Abstract: A visual prosthesis apparatus including a video capture device for capturing a video image, a video processing unit associated with the video capture device, the video processing unit configured to convert the video image to stimulation patterns, and a stimulation system configured to stimulate subject's neural tissue based on the stimulation patterns, wherein the stimulation system provides a span of visual angle matched to the subject's neural tissue being stimulated.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 14, 2014
Date of Patent:
June 9, 2015
Assignee:
Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
Inventors:
Robert J Greenberg, Arup Roy, Avraham I Caspi, Matthew J McMahon
Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for migrating cells implanted or endogenous in tissue. The system may include first and second delivery electrodes configured for insertion in tissue and a direct current (DC) power source operatively coupled to the first and second delivery electrodes. The system further may include a programmable controller operatively coupled to the DC power source, wherein the programmable controller is programmed to direct the DC power source to deliver an electric field between the first delivery electrode and the second delivery electrode at a stimulation to nonstimulation ratio sufficient to cause the cells to migrate within tissue selectively.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 15, 2013
Date of Patent:
June 2, 2015
Assignee:
The Regents of the University of California
Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for providing power to an electrosurgical instrument. In particular, a power supply is disclosed in which non-sinusoidal (e.g., pulsed) constant frequency voltage having a variable amplitude is passed to an LC circuit to produce a quasi-sinusoidal current in the LC circuit. The constant driving frequency can be one half the resonant frequency of the LC circuit allowing the LC circuit to operate as an impedance, and thus limit current spikes and arcing. The frequency and phasing of the driving voltage also enables the LC circuit to discharge energy back into a power provider of the power supply so that energy does not build up in the LC circuit. These features result in less severe current spikes and arcing, as well as reduced cutoff times.
Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for treating a heart of a patient may make use of structures which limit a size of a chamber of the heart, such as by deploying a tensile member to bring a wall of the heart toward (optionally into contact with) a septum of the heart. The implant may include an electrode or other structure for applying pacing signals to one or both ventricles of the heart, for defibrillating the heart, for sensing beating of the heart or the like. A wireless telemetry and control system may allowing the implant to treat congestive heart failure, monitor the results of the treatment, and apply appropriate electrical stimulation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 28, 2014
Date of Patent:
May 26, 2015
Assignee:
BioVentrix, Inc.
Inventors:
Lon S. Annest, Arthur A. Bertolero, David K. Swanson
Abstract: A housing for an electrostimulation device comprising a charger plug and a stimulation plug, designed to receive respectively a connector linked to a charger and a connector linked to a stimulation electrode, characterized in that it comprises a mobile locking element designed to alternately lock the charger plug or the stimulation plug.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 22, 2014
Date of Patent:
May 26, 2015
Assignee:
DJO Global Switzerland Sàrl
Inventors:
Pierre-Yves Muller, Klaus Schonenberger
Abstract: Embodiments of the present concept are directed to medical devices having features that prevent contaminants from infiltrating the housing of the device while providing a mechanism to provide clear auditory sounds to aid a rescuer in providing care to a patient. In one example, a medical device includes a housing having a transmission area associated with an enclosed voice coil. An exterior diaphragm formed integrally with the housing surrounds the transmission area and provides a watertight seal of the transmission area. In addition, the diaphragm is structured to generate a sound that can be heard by the rescuer from the voice coil.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 27, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 28, 2015
Assignee:
Physio-Control, Inc.
