Patents Assigned to Medtronic
  • Patent number: 9468495
    Abstract: Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for the mapping of electrical signals and the ablation of tissue. Embodiments include an ablation catheter that has an array of ablation elements attached to a deployable carrier assembly. The carrier assembly can be transformed from a compact, linear configuration to a helical configuration, such as to map and ablate pulmonary vein ostia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic Ablation Frontiers LLC
    Inventors: Christopher G. Kunis, Ricardo David Roman, Alexander J. Asconeguy, J. Christopher Flaherty, Randell L. Werneth
  • Patent number: 9468764
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaochong Zhou, John Edward Burnes, Lilian Kornet, Richard N. M. Cornelussen
  • Patent number: 9468485
    Abstract: A method and system for creating permanent lesions in an area of target tissue, such as tissue at or proximate a junction between a pulmonary vein and the left atrium. The method may generally include positioning a medical device in contact with a pulmonary vein ostium, ablating the tissue, and recording a plurality of temperature measurements from one or more of three temperature sensors. The device may include an occlusion element in communication with a coolant source, a first sensor located distal of the occlusion element, a second sensor located proximal of the occlusion element, and a third sensor located in the occlusion element. One or more temperature measurements may be compared with each other to assess occlusion of the pulmonary vein, and/or may be compared with a set of reference temperatures to predict a real-time temperature within the target tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic CryoCath LP
    Inventors: Dan Wittenberger, Jean-Pierre Lalonde, Stephen A. Howard
  • Patent number: 9468427
    Abstract: A stabilizer for use with a trackable surgical instrument can include a first member, a second member and a retaining member. The first member can have a first annular body portion and a first pair of legs extending therefrom. The first annular body portion can include a plurality of locating slots for engaging a selectively positionable portion of a surgical instrument. The second member can have a second annular body portion and a second pair of legs extending therefrom. The second annular body can engage a drive device of the surgical instrument. The first pair of legs can be telescopically coupled with and adjustable relative to the second pair of legs such that the first member can be axially adjustable relative to the second member. The retaining member can cooperate with at least one leg to retain the first member adjustably coupled to the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic Navigation, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew F. Dicorleto, Marco Capote
  • Patent number: 9468460
    Abstract: The present invention regards a guiding tool for neurosurgery. The guiding tool comprises subunits and a holder. The subunits are arranged in the holder so that holes for guiding a probe are created in the interface between said subunits, which allows easy release of the probe. The invention further regards a system for guiding neurosurgery probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic Bakken Research Center B.V.
    Inventors: Hubert Cecile Francois Martens, Michel Gerardus Pardoel
  • Patent number: 9468751
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for anchoring an implanted elongate medical device in a body portal, for example, a stimulation lead in a cranial burr hole, employ a securing element attached to an upper surface of a plate member, and moveable relative thereto, from an open position, at which the device may be inserted into a slot of the plate member, and a closed position, at which an engagement surface of the securing element anchors the inserted device. The securing element may extend at angle, with respect to a plane of the plate member, in the open position, and rotating the securing element lifts the engagement surface into the closed position. A locking member preferably extends from an upper surface of the plate member, and, when a latching portion of the securing element moves into engagement with the locking member, the element is moved into the closed position and secured thereat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric H. Bonde
  • Patent number: 9468754
    Abstract: Selective sensing implantable medical leads include pulsing and sensing portions and pulsing and not sensing portion. Leads and electrodes may be used in defibrillation and as integrated bipolar defibrillation electrodes. An entire electrode can pass charge while a valve metal or valve metal oxide portion of the electrode prevents the entire electrode from sensing, effectively rejecting unwanted signals. Differential conduction pathways, due to the valve metal and/or oxides thereof, cause the portions of the electrodes to conduct differently when used anodically and cathodically. Complex intracardiac electrical gradient can be formed along with a number of virtual electrodes within the tissue. Reentrant loops can thereby be pinned following defibrillation shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Gonzalo Martinez, Timothy G. Laske, Mark T. Marshall
