Abstract: An apparatus comprises a cardiac signal sensing circuit, a pacing therapy circuit, and a controller circuit. The controller circuit includes a safety margin calculation circuit. The controller circuit initiates delivery of pacing stimulation energy to the heart using a first energy level, changes the energy level by at least one of: a) increasing the energy from the first energy level until detecting that the pacing stimulation energy induces stable capture, or b) reducing the energy from the first energy level until detecting that the stimulation energy fails to induce capture, and continues changing the stimulation energy level until confirming stable capture or the failure of capture. The safety margin calculation circuit calculates a safety margin of pacing stimulation energy using at least one of a determined stability of a parameter associated with evoked response and a determined range of energy levels corresponding to stable capture or intermittent failure of capture.

Abstract: Medical leads included coiled filars that have longitudinally straight ends. The coiled filars may be coiled at a constant pitch until reaching the point where the filars become longitudinally straight. The coiled filars may reside within a central lumen of the lead body, while the longitudinally straight portions may reside in a region where electrical connectors are present and where filar passageways provide a pathway for the filars to exit the central lumen and bond with the electrical connectors. The coiled filars may be created with longitudinally straight ends using a body that includes longitudinally straight holes that receive the filars and maintain the longitudinally straight configuration while the remaining portion of the filars is being coiled.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein to evaluate a candidate medication as it relates to a subject's cardiovascular health. A processing component is employed to measure a first value of one or more cardiovascular markers, via a computer, which are associated with a circulatory system of each subject that is to receive the candidate medication. The candidate medication is administered to each subject and a second value of one or more cardiovascular markers are measured subsequent to the administration as of the candidate medication. Continued testing of the candidate medication can be continued dependent upon the change in the one or more cardiovascular markers.

Abstract: Electrical stimulation therapy may be delivered to a patient to selectively and independently address different conditions of a pelvic floor disorder of the patient. The conditions of a pelvic floor disorder may include, for example, a lower urinary tract dysfunction (e.g., urinary or fecal incontinence) and sexual dysfunction (e.g., an impaired sexual reflex response to a sexual stimulus). In some examples, a system is configured to selectively deliver a first electrical stimulation therapy that is configured to elicit an inhibitory physiological response from the patient related to voiding, a second electrical stimulation therapy that is configured to improve a sexual reflex response of the patient to a sexual stimulus, and a third electrical stimulation therapy that is configured to both elicit the inhibitory physiological response from the patient related to voiding and increase a sexual response of the patient to a sexual stimulus.

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: The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for identifying development of diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (DCAN) in a biological subject. In one aspect, the method includes collecting data associated with heart rates of a biological subject, and processing the collected data to extract primary and secondary components of the collected data by performing a principal dynamic mode (PDM) analysis. A significant reduction of the primary or secondary component at a predetermined time period can be indicative of the DCAN development.

Abstract: An ECG measurement approach for any multi-touch screens comprises the following steps: 1) display ECG on the screen; 2) use two fingers to touch the screen and the two touch points have two vertically projected points on the actual ECG waves; 3) draw the horizontal and vertical baselines to show the x interval in milliseconds and y interval in microvolt; 4) move any one or both of the two fingers touch points on the screen, the projected points and the horizontal/vertical baselines updated synchronously, as well as the measurements; 5) measure the different part of the ECG waves using this approach, including the wave top points, wave beginning and ending points. This approach can be used as a measurement tool to any graphs of functions over time displayed on the multi-touch screen, like EEG.

Abstract: A stimulating medical device comprising a stimulating assembly implantable proximate to nerve cells of a recipient having at least one agent delivery port and a plurality of electrical contacts; an electrical stimulation controller configured to generate electrical stimulation signals for application to a first population of the nerve cells via one or more of the plurality of electrical contacts; a pharmaceutical agent source configured to provide a pharmaceutical agent to the at least one delivery port for application to a second population of the nerve cells; and a pharmaceutical agent controller configured to control one or more of the pharmaceutical agent source and the at least one delivery port to cause selective application of the pharmaceutical agent to the second population of nerve cells.

Abstract: A chronically implanted medical device, connected to a medical electrical lead that includes a sensor, is used to detect cardiac afterload. Electrical stimulation is delivered proximate to aortic arch tissue of a patient in order to reduce a patient's cardiac afterload. Electrical stimulation is terminated after a termination condition is met.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the effectiveness of VSR and for taking action to improve the effectiveness of VSRs, if they are determined to be ineffective, includes comparing the a VSR evoked electrogram to a template electrogram of a pure biventricular paced CRT beat. If the electrograms, or features thereof, are similar, the VSR is determined to be effective. If the VSR is determined to be ineffective, the AV delay of biventricular CRT is shortened in a step-wise fashion in an incremental manner.

Abstract: A suture anchor for securing a therapy delivery element in a desired location within a living body using a suture material. The suture anchor includes an inner sleeve with a primary lumen sized to receive the therapy delivery element. The inner sleeve includes a compliant material having a first durometer. An anchor body extends around at least a portion of the inner sleeve and includes a portion of the primary lumen. The anchor body includes a compliant material having a second durometer less than the first durometer. At least one exterior suture groove is located on the anchor body to receive the suture material. The exterior suture groove extends substantially to the inner sleeve so the suture material engages directly with the inner sleeve.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of percutaneous cochlear implantation (PCI).

