Abstract: A device includes a flexible substrate, N coiled conductors, and a plurality of folding regions. The N coiled conductors are deposited on the flexible substrate and connected in series by conductive interconnects. N is greater than 1. Each of the folding regions is defined by a separation distance between adjacent ones of the N coiled conductors. The conductive interconnects traverse the folding regions between the N coiled conductors to connect the N coiled conductors in series. The flexible substrate is folded such that the N coiled conductors form a stack of N coiled conductors.

Abstract: A syringe adapter tool facilitates inline connection of a syringe with a catheter lumen, as well as torque transfer between the syringe and catheter. The adapter tool may further facilitate passage of an instrument through a seal zone portion of the catheter lumen, which seal zone portion is located in a proximal section of the catheter.

Abstract: A method of ablating tissue is provided, including positioning an expandable element of a catheter in a blood vessel; inflating the expandable element with a volume of refrigerant to substantially occlude the blood vessel; measuring the volume of refrigerant used to inflate the expandable element; correlating the measured volume to an inflated dimension of the expandable element; defining at least one of a target pressure within the expandable element and a target flow rate for refrigerant delivery to the expandable element based at least in part on the inflated dimension; regulating refrigerant delivery to the expandable element to attain the at least one defined target pressure within the expandable element or defined target flow rate for fluid delivery to the expandable element; and ablating at least a portion of the blood vessel with the expandable element.

Abstract: A system includes a capacitance adjustment module and a control module. The capacitance adjustment module is configured to connect one or more of N capacitors in parallel with one of a first and second capacitance. The control module identifies the smaller of the first and second capacitances and identifies the larger of the first and second capacitances. Subsequently, the control module, during each of M iterations, instructs the capacitance adjustment module to connect at least one of the N capacitors across a set of nodes in parallel with the smaller identified capacitance, and determines whether the capacitance associated with the set of nodes is greater than the larger identified capacitance. After the M iterations, the control module approximates the difference between the first and second capacitances based on which of the N capacitors are connected across the nodes. M and N are integers greater than or equal to 1.

Abstract: A stent graft system and method of use including a stent graft system with a first stent graft component and a second stent graft component. A first tubular graft of the first stent graft component has an integral first body and first leg, with the first body defining a first crown opening and a first substantially elliptical opening. The second body of the second stent graft component is disposed in the first body of the first stent graft component with the second leg of the second stent graft component disposed through the first substantially elliptical opening of the first stent graft component with the perimeter of the first elliptical opening of the first stent graft component in contact with the second body of the second stent graft component.

Abstract: An improved pump, reservoir and reservoir piston are provided for controlled delivery of fluids. A motor is operably coupled to a drive member, such as a drive screw, which is adapted to advance a plunger slide in response to operation of the motor. The plunger slide is removably coupled to the piston. A method, system, and an article of manufacture for automatically detecting an occlusion in a medication infusion pump is provided. The electrical current to an infusion pump is measured. Based on a series of measurements of one or more variables, the infusion pump detects whether there is an occlusion in the system.

Abstract: A proximal terminal end of a proximal section of a catheter, preferably tapered, defines a perimeter of an opening into a lumen of the catheter and includes an exposed sealing area. A sealing assembly, that may be removed from the catheter, includes a relatively soft part and a relatively rigid part, wherein the exposed sealing area is formed by the soft part, and the relatively rigid part may include an attachment feature for removable connection of the assembly to the catheter. The lumen of the catheter, within the proximal section, may include a seal zone portion, which preferably includes a slit segment intersecting a funnel-like segment of a bore. The catheter proximal section may further include a feature for interlocking engagement with an accessory tool.

Abstract: A tissue stabilizer including an elongated arm, a collet, and a head-link assembly. The collet is disposed at a distal end of the arm. The head-link assembly includes a tube and a spreading mechanism. The tube forms an intermediate section and opposing arms each terminating at a tip. The spreading mechanism can adjust a lateral distance between the tips, and includes first and second articulating members each having a leg and a collet interface body. The first member further includes a female hinge feature, whereas the second member includes a male hinge feature differing from the female hinge feature. The legs of are mounted to discrete regions of the tube, and the male hinge feature is pivotably coupled to the female hinge feature. Automatic spreading of a lateral distance between the tips occurs in response to a compressive force applied to the collet interface bodies.

Abstract: A catheter proximal section is preferably formed from a relatively soft part and a relatively rigid part, and includes a proximal terminal end that defines a perimeter of an opening into a lumen of the catheter. The proximal section may further include a feature for interlocking engagement with an accessory tool. An inner surface of each of the relatively soft and rigid parts may be located opposite one another, on either side of the catheter lumen. The relatively soft and rigid parts may be included in a sealing assembly that further includes an attachment feature for removable connection of the assembly to the proximal section catheter.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed toward techniques for classifying a tachycardia as supraventricular tachycardia or ventricular tachycardia. A method comprises detecting a tachycardia based on at least one value of a cardiac interval, delivering vagal stimulation in response to the detection of the tachycardia, sensing a physiological parameter other than the cardiac interval during or subsequent to delivering the vagal stimulation, and classifying the tachycardia as supraventricular or ventricular based on the sensed physiological parameter. In some examples, the method includes sensing a response of a physiological parameter other than cardiac rate to the vagal stimulation, such as pressure or a morphological characteristic of the cardiac electrical waveform. The method may include providing an indication to a user based on the classification of supraventricular tachycardia, or delivery of appropriate electrical therapy based on the classification of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.

