Patents Examined by Christopher D. Koharski
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Patent number: 9968773Abstract: A method using a prior art hand-held device known as the Dolphin Neurostim™ to supply minute, concentrated micro-current impulses to the (outside) perimeters of scar tissue for the purpose of tissue diagnosis (through ohm resistance measurement), promotion of scar tissue repair (through electrical repolarization), and pain management (through sympathetic deregulation of the Autonomic Nervous System. The micro-current stimulus (therapy) is delivered through a tiny metallic spring tip (probe) ideally suited for location (detection) of specific treatment points (which have the cellular characteristic and lowered skin resistance). The device is activated to deliver a concentrated (DC) micro-current stimulus through the scar/suture tissue to another identical device located (mirrored) on the opposing side of the scar/suture.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2015Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: Center for Pain and Stress Research, LtdInventor: Bruce Hocking
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Patent number: 9968785Abstract: Electrode structures for transvascular nerve stimulation combine electrodes with an electrically-insulating backing layer. The backing layer increases the electrical impedance of electrical paths through blood in a lumen of a blood vessel and consequently increases the flow of electrical current through surrounding tissues. The electrode structures may be applied to stimulate nerves such as the phrenic, vagus, trigeminal, obturator or other nerves.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2017Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: Lungpacer Medical, Inc.Inventor: Joaquin Andres Hoffer
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Patent number: 9956408Abstract: A method for reducing spasticity applied with an electrical stimulation device to electrically stimulate a target zone of an organism suffering from spasticity. The electrical stimulation device comprises at least one electrical stimulation unit. The electrical stimulation unit includes at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode. The method includes the following steps. The electrical stimulation unit is placed near the target zone. The electrical stimulation unit generates an electrical stimulation signal and the electrical stimulation signal is introduced to the target zone so as to stimulate the target zone. An electric field is generated between the first electrode and the second electrode and covers the target zone. The strength of the electric field ranges from 100 V/m to 1000 V/m.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2016Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: Gimer Medical Co. Ltd.Inventors: Wei-Tso Lin, Kuo-Hsiang Lu
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Patent number: 9956401Abstract: A seed assembly for delivery to an interior of a heart includes an electrical stimulation circuit for delivering an electrical stimulus to cardiac tissue. A first electrode assembly is mechanically and electrically coupled to the seed assembly via a micro lead, the first electrode assembly configured to deliver the electrical stimulus generated by the electrical stimulation circuit to the cardiac tissue. The seed assembly and the first electrode assembly are sized and shaped to fit entirely within the heart.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.Inventors: Roger Hastings, Daniel M. Lafontaine, Michael J. Pikus, Martin R. Willard
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Patent number: 9950167Abstract: Electrode structures for transvascular nerve stimulation combine electrodes with an electrically-insulating backing layer. The backing layer increases the electrical impedance of electrical paths through blood in a lumen of a blood vessel and consequently increases the flow of electrical current through surrounding tissues. The electrode structures may be applied to stimulate nerves such as the phrenic, vagus, trigeminal, obturator or other nerves.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Lungpacer Medical, Inc.Inventor: Joaquin Andres Hoffer
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Patent number: 9950168Abstract: A method of performing an intracardiac procedure using controlled intermittent diastolic arrest (CIDA) to expand the chambers of the heart to a volume between about 75 to 200% of their normal end-diastolic volume. In one embodiment, CIDA is conducted so that cardiac arrest with cardiac distention is achieved in about 5 to 15 seconds and diastolic arrest is maintained for a time between about 5 and 90 seconds. Intracardiac procedures that are facilitated with CIDA include heart valve repair or replacement. The method involves the use of CIDA and wherein the procedure is performed in or on the heart with the use of a catheter or catheter-delivered device, therapy, or agent. In one aspect, the heart is accessed during CIDA via a left ventricular apical access port or device. In one aspect CIDA is conducted via stimulation of the vagal nerve alone or in combination with one or more of an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, a ?-adrenergic receptor blocker, and/or a calcium channel blocker.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: EMORY UNIVERSITYInventor: John D. Puskas
