Abstract: A rate-adaptive pacemaker includes an impedance measuring device for measuring a waveform over time of the intracardial impedance over at least a predetermined portion of one cardiac cycle. An impedance processing device obtains an impedance value from the waveform. A rate determining device is connected downstream of the impedance processing device, and controlled by a sequence controller, determines the adaptive stimulation rate (HR) using the impedance value. The impedance processing device has an integrator stage for determining the time integral of the impedance waveform over the predetermined portion of the cardiac cycle as the primary impedance value.

Abstract: A highly integrated electronic circuit is provided with a flexible substrate which has a component side and an insulating bottom side as well as with an arrangement, corresponding to the circuit function, of active and passive electronic components. These are mounted on bond pads of the substrate and connected by strip conductors, corresponding to the circuit function. The substrate is folded along a fold portion so that the sections of the substrate, which are on both sides of the fold portion and equipped with components, are approximately parallel and close to each other.

Abstract: A pacing electrode arrangement for stimulating the heart by means of an implantable pacemaker, comprising a first pacing electrode arranged in the vena cava superior and a second pacing electrode arranged in either the atrium, or a blood vessel near the heart other than the vena cava superior, or arranged at a distance from the heart, whereby the first and the second pacing electrode essentially enclose between them a predetermined, central region of the cardiac stimulus generating and conduction system.

Abstract: In an apparatus for determining the AV transmission time or AV delay in the heart, the apparatus having a signal-sensor arrangement that is disposed in the heart and detects a natural cardiac action, further having at least one signal output and a processing unit that has at least one signal input that is connected to the signal output of the signal-sensor arrangement for calculating the natural AV transmission time based on the detected cardiac action, the signal-receiver arrangement includes a pressure-sensor arrangement that is disposed in the vicinity of the tricuspid valve in the right atrium and/or in the right ventricle for detecting intracardial pressure changes associated with the opening of the tricuspid valve.

Abstract: A stent, particularly a coronary stent, which includes at least one thin-walled, tubular body (2), the surface (1) of which is divided into strap-like, expandable elements (4,4′,4″,4′″,4″″) extending in the longitudinal direction of the stent and expandable in the circumferential direction thereof and, which elements are linked by at least one joining strap (6,6′). Two expandable elements (4,4′,4″,4′″,4″″) are juxtaposed in the circumferential direction of the stent and, by means of an end attachment (8), with the end face (4.4′) of an expandable element (4,4′,4″,4′″,4″″) adjoining in the longitudinal direction of the stent. The surface (1) in the non-expanded condition is substantially free of apertures and is divided by partition lines (3), which have a considerably smaller width compared with the strap width of the expandable elements (4,4′,4″,4′″,4″″).

Abstract: A self-calibrating adaptive-rate cardiac pacemaker having a measuring and processing device for measuring the course over time of a physiological variable over a predetermined portion of a heart cycle and for obtaining a course parameter from the course over time, a stimulation parameter determining device downstream of the measuring and processing device and controlled by a sequence controller for determining a stimulation parameter value, in particular the adaptive stimulation rate, a body sensor connected to one input of the stimulation parameter determining device, for detecting an exertion variable, whose signal is used jointly with the course parameter to determine the stimulation parameter value, and a stimulator unit for generating and outputting stimulation pulses at the determined stimulation parameter value.

Abstract: An implantable stimulator for treating arrhythmic function disturbances of a heart, comprising; a stimulation electrode for transmitting stimulation pulses to the heart, a pulse generator that is connected to the stimulation electrode for generating the stimulation pulses, a control unit connected to the pulse generator for controlling the pulse emissions, a hemodynamic sensor for controlling the pulse emission as a function of the cardiac pumping performance, the hemodynamic sensor including; two measuring electrodes located in or in electrical contact with a blood vessel, for measuring the blood impedance dependent on the blood throughput, a signal generator that generates an AC voltage for generating a test signal for impedance measurement, an electrical measuring device connected to the twvo measuring electrodes for determining the blood throughput as a function of the measured electrical signal; and a blood throughput signal-analysis unit for recognizing an arrhythmic cardiac finction disturbance using t

