Abstract: A suturing device includes a handle, an elongated body, at least one suture snag, at least one pair of needles, and at least one suture pair. The suture snag is moveable between a deployed position in which two distal arm portions thereof radially extend away from the elongated body and a retracted position in which the two distal arm portions are disposed within the elongated body. The suture pair is slidingly disposed through the needle pair. The suturing device deploys the suture snag within a vessel adjacent to an arteriotomy, extends the needle pair through a vessel wall around the arteriotomy and through the deployed suture snag, extends the suture pair beyond the distal ends of the needle pair, and then utilizes the suture snag to capture the extended suture pair by retracting the suture snag to pull first or distal ends of the sutures back into the suturing device.

Abstract: A battery assembly for a medical device includes an elongate cathode, an elongate anode, an electrolyte, and an elongate housing assembly encapsulating the cathode, the anode, and the electrolyte. The battery assembly also includes a first electrode exposed from and electrically insulated from the housing assembly. One of the anode and the cathode is electrically coupled to the first electrode, and the other of the anode and the cathode is electrically coupled to the housing assembly. Respective axes of the cathode and the anode are substantially parallel to an axis of the housing assembly, and the cathode and anode each include a flat portion that face each other.

Abstract: Stent-graft delivery systems having a tip capture mechanism with a plurality of elongated cables that allow for gradual deployment and repositioning of a stent-graft prosthesis. The tip capture mechanism includes a guiding assembly, a distal tip assembly, and a plurality of cables. In a first relative position, the distal tip assembly extends the guiding assembly to temporarily constrain the distal ends of the cables and an intermediate portion of each cable constrains an endmost crown of the prosthesis. In this first relative position, tension on the cables may be selectively adjusted to allow for both gradual continuous radial expansion and contraction of the endmost crowns of the stent-graft prosthesis. In a second relative position, the distal tip assembly does not extend over the guiding assembly and thus does not constrain the distal ends of the cables, and thereby the cables do not constrain the endmost crowns.

Abstract: System for providing a stimulus comprising a probe with multiple electrodes each capable of providing a particular current to surrounding tissue a generator for providing to each of the electrodes the particular current a controller for controlling the generator to provide current to the electrodes to achieve a desired electrical field around the probe.

Abstract: Implantable systems and methods (e.g., using an implantable medical device) for measuring distance including a transmit/receive acoustic transducer implantable at a first location for transmitting and receiving acoustic signals, an echo acoustic transducer implantable at a second location for receiving the acoustic signal from the transmit/receive acoustic transducer and in response thereto transmitting a return echo signal to be received by the transmit/receive acoustic sensor, and a controller to control transmission of the acoustic signal from the transmit/receive acoustic transducer at a transmit time and determine a receive time corresponding to the time the transmit/receive acoustic transducer receives the return echo signal. The distance between the transmit/receive acoustic transducer and the echo acoustic transducer is determined as a function of the transmit time and the receive time.

Abstract: A one-piece electrical contact ring for use in a lead receptacle of an implantable medical device includes (i) a tubular body defining a cavity extending through the body and (ii) a plurality of resiliently deflectable elements extending from the tubular body into the cavity. The deflectable elements have a lead contacting portion configured to contact the lead when received by the cavity. The lead contacting portions of the deflectable elements in a relaxed state are located in a plane that intersects the tubular body and are configured to deflect along the plane towards the tubular body as the lead is inserted in the contact ring. The contact ring may further include a plurality of stops, each configured to (i) engage a stop portion of the elements when the elements are sufficiently outwardly deflected and (ii) inhibit further outward deflection of the elements when the stops engage the stop portions.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions, methods and systems for preventing or treating cardiac dysfunction, particularly cardiac pacing dysfunction by genetic modification of cells of targeted regions of the cardiac conduction system. In particular, a bio-pacemaker composition is delivered to cardiac cells to increase the intrinsic pacemaking rate of the cells, wherein the bio-pacemaker composition increases expression of a channel or subunit thereof that produces funny current and a T-type Ca2+ channel or subunit thereof, and expresses one or more molecules that suppresses the expression of the wild type potassium channel.

Abstract: A prosthesis includes a tubular body of a graft material, a plurality of stents coupled to the tubular body, and a coupling. The coupling has a plurality of overlapping leaflets successively coupled to the tubular body around an opening formed in the graft material. The leaflets in a non-deployed configuration lay flush with the graft material of the tubular body and partially cover the opening, and the leaflets in a deployed configuration extend radially outward from the graft material of the tubular body. Delivery and deployment of a branch vessel prosthesis through the opening causes the leaflets to transform from the non-deployed configuration to the deployed configuration, and causes a diameter or width of a passageway defined by the leaflets to increase. Leaflet material properties, as well as size, shape, and sewing patterns on adjacent leaflets may be varied in order to vary the flexibility and/or orientation of the coupling.

Abstract: A medical device and associated method for controlling a cardiac pacing therapy sense a first cardiac signal including events corresponding to cardiac electrical events and a second cardiac signal including events corresponding to cardiac hemodynamic events. A processor is enabled to measure a cardiac conduction time interval using the first cardiac signal and control a signal generator to deliver a pacing therapy. A pacing control parameter is adjusted to a plurality of settings during the pacing therapy delivery. A hemodynamic parameter value is measured from the second cardiac signal during application of each of the control parameter settings. The processor identifies an optimal setting from the plurality of settings and solves for a patient-specific equation defining the pacing control parameter as a function of the cardiac conduction time interval.