Abstract: One aspect relates to an electrical bushing for an implantable device including an electrically insulating base body and at least one electrically conductive bushing body that is embedded in at least one bushing opening that extends through the base body. The base body is produced from a sintered ceramic material, characterized in that the at least one bushing body is made of a sintered cermet material or a sintered metallic material. The base body and the at least one bushing body comprise a firmly bonded sintered connection.

Abstract: A method includes providing an elongated probe having a longitudinal axis and a distal end, and capable of rotation of the distal end about the longitudinal axis in mutually opposite first and second directions. While an operator manipulates the probe within a body of a patient, the rotation that is applied to the distal end is sensed automatically. An alert is issued to the operator upon sensing that the rotation is in the second direction, but not when the sensed rotation is in the first direction.

Abstract: An implantable control module for an electrical stimulation system includes an electronic subassembly disposed in a casing. A sealed feedthrough housing is disposed along a portion of the casing. An electrically-conductive portion of the feedthrough housing is electrically coupled to an electrically-conductive portion of the casing. Feedthrough pins extend through the feedthrough housing and couple to the electronic subassembly via conductive pathways disposed in the casing. At least a portion of the conductive pathways extend along a non-conductive substrate. An RF-diverting assembly is disposed in the casing. The RF-diverting assembly includes a feedthrough ground electrically coupled to the electrically-conductive portion of the feedthrough housing. The RF-diverting assembly also includes a plurality of capacitive elements each coupling a different one of the plurality of conductive pathways to the feedthrough ground.

Abstract: The present document discloses an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to: trigger a start of a physical exercise; in response to said triggering, start a measurement mode in which the apparatus receives measurement data of the physical exercise wirelessly from at least one sensor device and analyzes the received measurement data; detect a predetermined event in the received measurement data during the physical exercise; and in response to detecting said predetermined event, cause transmission of a reconfiguration message to at least one of the at least one sensor device to reconfigure at least one parameter of said at least one of the at least one sensor device.

Abstract: An exemplary system for loading a pre-curved electrode array onto a straightening member includes a loading tool and a straightening member. An exemplary loading tool may include a body and first and second flexible arms each having a fixed end connected to the body and a free end opposite the fixed end. The first and second flexible arms may define a straightening channel configured to constrain a pre-curved electrode array in a straightened configuration. The first and second flexible arms may be further configured to flex away from each other to receive the pre-curved electrode array into the straightening channel. The straightening member is configured to be inserted into the pre-curved electrode array while the pre-curved electrode array is in the straightened configuration and retain the pre-curved electrode array in the straightened configuration after the pre-curved electrode array is removed from the loading tool. Corresponding methods are also described.

Abstract: In the present disclosure, conservation of an implantable medical device power supply of is facilitated by controlling the power consumption of the device's processing component. The power supplied to the processing component is controlled to enable processing of received events as a function of predetermined criteria rather than the actual occurrence of the events which is frequent, but irregular. Accordingly, the need for the processing component to start and stop (and thereby be fully powered on each start) with receipt of each event is obviated thereby maintaining the power consumption of the processing component and increasing longevity of the device. Event data associated with received events is stored in an event queue and subsequently retrieved and transmitted for processing based on predetermined criteria. The power supplied during an idle state of the processing component may be reduced in relation to the power supplied during a wake up state.

Abstract: A method for detecting an R-wave from an ECG signal (x(t)) derived from a living body, the method comprising the steps of (a) acquiring the ECG signal from the living body, (b) digitizing the ECG signal into a digital ECG signal (x(ti)), (c) filtering the digital ECG signal with a bandpass filter (53) and applying an absolute value filter (55) thereto to create a filtered ECG signal (g(ti)), (d) for each sequential value of the filtered ECG signal, comparing (57) the filtered ECG signal to an ECG tracking threshold (TT), (e) if the filtered ECG signal is no greater than TT, incrementing a counter (59), but if greater than TT, setting the counter to zero; and (f) comparing (63) the counter to a predetermined refractory count RC and, if the count is equal to RC, outputting an R-wave trigger indicating that an R-wave has been detected.

Abstract: An anchor sleeve for securing a therapy delivery element, such as a stimulation lead or catheter, within a living body, that includes an inner sleeve with pre-formed locations of weakness that facilitate localized deformation. The anchor includes a deformable outer sleeve with a primary lumen extending along an axis. The outer surface of the outer sleeve includes a plurality of suture grooves oriented generally concentric to the axis. The inner sleeve includes a plurality of beams connected at deflection regions arranged around a secondary lumen. The inner sleeve is located in the primary lumen adjacent to the suture grooves so that the secondary lumen is generally concentric with the primary lumen. A plurality of locations of weakness are preformed in each of the beams to facilitate localized deformation in response to a radially inward force applied around the suture grooves by a suture material.