Abstract: An arrangement for determining the heart rate (f.sub.RR) or the refractory ime of the cardiac tissue, particularly for detecting tachycardia or fibrillation, has an electrode (E) for sensing heart action signals (SIG), an input stage, connected to the electrode, for processing the heart action signals, a refractory member for ascertaining a refractory time value of the arrangement, in each case after a predetermined segment of a heart action signal, and a processing device, connected to the output of the input stage or of the refractory member, for determining the rate of the heart action signals, processed with blanking of the component that occurs during the refractory time, or for determining the refractory time value of the cardiac tissue.

Abstract: A device for detecting pathological tachycardia, in particular for use with an implantable device for terminating tachycardias, having a classifican device, responding to at least one electrical signal derived from the heart, which if the classification criterion is met outputs an output signal indicating pathological tachycardia, having a plurality of classification devices for checking various classification criteria within one heart interval or on the basis of the evaluation of preceding heart intervals; a controllable counter that is connected to the outputs of the classification devices via first logic means; means for incrementing the counter state of the counter by a predetermined counting amount each time, if during a heart interval at least one of the primary classification signals appears; means for keeping the counter state constant or decrementing it by a predetermined counting amount, if no primary classification signal appears within the heart interval; and discriminator means, which output the

Abstract: A device for determining tachycardial heart rhythm disturbances, comprising: a stimulation pulse generator; a ventricular stimulation electrode; an electrode line; one sensor electrode each in the atrium and ventricle of a heart; an atrial action detecting device; a ventricular action detecting device; a timer; an atrial interval detecting device; a ventricular interval detecting device; a comparator unit which compares the chronological spacings of successive atrial actions and successive ventricular actions and outputs a stimulation inducing signal; an evaluation device for detecting and evaluating changes, caused by the ventricular stimulation pulse in the atrial intervals and for outputting a tachycardia classification signal that characterizes the outcome of the evaluation; and a stimulation control device connected on the output side to the stimulation pulse generator, for controlling the output of a train of stimulation pulses at such intervals as occur between the stimulation pulses of a plurality of

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting ventricular tachycardia includes a first and snd calculation unit, each having an input side connected to a ventricle sensor and an atrium sensor, respectively, and to a timer, for calculating the R--R and P--P intervals between respective successive electrical activities in the atrium and in the ventricle. A threshold value memory stores at least one threshold value for the R--R intervals in memory. A first comparator unit compares the R--R intervals with the at least one threshold value. A first and second interval memory store a predetermined number of calculated R--R and P--P intervals, respectively, or mean R--R and mean P--P interval values. A second comparator unit compares the P--P intervals with the R--R intervals. A third and fourth calculation unit, connected to the output of the first and second calculation unit and/or of the first and second interval memory unit, respectively, calculate the change over time between successive P--P and R--R intervals.

Abstract: An implantable electrostimulation device and an electrode lead is devised ere for the electrical connection of the electrode lead, the top portion of the electrostimulation device has a securely installed connecting socket with radially inward pointing contact and holding devices on its inside wall, which are designed to engage with the electrode lead contact. The contact and holding means are formed by a plurality of cam and projection regions that are securely connected to the inside wall or formed out of this wall and are each at a predetermined angular distance in a circumferential direction of the socket. The electrode lead has a pin or annular contact for inserting into a connecting socket of the electro-stimulation device, which has radially outward pointing contact and holding units on its surface for engaging with the connecting socket.

Abstract: An implantable stimulation electrode for use with an implantable tissue stimulator, in particular a pacemaker, defibrillator, bone or neurostimulator, having a metal substrate body and a coating, applied to the substrate body, for reducing the electrode impedance and/or increasing the tissue compatability, in which a ultrathin, specifically functionalized organic coating forming the entire outer surface of the stimulation electrode is provided, which adheres to the underlying surface as a consequence of irreversible physisorption or covalent chemical bonding.