Abstract: A cryotherapeutic device having an integral multi-helical balloon section and methods of making the same. A method of forming the cryotherapeutic device can include forming an extruded integral shaft having first and second substantially parallel lumens. The method can further include twisting a distal section of the shaft such that the first and second lumens form intertwined helical portions. The first and second helical portions can be plastically enlarged to form an inflatable body configured to deliver therapeutically effective cryogenic cooling to a treatment site.

Abstract: Systems and methods for assessing electrode position, including positioning a plurality of electrodes within a heart and proximate a pulmonary vein; obtaining an impedance measurement from each of the plurality of electrodes; determining whether any of the plurality of electrodes is located within the pulmonary vein based at least in part on the obtained impedance measurements; and generating an indication if at least one of the plurality of electrodes is determined to be located within the pulmonary vein.

Abstract: An implantable medical device implements a special mode of operation, such as a mode of electrical stimulation therapy, during conditions where there may be an increased likelihood that a device reset will occur. The implantable medical device recovers from the device reset by copying values that specify the special mode and that are stored in a non-volatile memory to an operating memory. The special mode is implemented after the device reset has occurred by using the values copied to the operating memory. One version of the special mode is an MRI mode that allows the implantable medical device to safely operate during an MRI scan. The fields of the MRI scan may trigger a device reset, but the MRI mode values are copied from the non-volatile memory to the operating memory, and the MRI mode is implemented after the reset by using the values copied to the operating memory.

Abstract: A medical device system and associated method determine an implantable medical device state prior to implantation. An impedance monitoring module monitors for a change in impedance between a pair of electrodes coupled to the impedance monitoring circuit. The system includes an enclosure for carrying the implantable medical device. The enclosure has a surface having an electrical impedance. A control module is configured to detect one of a first pre-implant state and a second pre-implant state of the implantable medical device in response to the impedance monitoring module detecting a change in impedance between the electrodes and adjust operation of the implantable medical device in response to detecting the impedance change.

Abstract: An implantable medical device (IMD) and methods of fabricating the same are provided. An IMD can include a housing and a cofire ceramic module (CCM) coupled to the housing. The CCM can include an antenna cofire-integrated in the CCM. The antenna can include a plate composed of conductive material, and conductive antenna elements that are annular substrates having perimeters substantially coextensive with the perimeter of the plate. The antenna can also include interconnections. A first set of interconnections can be coupled between the plate and one of the conductive antenna elements, and a second set of interconnections can be coupled between the conductive antenna elements. The antenna can also include a feed line conductively coupled to the plate. In some embodiments, the feed line can be substantially serpentine-shaped to adjust impedance in the CCM.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve including a stent frame and a valve structure. The valve structure is disposed within a lumen of the stent frame. The stent frame is configured to self-expand from a compressed condition for transluminal delivery. The stent frame has a lattice structure forming a tubular shape defining a circumference and a plurality of closed cells arranged to define a band exhibiting a variable radial stiffness. The prosthesis can be deployed such that the band applies a minimal force on to anatomical locations relating to the heart's conductive pathways. A region of the band otherwise having low radial stiffness is located at or over a conductive pathway upon final implant.

Abstract: A replacement prosthetic heart valve for engagement with a structure of an original prosthetic heart valve that includes at least one visually detectable marker. The replacement heart valve includes a stent structure having a generally tubular body portion and at least one visually detectable marker on a portion of the stent structure, and at least two leaflets attached within the interior area of the tubular body portion of the stent structure. At least one visually detectable marker of the stent structure is alignable with at least one visually detectable marker of the original prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, apparatuses, etc. for calibrating glucose monitoring sensors and/or insulin delivery systems. In certain example embodiments, blood glucose reference samples may be correlated with sensor measurements with regard to a delay associated with the sensor measurements. In certain other example embodiments, one or more parameters of a probability model may be estimated based on blood glucose reference sample-sensor measurement pairs. Based on such information, function(s) for estimating a blood-glucose concentration in a patient may be determined.

Abstract: Controller, system and method for an implantable medical device having a plurality of electrodes, said implantable device being capable of delivering a therapeutic stimulation to a patient. An electrode interface is operatively coupled between a plurality of electrodes and a control module. The control module uses an electrode interface to obtain a plurality of measurements of impedance values for a plurality of selected pairs of individual ones of the plurality of electrodes. A user interface displays an indicia, indicative of operability of a group of at least one of said plurality of electrodes, based on a comparison of said plurality of measurements to a predetermined range, said indicia being a qualitative representation of operability of said group of at least one of said plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: A medical device is provided, having an elongate body defining a distal portion and a proximal portion; a first expandable member disposed on the distal portion of the elongate body and defining a cooling chamber therein, the first expandable member having a first rigidity; a second expandable member disposed around the first expandable member to define an interstitial region therebetween, where the second expandable member has a second rigidity less than the first rigidity; a gel disposed within the interstitial region; a coolant flow path in fluid communication with the cooling chamber; and a cryogenic coolant source in fluid communication with the coolant flow path.

Abstract: A medical electrical lead may include a conductive electrode shaft located near the distal end within the lead body, a coiled conductor extending within the lead body from the proximal end and coupled to a first end of the conductive electrode shaft, and an electrode located near the distal end of the lead body and coupled to an opposite end of the conductive electrode shaft as the coiled conductor. The lead may also include an energy dissipating structure located near the distal end of the lead body and defining a lumen through which a portion of the coiled conductor extends. The energy dissipating structure may include a region having one or more protrusions extending toward a central axis of the lumen to push the coiled conductor off center relative to the central axis of the lumen.