Abstract: An evaluation method that includes: recording the values of a physiological signal during a certain measuring period; dividing the obtained time series of signal values into individual segments; mapping successive subsets of the individual signal values in a segment on associated symbol series according to the criterion of whether a respective signal value increases or decreases as compared to the preceding signal value; determining the frequencies of the varying symbol series; determining a testing parameter which reflects the frequency ratio, within a segment, of correlated symbol series to anti-correlated symbol series; determining the relative difference of the testing parameters of two adjacent segments; and comparing the relative difference of two testing parameters with a given threshold as a criterion for the stationarity of the time series of the recorded physiological signal.

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: 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: An ablation catheter for the generation of linear lesions in the myocardium is provided with an elongated catheter body and a linear, substantially cylindrical ablation electrode on the distal end of the catheter body. At least one sensing electrode is disposed in the ablation electrode, insulated therefrom and embedded in the jacket thereof.

Abstract: An implantable medical device incorporates a central control unit (14) for controlling the internal and external functions of the device, a memory unit comprising program memory, main and/or data memory (20, 21, 22) for the central control unit (14), having at least one non-volatile read-write memory unit that is based on an optical storage medium and holds the stored information energy-free, and an off-the-line power supply (18) for the implantable device.

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: A stent, in particular a coronary stent, for implantation in the region of vessel branchings, comprising a tubular casing with a proximal and a distal end, wherein in the implanted condition the proximal end is arranged in proximal relationship with the vessel branching and the distal end is arranged in distal relationship with the vessel branching, and at least one branching portion, which is arranged at the periphery of the casing and which is provided to open a passage into the branching-off branch of the vessel and which in the implanted condition is arranged in the region of the vessel branching, wherein the branching portion includes at least one first support element, which is provided for supporting the vessel transition and which can be pivoted substantially radially out of the peripheral surface and which extends from a first direction into the branching portion, and wherein the branching portion includes at least one second support element, which is provided for supporting the vessel transition and

Abstract: A method for storing from a temporal sequence of a plurality of individual cardiac events cardiac rhythm information comprised of at least one determined type, in particular a sequence of time intervals between ventricular and/or atrial events, whereby a time interval continuum of the temporal distances between the events is subdivided into time portions of a predetermined length, which are each allocated a single-valuedd marker, in particular a number, each time interval detected with a detection of the cardiac rhythm as one recording is provided with the marker of the time portion into which it falls, the number of the recordings out of a predetermined total number of detected time intervals or belonging to each marker during a predetermined period of time, is assessed, and the markers which have been allocated from a predetermined number of time intervals or during a predetermined period of time at least one recording, each are stored along with the number of recordings.

Abstract: An arrangement for patient monitoring. The arrangement includes at least one body sensor to detect a physiological parameter as body signal data and at least one of a body signal processing unit connected to the body sensor for processing body signal data, and a therapy device designed to act on the patient. In addition, the arrangement includes a monitoring center having a signal field strength evaluation means, a mobile phone terminal designed to transmit the data from at least one of the body signal processing unit and the therapy device to the monitoring center and from the monitoring center to the therapy device, and a cellular mobile phone network. The mobile phone terminal is operable in the cellular mobile phone network. The arrangement further includes a base station coordinate storage unit for storage of coordinate data and a mobile phone exchange linked to the base station coordinate storage unit for the reception of position data of the mobile phone terminal.

Abstract: A catheter (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″), in particular for insertion into blood vessels of the human body, having at least one sensor (32) which is arranged at the distal end (12) of the catheter (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″) and which is adapted to pick up a spacing signal which is dependent on the spacing of the sensor (32) with respect to the vessel wall, and control means (36, 36′, 36″) which are connected to the sensor for taking over the spacing signal.

