Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fluid infusion device of the type that delivers medication fluid to the body of a patient. The device includes or cooperates with a fluid reservoir, and the device has a sealing assembly to receive and form a fluid seal with the fluid reservoir. A retractable sealing element surrounding a hollow fluid delivery needle may be used to seal a port of the fluid reservoir. The port may include a pressure vent that is sealed by the retractable sealing element. In one variation, the reservoir includes a moving valve sleeve that holds a septum. The septum moves to allow the reservoir to vent, and to form a seal with the port when the needle pierces the septum. In another variation, the device includes a needleless sealing assembly. In yet other variations, the device uses a needled fluid reservoir.

Abstract: An implantable medical device, such as a sensor for monitoring a selected internally detectable physiological parameter of a patient, is attached to a fixation member that is deployable within the patient to position and orient the sensor to enable it to perform its function. The fixation member may be configured to lie in a single plane when deployed or may be tubular in shape. The attachment of the housing and fixation member includes providing the fixation member with a linear attachment strut that is non-circular in cross section and providing the housing with external members that define an elongate channel, non-circular in cross section and receptive to the attachment strut. The attachment strut can be inserted transversely into the channel and the external member can be crimped over the strut to secure the housing and fixation member together.

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. Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for automatically detecting an occlusion in a medication infusion pump are provided. The electrical current to an infusion pump may be measured. Based on measurements of one or more variables, such as force, the infusion pump detects whether there is an occlusion in the system. The methods of detecting occlusions may be dynamic.

Abstract: A dual-layer dilatation balloon, and a process of making such balloon, which includes an inner layer that includes a plasticizer and a polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyamide, a copolymer thereof, and a combination thereof, and an outer layer that includes an ethylene-propylene rubber. The dual-layer balloon optionally further includes a stent disposed on the balloon. The stent is optionally a drug-eluting stent.

Abstract: Various embodiments concern sensing a LFP signal from one or more electrodes, measuring the amplitude of the signals over a period of time, and calculating a plurality of variance values from the amplitude, wherein each of the variance values correspond to the variance of the amplitude for a different interval of time of the period of time with respect to the other variance values. Such embodiments may further include assessing the relative level of neural activation of an area of the brain based on the variance values, wherein the area of the brain is assessed to have a relatively higher level of neural activation when the variance is relatively higher and the area of the brain is assessed to have a relatively lower level of neural activation when the variance is relatively lower.

Abstract: A medical electrical lead may include a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end, 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 formed from a conductive material that defines a lumen through which a portion of the coiled conductor extends. The portion of the coiled conductor extending through the lumen defined by the energy dissipating structure is formed to provide an interference contact with the energy dissipating structure.

Abstract: System and method for interfacing with a medical device having a host device and a communication module. The host device has a user interface configured to input and display information relating to the interfacing with the medical device. The communication module is locally coupled to the host device and configured to communicate wirelessly with the medical device. The system, implemented by the host device and the communication module, is configured to communicate with the medical device with functions. The system, implemented by at least one of the host device and the communication module, has a security condition. At least one of the functions is disabled, at least in part, from operating on the system based upon the security condition.

Abstract: A medical device and associated method for delivery of a cardiac therapy that includes determining a first impedance signal along a thoracic electrode vector extending within a portion of a thoracic cavity, determining a second impedance signal along an extra-thoracic electrode vector extending outside the thoracic cavity, comparing first amplitude measurements corresponding to the first impedance signals and second amplitude measurements corresponding to the second impedance signals, comparing first slope measurements corresponding to the first impedance signals and second slope measurements corresponding to the second impedance signals, and determining delivery of the cardiac therapy in response to the comparing.

Abstract: Methods, devices and systems are disclosed that provide for dynamically adjusting the valid lifespan of a session key for wireless communication sessions established between at least two medical devices. Adjusting the session key lifetime balances protecting the communications link so that it is not unnecessarily susceptible to eavesdropping by third parties or other interference while obviating the need for a user to repeatedly perform access control steps.

Abstract: Apparatus and method detect a detection cluster that is associated with a neurological event, such as a seizure, of a nervous system disorder and update therapy parameters that are associated with a treatment therapy. The occurrence of the detection cluster is detected when the maximal ratio exceeds an intensity threshold. If the maximal ratio drops below the intensity threshold for a time interval that is less than a time threshold and subsequently rises above the intensity threshold, the subsequent time duration is considered as being associated with the detection cluster rather than being associated with a different detection cluster. Consequently, treatment of the nervous system disorder during the corresponding time period is in accordance with one detection cluster. Treatment therapy may be provided by providing electrical stimulation, drug infusion or a combination.

Abstract: A hermetic feedthrough for an implantable medical device includes an insulator, a conduit configured to conduct electricity through the insulator, and a ferrule coupled to the insulator. The insulator is formed from a ceramic material and the conduit and insulator have a co-fired bond therebetween, which hermetically seals the conduit with the insulator. The insulator is elongate and has opposing ends that include flat surfaces and the ferrule includes a frame for receiving the insulator.