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Patent number: 9943665Abstract: A catheter with a spring tip that facilitates atraumatic initial placement and also continues to protect tissue contacted by the catheter device subsequent to the initial placement. The spring tip is shock-absorbing and axially compliant and allows enhanced use of various devices in conjunction with the tip such as bioptomes, electrodes, needles, flushing catheters, delivery catheters, and the like. The atraumatic shock-absorbing tip could include conductive or non-conductive materials.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2014Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: MedWerks, LLCInventors: Uma S. Valeti, Robert F. Wilson, John P. Gainor
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Patent number: 9919089Abstract: A heart pump includes a rotative impeller partly inserted into the systemic ventricle, this rotative impeller being equipped with a membrane sutured to the outer wall of the heart in such a way as to secure the rotative impeller to the wall of the heart, a housing arranged inside the systemic ventricle in such a way as to draw up then discharge blood, a motor connected to the housing and arranged partly outside the systemic ventricle in such a way as to facilitate maintenance; an integrated management unit in the epigastric region including a power supply and a rotative impeller control unit; and a wired link between the management unit and the rotative impeller.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: FINEHEARTInventor: Stephane Garrigue
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Patent number: 9913982Abstract: Devices, systems and methods of neurostimulation for treating obstructive sleep apnea. The system is adapted to send an electrical signal from an implanted neurostimulator through a stimulation lead to a patient's nerve at an appropriate phase of the respiratory cycle based on input from a respiration sensing lead. External components are adapted for wireless communication with the neurostimulator. The neurostimulator is adapted to deliver therapeutic stimulation based on inputs.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2011Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc.Inventors: Stephen L. Bolea, Thomas B. Hoegh, Brian D. Kuhnley, Dale G. Suilmann, Bruce J. Persson, John P. Beck, Sidney F. Hauschild, Wondimeneh Tesfayesus, Jason J. Skubitz, Mark R. Bosshard, Daniel A. Parrish, Robert E. Atkinson
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Patent number: 9913615Abstract: In a system and method for reconstructing cardiac activation information, an analysis cardiac signal and a reference cardiac signal are accessed and processed to determine a first point of change in the analysis cardiac signal at which a derivative of the analysis cardiac signal diverges with respect to a derivative of the reference cardiac signal. The signals are processed to determine a second point of change in the analysis cardiac signal at which a different derivative of the analysis cardiac signal with respect to a different derivative of the reference cardiac signal. An activation onset time is assigned in the analysis cardiac signal at a point based on a mathematical association among the first point of change and the second point of change to define cardiac activation indicating a beat in the analysis cardiac signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2016Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, Topera, Inc., The United States of America as Represented by the Department of Veterans AffairsInventors: Sanjiv M. Narayan, Carey Robert Briggs, Ruchir Sehra
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Patent number: 9895539Abstract: Systems for disease treatment using electrical stimulation are disclosed. A representative method for treating a patient includes changing an activity, expression, or both activity and expression of a fast sodium channel, a glial cell, or both a fast sodium channel and a glial cell of the patient by applying to a target neural population of the patient an electrical therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2014Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: Nevro Corp.Inventors: Gary Heit, Bradford Evan Gliner
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Patent number: 9895100Abstract: The present disclosure provides a wearable device for the detection of mild traumatic brain injury, such as concussions, and methods of use thereof. Further disclosed are a method and system for detecting a mild traumatic brain injury.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2014Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: Indiana University Research and Technology CorporationInventor: Nicholas L. Port
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Patent number: 9889309Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting electric energy delivered to the heart of a body when performing defibrillation. The method comprises the steps of applying a defibrillator with electrodes placed on opposite sides of the heart; applying an apparatus on the body and between said electrodes for detecting and measuring electric and/or magnetic fields; performing defibrillation by delivering electric energy to the body; detecting electric energy running through the heart with said apparatus, and indicating electric energy applied to the heart. The apparatus for performing the method comprises detection and indications means for performing the method.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2014Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: Lærdal Medical ASInventor: Helge Fossan
