Abstract: A chest tube device with neurostimulation is provided, along with a method of electrically stimulating at least one of (i) one or more peripheral nerves and (ii) one or more nerve fibers of a thoracic region of a patient, to mitigate pain in patients undergoing chest tube implantation. The chest tube device includes a tubular member and an electro-analgesic region to provide neurostimulation to one or more peripheral nerves and/or nerve fibers of the thoracic region of the patient. The method includes electrically stimulating one or more peripheral nerves and/or nerve fibers of the thoracic region of the patient, and hyperpolarizing the one or more peripheral nerves and/or nerve fibers of the thoracic region to (i) reduce an amount of pain signals from being transmitted to the brain of the patient and/or (ii) prevent pain signals from being transmitted to the brain of the patient.

Abstract: A method for creating alarm signals based on time-series signal behavior determined from real-time discrete data obtained from a medical device. In one embodiment the method includes identifying patterns in preceding time-series measurement threshold breaches in clinical readings obtained from said medical device when associated with a particular patient, and initiating an alarm signal to a front-line clinician based on the preceding quantity of threshold breaches.

Abstract: The invention relates to an intercardiac pump device comprising a pump (11) whose distal end (13) is connected to a cannula (15) which is provided with a suction head (16) for sucking blood. Said strainer is provided with a non-sucking extension (20) for stabilising the position of said pump device in the heart and mechanically prolonging the cannula (15) without deteriorating hydraulic conditions. Said extension is also used in the form of a spacer in order to avoid that the suction head (16) adheres to a cardiac wall.

Abstract: Intraoral electrical stimulation devices are disclosed. A representative device, which can be used to treat sleep apnea, includes an intraoral attachment body, a guide element carried by the attachment body and having a constrained guide path, and an electrode movably supported relative to the guide element and movable along the constrained guide path to a plurality of positions. A positioning member is coupleable to the electrode to move the electrode along the constrained guide path, and a signal generator is coupleable to the electrode to direct a stimulation signal to the electrode.

Abstract: The invention provides a tip that permits therapeutic electromagnetic energy systems to deliver multiple beams of overlapping, partially overlapping, and non-overlapping electromagnetic energy in the treatment of tissue disorders and conditions. The tip finds use with laser systems, intense pulsed light systems, LED systems, radiofrequency systems, and microwave systems.

Abstract: A glass wafer has an internal surface and an opposing external surface separated by a wafer thickness. A hermetic, electrically conductive feedthrough extends through the wafer from the internal surface to the opposing external surface. The feedthrough includes a feedthrough member having an inner face exposed along the internal surface for electrically coupling to an electrical circuit. The feedthrough member extends from the inner face partially through the wafer thickness to an exteriorly-facing outer face hermetically embedded within the wafer.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for treating heart failure, the apparatus including one or more propeller blades and a controller, which is configured to rotate the one or more propeller blades to produce continuous non-pulsatile blood flow not synchronized with a cardiac cycle of a subject. An intra-atrial anchor includes a stent surrounding the one or more propeller blades. The intra-atrial anchor is coupled to the one or more propeller blades and configured to be anchored in a left atrium of the subject so as to position the one or more propeller blades in the left atrium oriented such that the one or more propeller blades, when rotated by the controller, draw blood from the left atrium and expel the blood in the left atrium toward a mitral valve, thereby increasing atrial pressure above the mitral valve. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A navigation system or combination of navigation systems can be used to provide one or more navigation modalities to track a position and navigate a single instrument in a volume. For example, both an Electromagnetic (EM) and Electropotential (EP) navigation system can be used to navigate an instrument within the volume. The two navigation systems may be used separately to selectively individually navigate the single instrument in the volume. Disclosed are also systems and processes to determine a shape of the single instrument either alone or in combination with the position of the instrument. The instrument may be navigated with the addition of tracking devices or with native or inherent portions of the instrument.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for treating pulmonary tissues via delivery of energy, generally characterized by high voltage pulses, to target tissue using a pulmonary tissue modification system (e.g., an energy delivery catheter system). Example pulmonary tissues include, without limitation, the epithelium (the goblet cells, ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelial cells, and basal cells), lamina propria, submucosa, submucosal glands, basement membrane, smooth muscle, cartilage, nerves, pathogens resident near or within the tissue, or a combination of any of these. The system may be used to treat a variety of pulmonary diseases or disorders such as or associated with COPD (e.g., chronic bronchitis, emphysema), asthma, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), acute bronchitis and/or other pulmonary diseases or disorders.