Abstract: A patient monitoring system (1) is provided with at least one body sensor (2a) for measuring a physiological parameter, as well as with a body signal processing unit (3) connected downstream from the former and/or a therapy device (2) designed to act on the patient (P), and a mobile radiotelephone end unit (7) operable in a cellular mobile radiotelephone network (1B) for transmitting data from the body signal processing unit or the therapy device to a central monitoring station (1C) and/or from the central monitoring station to the therapy device. A base station coordinate memory unit (13; 13′) and a locator unit (12; 12.1′ through 12.3′) connected to the former serves for the rough determination of the location of the patient based on location information obtained from the current base station connection of the mobile radiotelephone end unit in the mobile radiotelephone network.

Abstract: A method of calculating the heart rate variability of the human heart to be used in an ECG monitor comprises the following procedural steps: scanning of the ECG signal received from the ECG monitor during a scanning interval, determining from the scanned ECG signals a number of discrete measuring values representative of the heart rate variability, and evaluating these measuring values on the basis of the Fourier transformation, wherein the frequency spectre of the measuring values is calculated from the Fourier coefficients of the Fourier transformation, which are for their turn calculated from a combination of said measuring values with the sinus- and cosinus-shaped Fourier vectors of the Fourier transformation wherein the Fourier vectors are involved in the calculation in the form of a number of discrete real numerical vector values, and replacing of the numerical vector values for calculating the frequency spectrumof the scanned measuring values by rough, integral approximate vector values of a limite

Abstract: A method of detecting cardiac interval signals in cardiologic devices comprises the following method steps: time-resolved detection of cardiac events which are representative of the cardiac intervals; determination of the respective cardiac interval values between two successive cardiac events; statistical evaluation of a certain number of successive cardiac interval values; and individual comparison of the certain number of cardiac interval values with each other such that individual cardiac interval values which deviate significantly from cardiac interval values that occur there-before and there-after are recognized as faulty measurements and corrected.

Abstract: A dual-chamber cardiac pacemaker having a stimulation control unit for time control of the production and output of the stimulation pulses, and a method of operating the pacemaker according to the current invention are provided.

Abstract: A balloon catheter for use in the region of a vessel branching and, in particular, in coronary vessels is provided. The catheter comprising a catheter stem disposed at the distal end of which are provided at least one balloon and at least one first guide means arranged in the region thereof for positioning the balloon in the region of a vessel branching. The first guide means is adapted to be introduced into the lateral branch of the vessel transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the balloon catheter. The balloon comprises at least two chambers which are spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the balloon catheter and between which the first guide means is arranged.

Abstract: Method for avoiding the detection of a far-field QRS by the atrial detector of a heart pacemaker or ICD while allowing the detection of a true atrial signal to a maximum possible extent; the method comprising generating a Short Atrial Refractory Period (SARP) following an atrial sensed or paced event by means of a SARP timer, blanking of the atrial detector following a ventricular paced event, generating a Post Ventricular Short Atrial Refractory Period (PVSARP) following a ventricular sensed or paced event by means of a PVSARP timer, generating a temporary decrease in the sensivity of an amplifier for the atrial signal for a time period following the elapse of the mentioned PVSARP, and gradually increasing the sensitivity of the amplifier for the atrial signal after said time period.

Abstract: A cardioelectric apparatus for the early detection of a tachycardia of the heart is provided.

Abstract: A cardiological apparatus is provided having a sensor (1) for picking up electrical signals from a heart and a signal processor connected to the sensor (1) and which is adapted to process signals received from the sensor (1) and includes a pre-processor, wherein the processor includes a reference time generator (8) which is adapted to output a time signal upon the occurrence of a periodically recurring signal feature, averaging features (11, 12, 22, 6) which are adapted to form a signal portion which is averaged over a plurality of signal portions between each two time signals, an average store (7) which is adapted to store the average values, a parameter determining feature (9), and scatter value determining features (31) which are adapted to output a scatter value for time-successive signals.

Abstract: A dilatable cardiac electrode arrangement for implantation in particular in the coronary sinus of the heart is provided with a defibrillator electrode of the type of a stent and of an expandable, electrically conductive structure; with annular pacemaker electrodes; with insulation zones between the pacemaker electrodes on the one hand and the defibrillator electrode on the other; and with electric lines for the defibrillator and pacemaker electrodes.