Abstract: An electrically active medical implant has a circuit (5), at least one first battery (1) to supply low current, and a second battery (2) to supply high current into the circuit (5), and a control device (4) designed to disconnect the at least one first battery (1) from circuit (5), and to connect second battery (2) to circuit (5), where a capacitor (3) connected in a parallel arrangement with battery (1), where the capacitor can be charged by the first battery both during a first circuit status, during which the first battery is connected to circuit (5), and during a second circuit status, during which circuit (5) is connected only to second battery (2), where control device (4) again disconnects second battery (2) from circuit (5) at the end of the second circuit status, and connects the parallel arrangement consisting of first battery (1) and capacitor (3) to circuit (5) for further energy supply.

Abstract: The invention concerns an implantable stent (10) with an at least portion-wise polymeric coating (16). The coating material is admittedly intended to bond to known materials but by virtue of its properties it is intended to enjoy improved compatibility and reduce inflammatory and proliferative processes which can lead to restenosis. That is achieved in that the polymeric coating (16) in the implantable condition after production and sterilization contains poly-L-lactide of a mean molecular weight of more than 200 kDa.

Abstract: A device for the therapy of supraventricular and ventricular bradycardial and tachycardial disrhythmias and/or for influencing the heart pumping force, including: electrodes for electrical and/or magnetic stimulation of parasympathetic nerves which innervate the sinus node, the atria, the atrioventricular node or the ventricles; electrodes for electrical and/or magnetic stimulation of the atria and ventricles and/or for ventricular cardioversion/defibrillation; a device for producing electrical and/or magnetic stimulation pulses which are passed to the electrodes; and a device for detecting the rate at which the human atria and ventricles beat, wherein said device measures atrial and ventricular contractions.

Abstract: A guide wire (1) is provided which can be introduced intravascularly and which is used for implanting a catheter in a heart with an electrode (2, 5). In that arrangement, the guide wire (1) is first used as a temporary electrode (2, 5) for stimulating, defibrillating and/or sensing the heart in order to determine the optimum implantation position for the catheter to be introduced. When that optimum position is determined, the guide wire (1) is left at that position and the catheter is introduced along the guide wire (1) to the ascertained position and implanted. Once the catheter is implanted, the guide wire (1) is removed.

Abstract: An apparatus for the automatic performance of diagnostic and/or therapeutic actions in body cavities is provided with a base control unit, which is to be arranged extracorporally, and with a catheter-type actuator, which is coupled therewith and which is insertable in the corresponding body cavity and which, in the vicinity of its distal end, is provided with a diagnostically active detection equipment and/or a therapeutically active treatment equipment, and which, at least in the vicinity of its distal end, is provided with an actuation mechanism, which is triggered by the base control unit, for advance and/or twist and turn control of the actuator.

Abstract: A method for the predictive calculation of a cardiac signal course incorporates the following process steps: scanning of the time progression of a cardiac signal during a certain scanning period, calculation of model coefficients according to the method of autoregressive modeling from the scanning values of the scanning period, predictive calculation of anticipated signal values following the scanning period during a prediction period according to the method of autoregressive modeling based on the scanning values and model coefficients, with the signal values calculated iteratively, in each case by entering the last predicted signal value as the last scanning value during the autoregressive modeling.

Abstract: An ablation device for cardiac tissue, especially for forming a circular lesion around a vessel orifice in the heart, comprises a steerable catheter that is provided in the region of its distal end with an abutment device for holding the distal end of the catheter on a cardiac vessel orifice; and a linear ablation applicator that is disposed distally or proximally relative to the abutment device of the catheter and can be brought from a straight passive position into a radially expanded, approximately circular-arc-type encircling ablation position.

Abstract: A signal evaluation method for detecting QRS complexes in electrocardiogram signals incorporates the following process steps: sampling of the signal (4) and conversion to discrete signal values (x(n)) in chronological order, determining the sign of each signal value (x(n)), continuous checking of the signs of consecutive signal values (x(n)) for the presence of a zero crossing between two consecutive signal values (x(n)), determining the number (D(n)) of zero crossings in a defined segment (N) of the consecutive signal values (x(n)), and comparing the determined number of zero crossings (D(n)) to a defined threshold value, wherein an undershoot of the threshold value signifying the presence of a QRS complex (5, 6, 7) in the defined segment of the signal curve (4).

Abstract: A method of after-care in relation to patients with at least one electromedical implant. Data is transmitted from the implant to an external apparatus providing information for an examining clinician on the occasion of an after-care examination of the patient in an after-care arrangement. In an after-care interrogation up-to-date available data of the implant are interrogated and sent for output to corresponding output means, the data interrogation operation being effected prior to the after-care examination automatically after the patient enters an interrogation region of the after-care arrangement.

Abstract: The invention concerns a pacemaker (52) designed for emitting stimulation impulses to an atrium (20) of a heart (22), with a connection for an atrial electrode wire (14) for emitting electrical impulses to the atrium (20), with an atrial stimulation impulse generator (24) that can be connected to the electrode wire (14) and is designed to generate atrial stimulation impulses that are to be emitted over an electrode wire, with a control unit (38) that is connected to the atrial stimulation impulse generator (24) and designed to trigger the stimulation impulse generator (24) in order to generate and emit atrial stimulation impulses, wherein the control unit (38) is designed in an AF-prevention mode that triggers the stimulation impulse generator (24) in order to generate a stimulation impulse sequence that is suitable for preventing atrial fibrillation (AF).