Abstract: A cochlear implant including a cochlear lead, an antenna, a stimulation processor, and a magnet apparatus, associated with the antenna, including a case defining a central axis, a magnet frame within the case and rotatable about the central axis of the case, and a plurality of elongate diametrically magnetized magnets that are located in the magnet frame, the magnets defining a longitudinal axis and a N-S direction and being freely rotatable about the longitudinal axis relative to the magnet frame.

Abstract: In embodiments, a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system includes a support structure for wearing by an ambulatory patient. When worn, the support structure maintains electrodes on the patient's body. Different pairs of these electrodes define different channels, and different patient ECG signals can be sensed from the channels. The ECG signals can be analyzed to determine which one is the best to use, for the WCD system to make a shock/no shock decision. The analysis can be according to widths of the QRS complexes, consistency of the QRS complexes, or heart rate agreement statistics.

Abstract: Multi-modal, portable, handheld devices for tissue assessment (e.g., wound assessment) are provided, as are methods of fabricating and methods of using the same. The devices can be used for virtual medicine (VM)-based wound management, such as VM-based diabetic foot triage (DFT) and management. The device can be used to take physiological measurements of temperature and/or tissue oxygenation of a wound to assess the wound, for example in a remote setting environment. The device can also be used to provide therapy for tissue repair and/or wound healing, apart from the multi-modal imaging of the tissue surface of the patient. For example, light therapy, such as low-level light therapy (LLLT) can be provided via one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) and/or laser diodes.

Abstract: A headpiece including a housing, a headpiece magnet carried by the housing, and a headpiece antenna carried by the housing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a non-invasive system for determining the maturation of a baby, which comprises a module for sampling a cardiac or electroencephalographic signal from a baby and advantageously performs a conversion of a plurality of temporal samples derived from the cardiac signal or from the electroencephalic signal into a visibility graph, then a determination of at least one index on the basis of this visibility graph, a comparison of at least one determined index with one or more statistical indices representative of the maturation of a plurality of babies and a visual representation of a distance between at least one determined index and the statistical indices.

Abstract: An exemplary cochlear implant system for use by a recipient includes a microphone assembly and an off-the-ear (OTE) sound processor communicatively coupled with the microphone assembly. The microphone assembly includes a microphone configured to capture an audio signal representative of sound presented to the recipient, and a retention device configured to hold the microphone in place near an entrance to an ear canal of an ear of the recipient. The OTE sound processor includes a housing configured to be worn on a head of the recipient at a location that is off the ear of the recipient, and electronic circuitry included within the housing. The electronic circuitry is configured to generate stimulation parameters that, when transmitted to a cochlear implant implanted within the recipient, direct the cochlear implant to apply electrical stimulation representative of the captured audio signal to the recipient. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and devices for treating nasal airways are provided. Such devices and methods may improve airflow through an internal and/or external nasal valve, and comprise the use of mechanical re-shaping, energy application and other treatments to modify the shape, structure, and/or air flow characteristics of an internal nasal valve, an external nasal valve or other nasal airways.

Abstract: A low-profile intercranial device including a low-profile static cranial implant and a functional neurosurgical implant. The low-profile static cranial implant and the functional neurosurgical implant are virtually designed and interdigitated prior to physical assembly of the low-profile intercranial device.

Abstract: Diastolic function may be assessed by operating one or more machine-learned computational models on electrocardiograms or electrocardiogram-derived features to compute quantitative diastolic indicators, including estimates of echocardiography parameters conventionally measured by echocardiography. In various embodiments, parameters derived from time-frequency transforms of the electrocardiograms are used as input to the model(s) and/or computed within the model(s).

Abstract: The disclosure related to an implant comprising a substrate, a housing, wherein the housing is disposed on the substrate, an electronic circuit disposed on the substrate inside the housing, an electronic component disposed on the substrate outside the housing, and a conductor track, wherein the conductor track connects the electronic circuit to the electronic component. The conductor track is embedded into the substrate at least in sections in such a way that at least one section of the conductor track is completely surrounded by the substrate. Furthermore, a method for creating an implant is disclosed.

Abstract: An implantable electronic device includes a flexible circuit board, one or more circuit components attached to the flexible circuit board and configured to convert electrical energy into electrical pulses, and one or more electrodes attached to the flexible circuit board without cables connecting the electrodes to each other or to the flexible circuit board, the one or more electrodes configured to apply the electrical pulses to a tissue adjacent the implantable electronic device.