Abstract: Device for classifying tachyarrhythmia that obtains pre-defined values, monitors atrial intervals and compares lengths of each interval with pre-defined value IL, stores length of atrial interval if length is shorter than IL, in case X of most recent Y number of atrial intervals have length shorter than IL, evaluates most recent <=N atrial intervals with length <IL and performs test for stored lengths via criteria, classifies atrial tachyarrhythmia as stable if all tested lengths pass >=1 criteria, and controls a cardiac device depending on the classification. Atrial intervals are first evaluated by using the “X-out-of-Y” criterion and subsequently checked for stability after an atrial tachyarrhythmia is detected using “X-out-of-Y” criterion. For stability check, only intervals found shorter than the interval limit are used. Check is based on interval-to-interval comparison rather than as generally practiced, comparisons of individual intervals with the minimum or average of all intervals.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulator having an at least partially electrically conductive housing, a ventricular stimulation unit connectable to left ventricular or right ventricular stimulation electrode and designed to generate ventricular stimulation pulses for stimulation of heart ventricle, having terminal for right ventricular defibrillation electrode. Has far-field electrogram detection unit (FFEDU) and stimulation success detecting unit (SSDU), of which FFEDU has first input connected to the terminal for right ventricular defibrillation electrode and second input connected to housing. FFEDU detects far-field electrocardiogram based on electric potentials applied to inputs and deliver these potentials to SSDU.

Abstract: A heart monitor for processing input signals that represent periodically reoccurring events in a sequence of heart cycles. According to the invention graphical data representing a scatter plot of at least two dimensions, one dimension representing interval duration or its inverse and the other dimension representing change of duration or its inverse, respectively, are generated. The scatter plot comprises data points of which each data point represents heart interval duration or its inverse plotted against the change of duration with respect to a neighboring interval or the inverse of said change respectively.

Abstract: A medical device and a method is suggested for assessing the risk of R on T events. The device comprises a memory, input means for acquiring or receiving an electrogram signal and processing means. The processing means are adapted to detect R-wave and T-waves represented by said electrogram, establish a QT-RR regression model based detected R-waves and T-waves, estimate a vulnerable period, and store estimated vulnerable period data in said memory. Likewise, the method comprises the steps of to detecting R-wave and T-waves represented by an electrogram, establishing a QT-RR regression model based detected R-waves and T-waves, estimating a vulnerable period, and storing estimated vulnerable period data.

Abstract: An implantable shock electrode line having a proximal terminal for connection to an implantable defibrillator, an elongated flexible line body, and a shock electrode and a drug delivery device arranged at or near the distal end of the line body. A drug depot connected to the drug delivery device is provided in the shock electrode line, and the terminal is designed as a purely electric standard terminal. The drug delivery device is designed for control by an electric pulse transmitted over the electric terminal to the shock electrode line.

Abstract: Heart monitoring apparatus with sensing stage connectable to intracardiac electrode picking up electric potentials and adapted to process electric signals representing a time course of said potentials, a mechanical action detection stage adapted to generate a geometry signal having a time course reflecting heart chamber's geometry change, an evaluation unit connected to sensing stage and impedance measuring stage and adapted to determine a first and second fiducial point in the time course of said potentials and geometry signal, respectively, both fiducial points belonging to same heart cycle, and to determine a measured time delay between said fiducial points. Evaluation unit adapted to repeat said determined time delay to determine plurality of measured time delays and variance thereof or divergence of the statistical properties of cycle times based on said time course of said electric potentials versus cycle times based on said time course reflecting a change of a heart chamber's geometry.

Abstract: A method of making a wireless communication connection between a patient device and an electromedical implant as communication partners is disclosed, wherein a transmitting unit of the patient device is continually switched on and off, so that the transmitting unit is alternately in an activity phase and an activity pause and during its activity pause at least once sends a recognition signal and wherein a receiving unit of the electromedical implant is continually switched on and off so that the receiving unit is alternately in an activity phase and an activity pause and during its activity phase checks whether the transmitting unit is just then in its activity phase and sends a recognition signal, wherein switching on and off of the receiving unit is so effected that an activity phase and an activity pause of the receiving unit together give an overall duration which differs from the overall duration of an activity phase and an activity pause of the transmitting unit so that within a foreseeable period of ti

Abstract: Implantable cardiac stimulator, with chamber stimulation unit connectable to left/right ventricular stimulation electrode to generate/deliver chamber stimulation pulses for stimulation of ventricle; ventricular sensing unit (VSU) to detect respective chamber contraction and deliver ventricular sensing signal when chamber contraction detected; optional atrial stimulation unit, connectable to atrial stimulation electrode to generate atrial stimulation pulses to stimulate atrium; atrial sensing unit, to detect atrial contraction, deliver atrial sensing signal indicating respective atrial event; tachycardia detection unit, connected to VSU to detect and categorize ventricular/supraventricular tachycardia; treatment control unit (TCU), triggers chamber stimulation unit to deliver antitachycardiac stimulation (ATP); analyzer unit, connected to atrial sensing unit and TCU.

Abstract: The invention relates to a remotely-programmable personal device, in particular a programmable implantable medical device, such as a cardiac pacemaker, a defibrillator, a cardioverter, or the like. In addition, the invention relates to a configuration for the remote programming of such a personal medical device and a method for remotely programming a programmable personal device.