Abstract: Methods of nerve signal differentiation, methods of delivering therapy using such nerve signal differentiation, and to systems and devices for performing such methods. Nerve signal differentiation may include locating two electrodes proximate nerve tissue and differentiating between efferent and afferent components of nerve signals monitored using the two electrodes.

Abstract: A seal member for assembly within, or a seal zone portion of, a lumen of a medical instrument/device includes a slit segment and a bore, wherein the slit segment intersects with a funnel-like segment of the bore.

Abstract: Methods of nerve signal differentiation, methods of delivering therapy using such nerve signal differentiation, and to systems and devices for performing such methods. Nerve signal differentiation may include locating two electrodes proximate nerve tissue and differentiating between efferent and afferent components of nerve signals monitored using the two electrodes.

Abstract: A system and process for providing safety limits on the delivery of an infusion formulation by an infusion pump system in response to a sensed biological state. The safety limits may comprise user-initiated event signals corresponding to events that may significantly affect the biological state. The safety limits may further comprise user-initiated event ranking signals for respective events which specify a degree, quantity, or measure for the respective event. The user-initiated event and event ranking signals may be communicated to a computing element associated with the infusion pump by an associated communication device having a user interface which comprises a plurality of user-selectable operators for entering information about the events and event rankings.

Abstract: The present invention provides for an improved apparatus and method for electrical stimulation. A paddle having a thickness up to 0.030 inches is implanted adjacent the spinal cord dura mater to reduce the likelihood of paralysis due to stress on the spinal cord attributed to bulkier leads. The paddle is then positioned so that at least one of a plurality of electrodes is positioned over the area of the spinal cord requiring pain treatment; and then electric stimulation is applied to the electrodes to effect pain treatment. In another embodiment the paddle is curved about a vertical axis to substantially match the shape of a human spinal cord dura mater to help reduce lead migration.

Abstract: A medical electrical lead implant tool includes a gripping assembly, terminating a distal end of an elongate shaft, adapted to alternately grasp the lead and release the lead and to rotate the lead, and a user control terminating a proximal end of the shaft. An internal drive cable extends within the shaft coupling the gripping assembly to the user control. The user control facilitates single-handed manipulation of a slidable dial, which may be grasped by fingers of a hand for longitudinal and rotational manipulation when a stationary handle is held in a palm of the hand; the longitudinal manipulation causing the gripping assembly, via the drive cable, to alternately grasp the lead and release the lead and the rotational manipulation causing the gripping assembly, via the drive cable, to rotate the lead.

Abstract: A method of treating a neurological disorder in a patient. In some embodiments, the method includes obtaining a neurological event detection signal, obtaining a cardiac event detection signal, analyzing the timing relationships between the detected neurological and cardiac events to identify matched events, using the matched events to determine whether the cardiac event detection signal facilitates detection of neurological events, delivering a therapy to the patient in response to a cardiac event if the cardiac event detection signal is determined to facilitate detection of neurological events, and changing the therapy delivered based on sensed brain signals from the patient.

Abstract: A medical device measures an impedance associated with one or more electrodes, e.g., the impedance presented to the medical device by a total electrical circuit that includes the one or more electrodes, the conductors associated with the electrodes, and tissue proximate to the electrodes. The medical device stores at least one patient-specific relationship between impedance and a stimulation parameter, and adjusts the value of the stimulation parameter based on the measured impedance according to the relationship. The medical device may store multiple relationships, and select one the relationships based on, for example, an activity level of the patient, posture of the patient, or a current stimulation program or electrode combination used to deliver stimulation. By adjusting a stimulation parameter, such as amplitude, according to such a relationship, the stimulation intensity as perceived by the patient may be kept substantially constant.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to optimizing telemetry communication involving one or more medical devices and one or more electrical devices. The telemetry communication is optimized by implementing software and/or one or more additional circuits within at least one medical device and at least one electrical device to provide one or more modes or functions of optimizing transfer of data between the medical device and the at least one electrical device, minimizing interference of the data transfer, and reducing data transfer time and/or preserving electrical energy sources of one or more of the medical device and the at least one electrical device.

Abstract: A system for anastomosing a first tubular structure to a second tubular structure having an opening formed therein comprises a support device having a plurality of arms forming spaces therebetween and a plurality of piercing members slidably coupled to the arms. The support device piercing members have a retracted state and an extended state to support the first tubular structure thereon for placement within an opening in the second tubular structure to facilitate anastomosing the tubular structures together. The arms can be configured to urge the first tubular structure against the portion of the second tubular structure surrounding the opening to form a seal therebetween. According to one embodiment, a plurality of discrete fasteners are provided to pass through the support device spaces and the first and second tubular structures. In another embodiment, fasteners are integrated into the support device and releasably coupled thereto for delivery to the anastomosis site.