Abstract: The invention concerns a stent, in particular a coronary stent, comprising a tubular portion, wherein openings are provided in the tubular portion. The invention is distinguished in that the openings provided in the tubular portion of the stent are of a substantially T-shaped configuration.

Abstract: An electrode arrangement is provided having an electrode line which has a closed casing for sealing off its interior relative to the surrounding area. At its distal end, electrically conducting surface regions serve as electrodes. A fixing mechanism anchors the distal end in a body tissue, in particular heart tissue and is adapted to be separable from the rest of the electrode line in such a way that the rest of the electrode line is also closed at its distal end when the fixing mechanism is separated off. The interior of the electrode line is sealed off relative to the surrounding area even when the fixing element is separated off. The electrode arrangement is characterized by a mechanism for separating off the fixing mechanism, which is adapted to effect separation by virtue of forces acting axially within the electrode line.

Abstract: The invention is based on the notion of providing a device for implanting catheters, which has a tube with a wall and a wire. In that case the tube is intended to be introduced into a body so that at least one catheter can be inserted for implantation through the tube. The wall of the tube has an inside surface and an outside surface. The wire is preferably fixed at its first end in the region of the proximal end of the tube to the inside surface or the outside surface of the wall and the wire is guided in the proximity of that surface along the longitudinal direction of the tube from the proximal end of the tube to the distal end thereof and is then returned in the proximity of the respective other surface of the wall along the longitudinal direction from the distal end of the tube to the proximal end thereof.

Abstract: A polymer material, in particular for a medical instrument such as a balloon catheter, is provided. The polymer material comprising a combination at least of a first constituent comprising a partly crystalline polymer and a second constituent for increasing the flexibility of the material, wherein the polymer material is in the form of a polymer alloy, and wherein the first constituent is formed of a polyamide or a polyether block amide and the second constituent is formed at least partly by a thermoplastic elastomer based on polystyrene (TPE-S). A process for producing the polymer material and a medical device incorporating the polymer material are also provided.

Abstract: A stent, in particular a coronary stent, has at least one first tubular portion, and at least one second tubular portion. The first and second tubular portions are connected together by at least one first connecting means. The stent is distinguished in that the at least one first connecting means is in the form of a double bar.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing physiological signals, which includes a signal pick-up unit for picking up physiological measurement signals, in particular for picking up electrical signals of a heart, and first detection means which are connected to the signal pick-up unit and include signal processing means such as a filter and a first threshold value store and a comparison unit which is connected thereto and which is adapted to output a first marker signal if the amplitude of the measurement signal exceeds a threshold value stored in the first threshold value store, second detection means which are connected to the signal pick-up unit and include a second threshold value store and a second comparison unit which is connected thereto and which is adapted to output a second marker signal if the amplitude of the measurement signal exceeds a threshold value stored in the second threshold value store, and an evaluation unit which is connected to the first and second detection means for taking over a respective serie

Abstract: An operating method for an implantable cardiologic device comprises the following steps for detection of a significant event or condition a patient is subject to: measurement of intracardiac impedance; detection of the morphologic signal course of the impedance, based on at least two morphologically representative parameters of the signal course; continuous storage of the parameter data from a defined measuring period; computation of a correlation coefficient for the stored parameter data; and comparison of the correlation coefficient with a reference correlation coefficient, with transgression of a defined deviation of the correlation coefficient from the reference correlation coefficient indicating the presence of a significant event.

Abstract: The invention concerns a rate-adaptive cardiac pacemaker which has a detection unit 1, an event-determining unit 2, a stimulation control unit 3 and a stimulation unit 11, wherein the event-determining unit 2 is connected to the detection unit 1 and the stimulation control unit 3 and the stimulation unit 11 is connected to the stimulation control unit 3. The detection unit 1 detects ECG signals of a heart 100 and the event-determining unit 2, on the basis of the ECG signals detected by the detection unit 1 and signals emitted by the stimulation control unit 3, determines whether a detected event represents a spontaneous or a stimulated event (Ap, As; AES, Vp, Vs, VES).

Abstract: The invention concerns a sensor for obtaining information about the state of an organism for a medical therapy apparatus, preferably for a therapy apparatus for the electrostimulation or other treatment of the heart. The invention is distinguished by at least one sensor element for detecting molecular-genetic information. The invention further concerns a medical therapy apparatus having a sensor of that kind.

Abstract: A cardiological device having a sensor, adapted to pick up at least one cardiac signal, and a signal processor including a first detector connected to the sensor, adapted to detect an individual signal or a feature parameter of the cardiac signal, wherein the signal processor further includes an averager connected to the first detector, for forming an average over a plurality of values of the feature parameter or over a plurality of individual signals, a second detector connected to the sensor, adapted to detect cardiological events, in particular extrasystoles, and a first comparator that is connected to the second detector, the averager and the first detector and which are adapted to determine a deviation of a feature parameter or individual signal ascertained in immediate time relationship with an event such as an extrasystole, from the corresponding average.