Inventors:
Richard C. Nova, Robert E. Smith, Gregory V. Browne, Ryan D. Lee
Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for providing efficient stimulation. As an example, a variable compliance regulator can be connected to supply a compliance voltage to a power supply rail, which compliance voltage can vary dynamically based on a stimulus waveform. A pulse generator can be configured to provide an output waveform to one or more output based on the stimulus waveform for delivery of electrical therapy.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 3, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 21, 2015
Assignee:
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Inventors:
Thomas J. Foutz, D. Michael Ackermann, Cameron C. McIntyre
Abstract: An electrosurgical wand is described, for treating a target tissue using electrosurgical energy, which has an elongate shaft with a handle end and a distal end. A first active electrode surface is disposed on the distal end of the shaft and a first digester electrode surface is recessed away from the first active electrode surface and electrically connected with the first active electrode surface. An aspiration aperture is also disposed adjacent the first active electrode surface and fluidly connected with an aspiration lumen, wherein the first digester electrode surface is disposed within the aspiration lumen.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 1, 2012
Date of Patent:
April 21, 2015
Assignee:
ArthroCare Corporation
Inventors:
Kim Nguyen, Doug Evans, Seth M. Pransky
Abstract: A wearable therapeutic device that includes a garment configured to contain an external defibrillator. The garment is configured to house at least one of an alarm module and a monitor and to house a first therapy electrode and a second therapy electrode. The garment is also configured to releasably receive a receptacle that contains a conductive fluid proximate to at least one of the first therapy electrode and the second therapy electrode, and to electrically couple the receptacle with the garment.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 17, 2011
Date of Patent:
April 14, 2015
Assignee:
Zoll Medical Corporation
Inventors:
Thomas E. Kaib, Shane Volpe, Emil Oskin
Abstract: Devices and methods for preventing knee sprain injuries. To protect the knee joint from knee sprain injuries, the device comprises a sensing part configured to sense data associated with knee motion; an analyzing part configured to analyze the knee motion data to determine a knee articulation; and a stimulating part configured to stimulate one or more lower limb muscles to initiate an earlier muscle reaction than would naturally occur in response to the determined knee joint articulation. The determined knee joint articulation may include knee joint articulation or a particular type of articulation such as a knee sprain movement associated with knee sprain. The methods involve sensing data associated with knee joint motion, analyzing the data to determine a knee joint articulation; and stimulating one or more lower limb muscles to initiate an early muscle reaction within the determined knee joint articulation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 14, 2013
Date of Patent:
April 14, 2015
Assignee:
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Inventors:
Kai-Ming Chan, Tik-Pui Daniel Fong, Shu-Hang Patrick Yung
Abstract: A power supply arrangement for an implantable electronic system is described. An MRI power supply arrangement cooperates with an implantable power supply circuit to provide a high output impedance for implanted circuitry during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Abstract: An MRI-compatible electronic medical therapy system includes an active medical device connected to a plurality of electrodes. An independently actuatable switch selectively electrically connects at least one circuit protection device in electrical series with the electrodes and the medical device. The circuit protection device is adapted to permit current flow therethrough during normal medical device related therapy, but substantially prevent current flow therethrough in the presence of an induced electromagnetic field.
Abstract: Devices and systems provide for proximity based selection of an implantable medical device for far field communication with an external device. By using a proximity communication that is limited to the IMD of interest during the selection process, the external device can eliminate those IMDs that are in range of far field communications but are able to receive the proximity communication. Thus, information may be shared via a proximity communication that is validated via a far field communication, or shared via a far field communication as a challenge and then validated via a proximity communication. The proximity communication may be used to initially limit the number of devices that respond to a discovery request and then subsequently used to select the intended implantable medical device as well as automatically select the appropriate therapy application corresponding to the selected IMD.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 3, 2014
Date of Patent:
March 31, 2015
Assignee:
Medtronic, Inc.
Inventors:
Earle T. Roberts, Donald L. Villalta, David S. Slack, Irfan Z. Ali, Sudheendhar Raghavendran, Nathan A. Torgerson, Garrett R. Sipple
Abstract: An electro-optical tissue stimulator for administering therapy to a body is disclosed comprising a housing and an active tip. The electro-optical tissue stimulator includes a microcurrent electrostimulation therapy unit which delivers current through a first and a second electrode in the active tip. The electro-optical tissue stimulator also includes an optical radiation therapy unit which delivers optical radiation through a light output port in the active tip. The active tip is shaped for administering myofascial tissue release therapy. The device can administer microcurrent electrostimulation therapy, optical radiation therapy, and myofascial tissue release therapy to tissues of a body. A method of treating pain is disclosed which includes the steps of identifying a treatment area on a body to receive therapy, and contacting the treatment area with the active tip, wherein the treatment area receives microcurrent electrostimulation therapy, optical radiation therapy, and myofascial tissue release therapy.