  • Patent number: 9468497
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for monopolar neuromodulation, e.g., via a pulsed electric field. Such monopolar neuromodulation may effectuate irreversible electroporation or electrofusion, necrosis and/or inducement of apoptosis, alteration of gene expression, action potential attenuation or blockade, changes in cytokine up-regulation and other conditions in target neural fibers. In some embodiments, monopolar neuromodulation is applied to neural fibers that contribute to renal function. In some embodiments, such monopolar neuromodulation is performed bilaterally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic Ardian Luxembourg S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Denise Zarins, Hanson Gifford, III, Mark Deem, Howard R. Levin, Mark Gelfand, Nicolas Zadno
  • Patent number: 9468773
    Abstract: A tethering feature includes an elongate break-away member and a base, and forms a proximal end of an implantable medical device housing. A tether attachment zone of the break-away member extends between break-away member ends, and the base includes a pair of supports, wherein each end of the break-away member is wrapped around a corresponding support. A delivery catheter tether may be attached to the device tethering feature by passing a looped portion of the tether around the tether attachment zone. The device may be untethered from the catheter by applying a pull force through the attached tether, while a distal end of a shaft of the catheter, which abuts the device proximal end, provides a back-up force, the pull force unwrapping each end of break-away member from the corresponding base support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A Anderson, Vladimir Grubac, Michael C Jacobs
  • Patent number: 9468525
    Abstract: A heart valve prosthesis configured for deployment within a native heart valve. The heart valve prosthesis includes a tubular stent and a prosthetic valve component disposed within and secured to the stent. In addition, at least two positioning elements are coupled to a distal end of the stent to position and anchor the prosthesis within the native heart valve. Each positioning element transforms from a compressed configuration in which the positioning elements distally extend from the distal end of the stent to a deployed configuration in which the positioning elements proximally extend from the distal end of the stent. Each positioning element includes at least one U-shaped or V-shaped support arm that bends radially outward and then towards an outer surface of the stent such that it translates more than ninety degrees from the compressed configuration. Each positioning element may include an outer support arm and an inner support arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Igor Kovalsky
  • Patent number: 9468767
    Abstract: A power source of an implantable medical device (IMD) is connected to one or more components that perform various functions of the IMD via an acoustic switching circuit. The acoustic switching circuit may include one or more switches that when open disconnect the one or more components from the power source and when closed connect the one or more components to the power source to activate the one or more components. Various techniques for connecting the components to the power source are described. These techniques aim to reduce the likelihood of inadvertently connecting the power source to the one or more components in response to acoustical signals from a source of interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerard J. Hill, Rogier Receveur, Vincent Larik
  • Patent number: 9468385
    Abstract: A medical device system for monitoring a patient's heart includes an implantable medical device (IMD) configured to determine sensing vector data for multiple sensing vectors selected from electrodes coupled to the IMD. The system further includes an external device configured to receive the sensing vector data and provide at least a portion of the sensing vector data to a user display configured to display sensing vector criteria and the sensing vector data as part of a graphical user interface for programming a sensing vector used by the implantable medical device for monitoring a patient's heart rhythm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Natalia Y. Mazaeva, Janet L. Shallbetter
  • Patent number: 9468766
    Abstract: An intracardiac pacemaker is configured to receive a cardiac electrical signal developed across a pair of electrodes coupled to the pacemaker and detect a crossing of a first sensing threshold of the cardiac electrical signal. A pacing escape interval timer is set to a first pacing escape interval in response to the cardiac electrical signal crossing the first sensing threshold. The pacing escape interval timer is adjusted if the cardiac electrical signal crosses a second sensing threshold during a time limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd J Sheldon, Wade M Demmer, Margaret G Guo
  • Patent number: 9468772
