Patents Examined by Christopher D. Koharski
  • Patent number: 9968773
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Center for Pain and Stress Research, Ltd
    Inventor: Bruce Hocking
  • Patent number: 9968785
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Lungpacer Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Joaquin Andres Hoffer
  • Patent number: 9956408
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Gimer Medical Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Tso Lin, Kuo-Hsiang Lu
  • Patent number: 9956401
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventors: Roger Hastings, Daniel M. Lafontaine, Michael J. Pikus, Martin R. Willard
  • Patent number: 9950167
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Lungpacer Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Joaquin Andres Hoffer
  • Patent number: 9950168
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: EMORY UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: John D. Puskas
  • Patent number: 9943665
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: MedWerks, LLC
    Inventors: Uma S. Valeti, Robert F. Wilson, John P. Gainor
  • Patent number: 9919089
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: FINEHEART
    Inventor: Stephane Garrigue
  • Patent number: 9913982
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: 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
  • Patent number: 9913615
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, Topera, Inc., The United States of America as Represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Sanjiv M. Narayan, Carey Robert Briggs, Ruchir Sehra
  • Patent number: 9895539
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Nevro Corp.
    Inventors: Gary Heit, Bradford Evan Gliner
  • Patent number: 9895100
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Indiana University Research and Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Nicholas L. Port
  • Patent number: 9889309
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Lærdal Medical AS
    Inventor: Helge Fossan
  • Patent number: 9878080
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: CARDIOFLOW TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Walter Kaiser, Clayton Allen Kaiser
  • Patent number: 9867660
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Medtronic CryoCath LP
    Inventors: Dan Wittenberger, Rachid Mahrouche
  • Patent number: 9861812
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Blue Wind Medical Ltd.
    Inventors: Yossi Gross, Gur Oron, Shlomi Ronen, Bar Eytan, Zev Sohn, Rami Lore, Danny Neeman
  • Patent number: 9844667
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Medtronic ATS Medical Inc.
    Inventor: Brian D. Pederson
  • Patent number: 9844661
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Franz, John Swanson, Jerome Boogaard, Terry D. Daglow, Tom Sosebee, Stephen L. Goldman, Rajasree (Sarah) Das, Michael DiGiacomo
  • Patent number: 9839369
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ye-Hoon Kim, Keun-Joo Kwon, Seok-Jin Hong
  • Patent number: 9833550
    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 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: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: ABIOMED EUROPE GMBH
    Inventor: Thorsten Siess