Abstract: A medical device and associated method for classifying an unknown cardiac signal that includes sensing a cardiac signal over a plurality of cardiac cycles, determining a template of a known cardiac signal in response to the cardiac signal sensed over the plurality of cardiac cycles, sensing an unknown cardiac signal over an unknown cardiac cycle, determining a fourth order difference signal, determining a template alignment point and an unknown cardiac signal alignment point in response to the fourth order difference signal; determining an R-wave onset and an R-wave offset in response to the fourth order difference signal of the unknown cardiac cycle signal, determining an R-wave width as the difference between the R-wave onset and the R-wave offset, determining a morphology analysis window in response to the R-wave width, and determining a first morphology match metric across the morphology analysis window.
Abstract: A system includes a medical device lead including a connector at a proximal end of the lead, a conductor electrically connected to the connector at a proximal end of the conductor, and at least one electrode coupled to a distal end of the conductor. The system further includes a device securable to the proximal end of the lead including an inductive element. The device includes a port configured to receive the connector and position the inductive element around at least a portion of the connector.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 17, 2013
Date of Patent:
March 17, 2015
Assignee:
Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
Inventors:
Arthur J. Foster, Linda L. Evert, Joel P. Grover, Jason T. Lenz, Brendan E. Koop
Abstract: Techniques are provided for controlling spinal cord stimulation (SCS) or other forms of neurostimulation. Far-field cardiac electrical signals are sensed using a lead of the SCS device and neurostimulation is selectively delivering using a set of adjustable SCS control parameters. Parameters representative of cardiac rhythm are derived from the far-field cardiac electrical signals. The parameters representative of cardiac rhythm are correlated with SCS control parameters to thereby map neurostimulation control settings to cardiac rhythm parameters. The delivery of further neurostimulation is then controlled based on the mapping of neurostimulation control settings to cardiac rhythm parameters to, for example, address any cardiovascular disorders detected based on the far-field cardiac signals. In this manner, a closed loop control system is provided to automatically adjust SCS control parameters to respond to changes in cardiac rhythm such as changes associated with ischemia, arrhythmia or heart failure.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 15, 2013
Date of Patent:
March 17, 2015
Assignee:
Pacesetter, Inc.
Inventors:
Allen Keel, Stuart Rosenberg, Rupinder Bharmi, Kyungmoo Ryu, Edward Karst, Fujian Qu, Xiaoyi Min, Yelena Nabutovsky
Abstract: A real time, heart rate monitor and a hemodynamic monitoring system are operably integrated with the programmer system for an implantable hypertension treatment device. A series of tests are automatically performed to set programmable parameters for the implantable hypertension treatment device without clinician intervention. In one embodiment, a predetermined level of a dose-response evaluation is initiated for each test in the series. Preferably, the programmer system monitors the heart rate to determine whether a hemodynamic measurement should be initiated at all for a given test, as well as whether the hemodynamic measurement should be initiated earlier or later than a predetermined settling period for assessing the sympathetic nervous response to the test dose. In one embodiment, this determination is based on heart rate stability/instability.
Abstract: A microwave energy delivery and measurement system, including a microwave generator and a microwave energy delivery device, for performing medical procedures, and a remote power coupler system for measuring one or more parameters of the microwave energy signal including a remote RF sensor housed in the microwave energy delivery device and a power coupler processer coupled with the processing unit of the microwave energy delivery device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 14, 2012
Date of Patent:
March 3, 2015
Assignee:
Covidien LP
Inventors:
Joseph D. Brannan, Kyle R. Rick, Manoja Weiss, Joshua C. Glazier
Abstract: Presented herein is a shapeable coil cable for use in connection with an implantable medical device comprising first and second external components. The shapeable coil cable is a conformable and non-resilient member that is sufficiently pliable to accept a configuration set by a user and sufficiently rigid to retain the configuration set by the user.