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Apparatus and methods for optimizing intra cardiac filling pressures, heart rate, and cardiac output
Patent number: 9878080Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for optimizing intracardiac filling pressures and cardiac output in patients with heart failure, conduction disease, and atrial fibrillation. The system is able to adjust and optimize intracardiac filling pressures and cardiac output by adjusting heart rate and the effective amount of total body blood volume. The device includes an adjustable member that may create a mean pressure differential in order to manifest an effective “mechanical diuresis” by sequestering extraneous blood volume to the high-capacitance of the venous vasculature. The system is therefore designed to reduce intracardiac filling pressures while maintaining or even increasing cardiac output.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2015Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: CARDIOFLOW TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Daniel Walter Kaiser, Clayton Allen Kaiser -
Patent number: 9867660Abstract: A medical system, comprising an ablation catheter is disclosed. The ablation catheter includes an elongate shaft with a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen disposed between the proximal end and the distal end. The ablation catheter also includes an expandable element in fluid communication with the lumen, a first temperature sensor operable to measure a first temperature; and a second temperature sensor operable to measure a second temperature. The first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are longitudinally separated from each other by at least a portion of the expandable element.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: Medtronic CryoCath LPInventors: Dan Wittenberger, Rachid Mahrouche
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Patent number: 9861812Abstract: Apparatus is provided, comprising an implant-storage member (24), configured to be percutaneously advanced to a tissue (10) of a subject, and shaped to define (a) a space (26) that is configured to house an implant (22) configured to apply a current to at least the tissue, (b) an opening (28) through which the implant is deliverable to the tissue, and (c) at least one window (30), configured such that, while the implant is disposed within the space and the implant-storage member is disposed in the tissue, the window facilitates flow of the current therethrough from the implant to the tissue; and a delivery manipulator (34), reversibly couplable to the implant, and configured to facilitate delivery of the implant through the opening. Other embodiments are also described.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2013Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Blue Wind Medical Ltd.Inventors: Yossi Gross, Gur Oron, Shlomi Ronen, Bar Eytan, Zev Sohn, Rami Lore, Danny Neeman
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Patent number: 9844667Abstract: A system and method for conditioning surfaces of a body in vivo includes providing an electrical energy source, coupling the electric energy source to the surface, and delivering electropositive current from the electrical energy source to the surface so as to generate a sub-threshold current density on the surface. In preferred embodiments, the sub-threshold electropositive current density is between about 0.001 and about 1.0 mA/cm2.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2006Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Medtronic ATS Medical Inc.Inventor: Brian D. Pederson
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Patent number: 9844661Abstract: In one embodiment, a neurostimulation lead for stimulating neural tissue of a patient, comprises: a lead body of insulative material; a plurality of electrodes; a plurality of terminals; a plurality of conductors, wherein the plurality of electrodes are electrically coupled to the plurality of terminals through the plurality of conductors; wherein the plurality of conductors are disposed in a helical manner in a repeating pattern of groups of conductors separated by gaps along a substantial length of the lead body, each gap being larger than an inter-conductor pitch within the groups of conductors; wherein the insulative material is a compliant material permitting elongation of the lead at low stretching forces and the insulative material of the lead body is fused through a substantial volume of the lead body and along a substantial length of the lead body.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2012Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc.Inventors: Brian Franz, John Swanson, Jerome Boogaard, Terry D. Daglow, Tom Sosebee, Stephen L. Goldman, Rajasree (Sarah) Das, Michael DiGiacomo
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Patent number: 9839369Abstract: A method of displaying electrocardiograms comprises displaying a reference electrocardiogram; and displaying a measured electrocardiogram so that the reference electrocardiogram and the measured electrocardiogram are displayed in an overlapping state.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2012Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ye-Hoon Kim, Keun-Joo Kwon, Seok-Jin Hong
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Patent number: 9833550Abstract: 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 stabilizing 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.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2015Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: ABIOMED EUROPE GMBHInventor: Thorsten Siess