Abstract: A new hermetically-sealed contact feedthrough for cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators for the connection between internal device electronics and external components, a flat ceramic disk (1) being used as an insulating main carrier, in which openings (3) are situated, into which various electrode embodiments (4, 5, 6, 7) may be inserted as through contacts. Using a metal flange or metal-plated vapor deposition zone (2), the ceramic disk may be soldered directly onto the implant housing (11). In addition, active and passive auxiliary components (8) may be applied directly to the ceramic. The main carrier may be implemented as a multilayer ceramic (9), so that rewiring levels and shielding components (10) may be integrated in the feedthrough. The feedthrough according to the present invention allows novel construction variants, above all things having orientation to multipolar systems, through use of standardized ceramic semifinished products.

Abstract: Implantable medical device with an impedance determination unit with constant current/voltage source having current feed terminals connected to electrodes for intracorporal placement which generates measuring current pulses having constant current/voltage, for causing a current through a body via intracorporally placed electrodes, a measuring unit for measuring voltage/current strength of voltage/current fed through body, an impedance value determination unit connected to the current/voltage source and adapted to determine an impedance value for each measuring current pulse, and an impedance measuring control and evaluation unit connected to the impedance determination unit which controls the unit and evaluates a sequence of consecutive impedance values, the impedance determination unit further adapted to determine at least intrathoracic and intracardiac impedance values for same period of time, the intrathoracic values sampled with a lower sampling rate than the intracardiac values.

Abstract: A battery-powered electrical device is disclosed, which may be implemented as an implantable medical device, wherein the device contains at least one battery voltage monitoring unit which is designed to monitor a voltage profile at a battery during the charging of a capacitor, via a transformer in a charging circuit, and which on the basis of the voltage characteristic is able to specify a magnetic presaturation of the transformer, and one control unit which terminates the charging process whenever a predefined threshold value for the magnetic presaturation of the transformer is exceeded.

Abstract: Allows the specificity of an automatic MRT detection to be increased in a simple manner. This is achieved using an automatically calibrating position sensor, so that the user does not have to perform additional calibration of this sensor. Incorrect sensor calibrations are thus eliminated as well.

Abstract: A device and a method for working in the presence of electromagnetic fields, in particular fields occurring in magnetic resonance tomography (referred to below as “MRT” or “MRI”) imaging devices. More precisely, the invention relates to a medical device (MD) in which an electrode is in contact with bodily tissue, and for detection of electromagnetic interference fields the input characteristic of the MD is automatically modified by a switching device in such a way that the influences of the electromagnetic interference fields are minimized.

Abstract: A device and a method for working with electromagnetic fields, specifically those fields that occur in image-guided nuclear spin tomography examinations (MRT or MRI). More precisely, the invention concerns an at least partially implanted medical device (IMD) that permits the delivery of electrical stimulation impulses by an electrode only in timeframes, in which no electromagnetic interferences are recognized and/or the control unit performs a reconstruction of electrical measurements for the timeframes in which electromagnetic interferences are recognized.

Abstract: A device and a method for working in the presence of electromagnetic fields, in particular fields occurring in cautery applications. Also relates to a partially implanted medical device (IMD), having a unit for detecting electromagnetic interference fields, at least one control unit, a timer, and a detection unit for electrical measured variables and/or a stimulation unit, at least one electrode line having an electrode at one end which is brought into contact with bodily tissue, and which either extends inside the body and/or is situated on the surface of an implant, wherein when nonphysiological signals and/or electromagnetic interference fields are detected and the unit for electromagnetic interference fields evaluates the detected signals as nonphysiological signals for a first specifiable time period, and/or for a second specified time period the stimulation unit is placed in an asynchronous operating state in which the wearer of the IMD is asynchronously stimulated.

Abstract: A device and a method for recognizing electromagnetic fields, specifically those fields that occur in image-guided nuclear spin tomography examinations (hereinafter MRT or MRI). In particular, it relates to an implantable medical device (IMD) containing a unit for detecting MRT activity, whereby the unit for the detection of MRT activity consists of at least one vibration transducer that transforms vibrations and/or oscillations caused by an MRT device into an electrical or optical signal and the unit for detecting MRT activity recognizes an MRT activity because of this signal.

Abstract: Device and method for detecting electromagnetic fields occurring in imaging magnetic resonance tomography MRT/MRI tests. Relates to an implantable medical device (IMD) comprising a hermetically sealed housing, control unit(s), detection unit(s) for MRT interference fields connected/connectable to control unit(s) and to electrode(s) and/or to antenna(s) and/or coil(s), wherein the MRT interference detection unit contains at least one electro-optical converter which converts induced voltages from the electrode(s) and/or the antenna(s) and/or the coil(s) to optical signals, which are optically transmitted in a potential-free manner within the detection unit for MRT interference fields to an evaluation unit for the detection unit for MRT interference fields, and when a threshold for the optical signal and/or a predetermined periodic occurrence of the optical signals is exceeded, the evaluation unit triggers switching to an MRI-safe state or transmits a corresponding signal to the control unit(s).

Abstract: A device and a method are disclosed for detecting electromagnetic fields, in particular, fields occurring in magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests. An implantable medical device (IMD), contained in a hermetically sealed housing, includes a control unit, a programming coil, and a communication unit, wherein the communication unit, together with the programming coil, is designed to allow communication between an external programming device and the IMD by utilizing alternating electromagnetic fields, and further comprising a detection unit for MRT interference fields, characterized in that the detection unit is designed in such a way that voltage profiles induced in the programming coil and originating from a pulsed alternating electromagnetic field of the MRT (gradient field) are detected, and a corresponding MRT detection signal is transmitted from the detection unit to the control unit, if communication with a programming device is not detected at the same time.

Abstract: A device and a method for handling and withstanding electromagnetic fields, specifically such fields as occur in magnetic resonance tomography examinations (i.e., MRT or MRI). This refers in particular to an IMD that can transmit data and/or parameters to an MRT device.