pulse is delivered during the first time interval, then the second time interval is restarted and another pulse cannot be delivered until the restarted second time interval has elapsed.

Abstract: A method and system facilitates the access by a patient of implanted medical device related data for patient participation in their own clinical care and therapy. In an example embodiment, the method includes establishing a communications link between an implanted medical device and a data processor via an implanted medical device interface. Access to a secured database is obtained via the implanted device data processor using a set of patient identification data. A query is then submitted via the data processor to the secured database in response to input patient diagnostic data. Data received from the secured database is then displayed for use in a patient evaluation.

Abstract: Polarization signals, which represent voltages measured at a pacemaker electrode, are not constant and may drift. Polarization signal drift, which often precedes undesirable pace polarization artifacts, is more significant when the pacemaker is inhibited from providing an electrical stimulation to the patient's heart. The present invention provides an implantable system and methods for stabilization of a polarization signal. Electrical pulses may be applied to stabilize a polarization signal. In one implementation of the invention, polarization signal stabilization may be used as part of process to terminate tachycardia.

Abstract: A medical device is configured to attenuate emission of electromagnetic radiation and comprises a housing, a circuit assembly mounted in the housing, and a panel coupled to the housing and to the circuit assembly. The panel comprises a first conductive region on an interior surface of the panel that is configured to be capacitively coupled to the ground, an opening substantially adjacent to the first conductive region, a second conductive region on the interior surface that is configured to be coupled to ground, and a non-conductive region on the interior surface between the first conductive region and the second conductive region.

Abstract: An implantable medical device, such as a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator, uses digital signal processing channels to process sensed time varying signals representing cardiac activity. Each digital signal processing channels includes a sigma-Delta analog-to-digital converter. The clock rate of each sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter is controlled as a function of a signal detection threshold for its respective digital signal processing channel. For higher threshold levels, a reduced clock rate for the sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter results in reduced power consumption and longer battery life.