Abstract: The subject invention is directed to methods of treating cardiac pacing dysfunction by administering HCN genes, alone or in combination with other genes.

Abstract: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) performance data for a number of patients in which an implantable medical device (IMD) is implanted is aggregated and reports of the aggregated data are generated, e.g., for review by organizations or individual clinicians treating the patients. In one example, a method includes collecting CRT performance data correlated to cardiac rhythm event data for a first group of patients in which an IMD configured to deliver CRT is implanted, aggregating, with a computing device, the CRT performance data correlated to the cardiac rhythm event data for a second group of patients from among the first group of patients, and generating, with the computing device, a report comprising the aggregation of the CRT performance data correlated to the cardiac rhythm event data for the second group of patients.

Abstract: A delivery device for delivering fluidic media may include a second housing portion configured to be selectively engaged with and disengaged from a first housing portion adapted to be carried by a user, a drive device configured to be operatively engageable with a plunger arm connected to a plunger head arranged for movement in an axial direction of a reservoir supported by one of the first and second housing portion to drive fluidic media from the reservoir, a drive linkage for operatively engaging the drive device with the plunger arm for allowing the drive device to move the plunger arm, the drive device including a first gear engageable with the plunger arm and a second gear configured for lateral movement to allow the second gear to engage the plunger arm.

Abstract: An antimicrobial accessory may include a polymer an antimicrobial mixed in the polymer, and an antioxidant. The antioxidant may include, for example, at least one of citric acid, maltol, kojic acid, malic acid, or vitamin A. In some examples, the antioxidant may include an ascorbate peroxidase in combination with ascorbic acid, a glutathione peroxidase in combination with glutathione, or a superoxide dismutase in combination with a metal such as Ni, Cu, Mn, or Fe. In some examples, the antimicrobial accessory may include at least three polymer layers. For example, the antimicrobial accessory may include a first layer comprising a biodegradable polymer and an antimicrobial. The antimicrobial accessory may further include a sacrificial diffusion layer formed on a surface of the first layer. The sacrificial diffusion layer may include a biodegradable polymer, which may be the same biodegradable polymer as in the first layer or may be a different biodegradable polymer.

Abstract: In general, the disclosure is related to characterization of implanted electrical stimulation electrode arrays using post-implant imaging. The electrode arrays may be carried by implanted leads. Characterization of implanted electrode arrays may include identification of the type or types of leads implanted within a patient and/or determination of positions of the implanted leads or electrodes carried by the leads relative to one another or relative to anatomical structures within the patient. In addition, the disclosure relates to techniques for specifying or modifying patient therapy parameters based on the characterization of the implanted electrode arrays.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes techniques and apparatus for making non-contact differential measurements of various dimensions of electronic components surface mounted on circuit boards. Tilt data relating to the electronic components is derived from the differential measurements to provide an indication of the integrity of the electrical connection between the electronic components to the circuit board. The techniques and apparatus of the present disclosure make it possible to accomplish non-destructive inspection of the connection without individually inspecting each bump-terminal connection.

Abstract: A medical system, including a catheter having a fluid flow path and a distal portion separated from the fluid flow path; a plurality of electrodes coupled to the distal portion; at least one temperature sensor coupled to the distal portion; a heat sink in thermal communication with each electrode and in fluid communication with the fluid flow path; a radiofrequency signal generator in communication with the plurality of electrodes; and a fluid source in fluid communication with the fluid flow path.

Abstract: A programmer device includes an interface that communicates with an implantable fluid delivery device and a user interface that displays a representation of a portion of the implantable fluid delivery device and displays an indication of a location of fluid within the implantable fluid delivery device during a delivery phase, e.g., a priming or bridging phase. The user interface may display a representation of progress of the delivery phase. The user interface may display the indication of the location of the fluid within internal tubing of the implantable fluid delivery device or within a catheter of the implantable fluid delivery device. The programmer device may display the representation of the progress of the delivery phase as a simulation of the delivery phase or during the actual delivery phase of the implantable fluid delivery device. A user may therefore observe a location of fluid corresponding to progress of the delivery phase.

Abstract: A reservoir and a plunger head contained within may be configured to move relative to each other in response to at least one of the reservoir being detached from a base, the base and/or the reservoir being removed from a packaging, and the base and/or the reservoir being moved relative to each other. A first layer may be configured to define a reservoir, the first layer, which may be made of a material compatible with fluidic media in the reservoir, may be adjacent a second layer for inhibiting a diffusion through the second layer. A first layer that may be less than 0.3 mm and made of a cyclic olefin copolymer may be configured to define a reservoir. A reservoir may be defined by a wall made of a cyclic olefin copolymer and the wall may be for substantially preventing light from passing through the reservoir.