Abstract: An electrode for use with an external defibrillator for a patient includes a first combination circuit including a circuit node electrically coupled to an adapter for coupling to the defibrillator. The circuit node is further coupled to a monitoring node defined by a monitoring segment of a first pad of the electrode and to a therapy node defined by a therapy segment of the first pad of the electrode. The therapy segment is electrically insulated from the monitoring segment. The first combination circuit further includes a capacitor coupled between the circuit node and the therapy node. The electrode of this disclosure hence provides additional solutions for reducing ECG artifact during the operation of the electrode.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to an alignment device and method. The alignment device includes a wrap and an injection device for proper alignment and insertion of a metal device.

Abstract: A device according to some embodiments may include an implantable flexible carrier and a pair of electrodes located on the carrier. The electrodes may be spaced from each other by a distance greater than 3 mm, and may be configured to cause, when supplied with an electrical signal, a unidirectional electric field sufficient to modulate at least one nerve.

Abstract: Methods and systems (10, 54, 72) are provided for administering phototherapy to an injured tissue in a living subject by delivering visible or infrared biostimulatory energy to bone marrow at a dose sufficient to cause mesenchymal stem cells to appear in the injured tissue. The energy may be coherent light and can be administered transcutaneously, subcutaneously, or via an intramedullary probe (74). The technique is useful for treating many types of tissue injury, including ischemic cardiac and renal conditions.

Abstract: A method and system for characterizing an accessibility of potential left ventricular stimulus sites in connection with surgical planning for transvenous implant of a cardiac medical lead in or near a heart of a patient are provided. The method and system include obtaining image data representative of a coronary venous system for the heart of the patient to receive the lead. The method and system generate a venous map, based on the image data, representative of venous pathways for the heart of the patient. The method and system analyze the venous map to identify pathway features of interest (PFOI) within at least one select region of the venous pathways. The method and system assign scores to the PFOI based on at least one of predetermined feature-complexity relations or physician-entered complexity updates. The method and system display treatment planning information to a user based on the scores.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to cardiac pacing methods and systems, and, more particularly, to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). In particular, the present disclosure pertains to determining the efficacy of CRT through use of an effective capture test (ECT). One or more embodiments comprises sensing a signal in response to a ventricular pacing stimulus. Through signal processing, a number of features are parsed from the signal. Exemplary features parsed from the signal include a maximum amplitude, a maximum time associated with the maximum amplitude, a minimum amplitude, and a minimum time associated with the minimum amplitude. The data is evaluated through use of the ECT. By employing the ECT, efficacy of CRT is easily and automatically evaluated. In one or more other embodiments, the reason for ineffective capture is displayed to the user. Exemplary reasons for ineffective capture include pseudo-fusion pacing and lack of capture of the ventricle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for medical applications. The apparatus includes an oblong conductive element having a distal end. A resistance element is disposed in the vicinity of the distal end. The resistance element changes the resistance thereof as a function of a temperature and/or an electromagnetic field. To this end, the resistance element is designed to reduce a temperature rise of the distal end caused by energy absorption from, for example, an electromagnetic field.

Abstract: Methods and devices treating an autonomic nervous system associated disease condition in a subject are provided. Aspects of the invention include inducing one or more physiological response selected from the group consisting of sweating, gastric emptying, enhanced heart rate variability and enhanced quantitative sensory test responsiveness in a manner sufficient to modify the autonomic nervous system so as to treat the subject for the disease condition. The methods and devices find use in a variety of applications, e.g. in the treatment of subjects suffering from conditions arising from disorders of the autonomic nervous system.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for wireless recharging of an implanted device. In response to receiving identification information from an implanted device, a charger can set an electrical field to a first field strength and receive first field strength information from the implanted device. The charger can then set the electrical field to a second field strength and receive second field strength information from the implanted device. This information relating to the first and second field strengths can be used to determine whether to recharge the implanted device.

Abstract: A method and system for measuring psychological stress disclosed. In a first aspect, the method comprises determining R-R intervals from an electrocardiogram (ECG) to calculate a standard deviation of the R-R intervals (SDNN) and determining a stress feature (SF) using the SDNN. In response to reaching a threshold, the method includes performing adaptation to update a probability mass function (PMF). The method includes determining a stress level (SL) using the SF and the updated PMF to continuously measure the psychological stress. In a second aspect, the system comprises a wireless sensor device coupled to a user via at least one electrode, wherein the wireless sensor device includes a processor and a memory device coupled to the processor, wherein the memory device stores an application which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to carry out the steps of the method.