Abstract: An implantable device for at least temporary electrical contact with body tissue includes a stimulation electrode, a lead having a proximal end connected to a medical device and a distal end securely attached to the stimulation electrode and blocking means for holding the stimulation electrode in its position of contacting the body tissue, counter to a pulling force exerted by the lead. The blocking means is essentially rigid and is at least partially composed of a material that can be resorbed into body fluid. The blocking means includes a holder with a hole which is slipped or fitted onto a surgical thread thereby connecting the blocking means to the surgical thread.

Abstract: An implant for implanting into human tissue includes a hermetically sealed, metallic housing for enclosing electronic means inside the housing for a high-frequency, telemetric information transfer between a programming device and the implant. The implant additionally includes a head for connecting a stimulation line. The housing comprises a metallic wall including groove-shaped recesses arranged at least on an inside of the metallic wall and which reduce a thickness of the metallic wall so that in a region of the recesses on the housing wall a material thickness does not fall below that which is necessary under operating conditions to ensure that the housing is impermeable to fluids.

Abstract: A signal detector for detecting a biosignal with approximately known morpogy in a complex input signal (ECG), in particular for the detection of QRS complexes in an electrocardiogram. The detector has circuitry for detecting the maximum amplitude (PEAK) of the detected signal complex within a predetermined time window, with a threshold value discriminator, a detector parameter preselection circuit for determining an initial value for the detector parameter characterizing the detector sensitivity, which parameter determines the detector threshold value when responding to a detection signal in dependence on the maximum amplitude and a detector parameter timing circuit for adjusting a predetermined time dependence of the detector parameter and thus the detection threshold value.

Abstract: An implantable stimulator includes a depletable voltage source for supplying electrical energy. The voltage source has a terminal voltage which varies as a function of depletion of the voltage source. An output stage receives electrical energy from the voltage source and includes an arrangement for generating a stimulation voltage that is increased with respect to the terminal voltage of the voltage source and a stimulation energy storage device for storing the stimulation voltage. A control device receives operational energy from the voltage source and is operatively connected for controlling a stimulation operation of the stimulation energy storage device.

Abstract: A therapy device having at least one sensor for detecting a variable that n be measured on the body of a patient in the application of a predetermined therapy, and for outputting a corresponding measured value, an evaluating and control device that is connected to the output of the sensor, and a therapy device that is connected to the output of the evaluating and control device and is configured for realizing different therapies as a function of the association of the value of the measured variable with a predetermined value range, with the evaluating and control device having a range-limit memory, a comparator unit for associating the measured value of the variable with one of the value ranges, a therapy memory having at least two separately-addressable memory regions for storing at least two different values of the therapy-control variable in association with the values of the measured variable within an overlap zone between two value ranges, a past-history memory and past-history evaluation means for trans

Abstract: A method of storing signals having a course over time in an implantable medical device, and/or transmitting the signals out of the device and out of the patient's body, with the course over time being detected in the device, particularly at predetermined time intervals with a constant sampling interval, and a sequence of signal samples being obtained therefrom, of which a partial quantity is stored and/or transmitted as the result of a selection made with a predetermined selection criterion, with the selection criterion being the first derivation of the course over time of the signals according to time, and with the selection being made such that the first derivation of the straight-line connection between an nth and the (n-1)th signal sample is determined and compared to the first derivation of the straight-line connection between the (n-1)th signal sample and the last-stored and/or last-transmitted signal sample, and the nth signal sample is then stored and/or transmitted as the new last signal sample exact

Abstract: A medical therapy device includes at least one sensor for detecting a varle that can be measured on the body of a patient. An evaluating and control device is connected to the output of the sensor. A therapy device is connected to the output of the evaluating and control device and provides different therapies or therapy variables as a function of the value of the therapy control variable. A processing unit has an input connected to the output of a time controlled fluctuation-value generator which is connected between the output of the sensor and the input of the evaluating and control device.