    Abstract: An external medical device is capable of bidirectional wireless communication with multiple implantable medical devices (IMDs). The external medical device is configured to determine an active membership of an IMD system present in a patient, establish programmable parameters for the IMD system based on the active membership, and transmit values for the established programmable parameters to the active membership.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Wade M Demmer
  • Patent number: 9468392
    Abstract: Techniques for determining paced cardiac depolarization waveform morphological templates are described. For example, an implantable medical device (IMD) may sense a cardiac electrogram of a heart, identify cardiac depolarizations within the cardiac electrogram, and determine that the cardiac depolarizations are paced cardiac depolarizations resulting from delivery of a pacing pulse to the heart by another IMD without detecting the pacing pulse and without communicating with the other IMD. The IMD may identify paced cardiac depolarization waveforms of the paced cardiac depolarizations, determine a paced cardiac depolarization waveform morphological template based on the identified paced cardiac depolarization waveforms, determine a normal cardiac depolarization waveform morphological template based on the paced cardiac depolarization waveform morphological template, and compare the normal cardiac depolarization waveform morphological template to subsequent cardiac depolarization waveforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Troy E. Jackson
  • Patent number: 9468746
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are removable devices adapted to allow localized and contained delivery of bioactive materials to a treatment site within a lumen such as a blood vessel such that the flow of fluid through the lumen is not blocked during bioactive material delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronan Thornton, Sean Whelan
  • Patent number: 9468480
    Abstract: A method for early stabilizing of distracted connective tissue. A distraction site is at least partially covered with biodegradable, bioerodible or bioresorbable materials before a distraction procedure takes place. Distraction is performed on a connective tissue at the distraction site. The distracted connective tissue is stabilized using the biodegradable, bioerodible or bioresorbable materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic PS Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Cohen, Ralph Holmes, J Peter Amis, Horst Fichtner
  • Patent number: 9471752
    Abstract: A programming system for an electronic medical device (EMD) is described. The programming system, as described in this disclosure, comprises a host computer, such as a general purpose computer in an in-clinic computer network, executing a software platform that provides an operating environment with which a user can interact to program an EMD. The software platform invokes monitoring software that ensures that the host computer satisfies criteria for safe operation of the operating environment, e.g., ensures that the host computer meets the minimum operating conditions required for reliable operation of the operating environment. In particular, the monitoring software may monitor system faults that occur during operation, as well as ensure that criteria for safe operation are satisfied prior to initiating the operating environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Goetz, Touby A. Drew, Andrew H. Houchins
  • Publication number: 20160296279
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for renal neuromodulation using a pulsed electric field to effectuate electroporation or electrofusion. It is expected that renal neuromodulation (e.g., denervation) may, among other things, reduce expansion of an acute myocardial infarction, reduce or prevent the onset of morphological changes that are affiliated with congestive heart failure, and/or be efficacious in the treatment of end stage renal disease. Embodiments of the present invention are configured for percutaneous intravascular delivery of pulsed electric fields to achieve such neuromodulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: Medtronic Ardian Luxembourg S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Mark E. DEEM, Hanson GIFFORD, III, Denise ZARINS, Douglas SUTTON, Erik THAI, Mark GELFAND, Howard R. LEVIN
  • Patent number: 9463309
    Abstract: A sealing assembly is utilized for a fluid infusion device that cooperates with a fluid reservoir having a reservoir port and a hollow fluid reservoir needle at least partially located within the reservoir port. The sealing assembly has a reservoir port receptacle with a proximal end, a distal end extending from the proximal end, and a needle opening formed in the distal end to receive the hollow fluid reservoir needle. The sealing assembly also has a fluid chamber located at least partially in the reservoir port receptacle, and a needle sealing element having a self-sealing needle opening formed therein. The needle sealing element is located within the reservoir port receptacle between the distal end and the fluid chamber. The self-sealing needle opening accommodates the hollow fluid reservoir needle when the reservoir port engages the reservoir port receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic MiniMed, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew William Yavorsky, Edgardo C. Halili, Eric M. Lorenzen