Abstract: A device for generating a plurality of output voltages from a single input energy supply source is described. The device includes a switched capacitor voltage converter that provides each of the output voltages having different supply ratios. The supply ratio is defined as a function of the input voltage provided to the switched capacitor voltage converter by the energy supply source. The switched capacitor voltage converter includes a plurality of capacitors selectively coupled to a plurality of switches that dynamically configure the capacitors into a plurality of stacked configurations. Switching between the plurality of stacked configurations may be controlled based on predetermined criteria.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining pre-cognitive and/or cognitive emotional response to predetermined olfactory stimuli. Among other things, the invention may include exposing a test subject to a controlled flow of a predetermined olfactory stimulus, measuring eye data (e.g., using an eye tracking device) corresponding to when the olfactory stimulus reached the subject's nose, and analyzing and processing the eye data for determining the subject's emotional response to the olfactory stimulus. In some implementations, the invention may include measuring the test subject's respiratory parameters so as to deliver the predetermined olfactory stimulus at a certain point in the test subjects respiratory cycle.

Abstract: A peelable lid system includes a peelable lid, a seal configured to seal the peelable lid to a container, a handle coupled to the peelable lid, and a lifting mechanism coupled to handle. The lifting mechanism can be coupled to the peelable lid at a plurality of attachment points, including at least one attachment point coupled to the peelable lid away from the handle. The lifting mechanism can be configured to lift at least one portion of the peelable lid near each of the plurality of attachment points.

Abstract: An implantable epicardial electrode assembly comprises electrode poles fixed on the heart having a large surface area and being multipolar and can at the same time be used as sensing and stimulating electrodes, wherein the electrode assembly has the shape of a tennis racket or is circular, elliptical, hexagonal, rectangular, oakleaf-shaped, star-shaped or cloverleaf-shaped and comprises at least two electrode poles which are arranged over a large surface area, and a further electrode arrangement which comprises at least one electrode pole and which is arranged between the large surface area electrode poles and further comprises a fixing element, wherein the defibrillation can take place between the mutually insulated poles of the electrodes, and wherein the stimulation of the heart can take place between one of the electrode poles and a pole of the electrode arrangement.

Abstract: An electrosurgical system may generally first and second electrodes coupled to an energy source operative to generate and deliver pulses of a biphasic radio frequency (RF) waveform to treat undesirable tissue in a patient. The pulses may induce non-thermal cell death in the patient's tissue while causing no or minimal muscle contractions in the treated patient. The pulses may be grouped in bursts wherein the pulses within a burst repeat at a particular pulse frequency.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system for oxygenating blood. The system may include an implantable blood pump that may draw a supply of blood from the circulatory system of a mammalian subject, such as a human being. The blood pump may provide the supply of blood to an adaptor, where the supply of blood may be supplied to either or both of a first branch or second branch. The first branch may lead to an external blood oxygenator. The oxygenator may oxygenate the blood, and the blood may be returned to the circulatory system of the mammalian subject. The second branch may bypass the oxygenator and may connect to the circulatory system of the mammalian subject. In this regard, while the blood is supplied to the second branch, the oxygenator may be disconnected and blood may be prevented from entering the first branch.

Abstract: An instrument that utilizes body contact electrodes evaluates the quality of the connections made between the electrodes and the body. An electrode contact quality evaluation circuit performs the quality evaluation, such as by determining contact impedances for the electrodes. The corresponding contact quality of each electrode is conveyed to the user.

Abstract: A stimulation therapy device provides an electrical stimulation therapy to branches of the tibial nerve of a patient. The device comprises a support member configured to be worn around the ankle or foot of the patient, first and second pairs of electrodes attached to the support member, and a stimulation circuit attached to the support member. The stimulation circuit is configured to deliver electrical stimulation pulses through the first and second pairs of electrodes.

Abstract: Techniques are described for generating electrical stimulation current pulses for delivery of electrical stimulation therapy via a current-controlled system that emulates voltage pulses generated via a voltage-controlled system.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for deep tissue laser therapy, in which the phase of the laser light is spatially modulated to produce a modulated laser beam. The modulated laser beam is able to restore its intensity profile even after being scattered by the skin or the superficial layer of the tissue, allowing it to penetrate deep into the tissue to provide efficient therapeutic treatment.