Abstract: An IV holder for securing an IV needle and Luer fitting assembly. The IV holder includes a frame defining an aperture with a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the aperture further being covered by a transparent window for protecting and securing the IV needle insertion site. The second portion of the aperture is disposed to fit a cylindrical Luer fitting. The holder is adhesively applied to a patient's skin and situated so that the needle insertion site is under the window and the first portion of the aperture while the Luer fitting is disposed within the second portion of the aperture.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulator includes a cardioversion/defibrillation unit connectable to at least one ventricular sensing electrode and one ventricular defibrillation electrode, and is designed to generate and deliver cardioversion or defibrillation shocks. A ventricular sensing unit having automatic threshold adaptation is connectable to the ventricular sensing electrode, and is designed to process the signals of the sensing electrode and detect a chamber contraction, and if a chamber contraction is detected, to output a ventricular sensing signal. The ventricular sensing unit processes the signals of the sensing electrode with at least two switchable sensing thresholds wherein after every sense, a VF detection window is started at a first lower sensing threshold; once the VF detection window has passed, a T wave blanking window is activated at an upper second sensing threshold; and once the T wave blanking window has passed, sensing at a second lower threshold is started.

Abstract: The disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus providing detection mechanism for lead-related conditions, including transient behaviors, on a conductive pathway of a medical electrical lead. In one example, a sense path arbitration module identifies a lead-related condition associated with a conductive pathway based on signal processing to identify transients emerging from a propagated signal. The sense path arbitration module may evaluate a plurality of conductive pathways of the medical electrical lead and arbitrates propagation of a sensed signal that is transmitted through the plurality of lead conductors based on the evaluation. Therapy delivery functions utilizing the medical electrical lead may also be controlled in response to the signal processing and identification of the lead-related condition on a conductive pathway.

Abstract: An instrument suitable for minimal invasive surgery. The instrument can be introduced into a body, for example, through a trocar, and has two arms and a centrally guided knife for clamping vessels. The central guidance of the knife in at least one of the arms avoids disadvantages that could otherwise develop as a result of the off-center severing of coagulated tissue. Moreover, the clean central guidance of the knife results in lower wear on the knife. Thus, a better cut quality and a longer service life of the knife can be achieved.

Abstract: An electrosurgical assembly is disclosed having an electrosurgical instrument, a detection device for detecting a predetermined constituent of the atmosphere in the region of a treatment site and a treatment unit, which can be connected to the instrument and a current generator for providing RF energy. The treatment unit includes a mechanism for influencing the treatment process depending on an output signal of the detection device.

Abstract: A trocar sleeve that isolates the surgical device or movement thereof to inhibit or prevent an established non-jet streaming condition from becoming a jet streaming condition and a method of inhibiting or preventing a jet streaming condition from occurring due to instrument obstruction.

Abstract: A method of treating a patient, comprising: sensing a biological parameter indicative of respiration; analyzing the biological parameter to identify a respiratory cycle; identifying an inspiratory phase of the respiratory cycle; and delivering stimulation to a hypoglossal nerve of the patient, wherein stimulation is delivered if a duration of the inspiratory phase of the respiratory cycle is greater than a predetermined portion of a duration of the entire respiratory cycle.

Abstract: A medical device and associated method classify candidate pacing electrode sites for delivering pacing pulses to a patient's heart. A first morphology template is established and stored in memory of the device. A processor is configured to determine a cardiac signal morphology in response to delivering pacing pulses at a candidate pacing site in a first heart chamber. The processor compares the determined cardiac signal morphology to the first morphology template. The pacing site in the first heart chamber is classified in response to the comparing of the determined cardiac signal morphology and the first morphology template.

Abstract: An implantable medical device, comprising a first implantable component having a first interface surface and a second implantable component. The second implantable component has a second interface surface comprising one or more integrated protrusions extending therefrom configured to mate with the first interface surface and to provide a desired spacing between the first and second implantable components.

Abstract: A tissue stimulating device has an elongate member, a proximal annular stimulating region and a distal annular stimulating region. Each of the annular stimulating regions circumscribe the elongate member, and each has a plurality of independently energizable electrodes that deliver current into tissue. Adjacent electrodes in the annular stimulating regions are separated from one another by an insulating member. The annular stimulating regions are axially separated from one another by a gap. An internal electrical connector electrically couples a first electrode in the proximal annular stimulating region with a first electrode in the distal annular stimulating region. The first internal electrical connector is disposed within the elongate member, and extends across the gap between annular stimulating regions. A recording electrode is disposed in the gap and is adapted to record local tissue potentials from the tissue.

Abstract: An implantable device includes an electrode lead body and at least one stimulating electrode contact disposed on or within the electrode lead body, the lead body being configured and arranged to be self anchoring within body tissue. In addition, the invention is directed to methods of making and using such self anchoring implantable devices.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to discriminate cardiac events by sensing atrial and ventricular depolarizations having associated refractory periods thereafter. A fast ventricular rate is detected in response to the sensed ventricular depolarizations. Responsive to detecting the fast ventricular rate, at least one stimulus pulse is delivered to atrial tissue within the associated refractory period of the ventricle but outside of an associated refractory period of the stimulated atrial tissue. A ventricular response to the atrial tissue stimulus pulse is determined, and the cardiac event is discriminated based on the ventricular response to the atrial tissue stimulus pulse.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing the stimulation of a heart of a patient are disclosed herein. The method comprises delivering pacing therapy to the patient according to a pacing therapy setting schedule, using specific pacing intervals via specific electrode configurations. Further, sinus rate values are recorded over at least one cardiac cycle at each pacing therapy setting and it is determined whether a sinus rate value satisfies predetermined measurement conditions, wherein sinus rate values are used for trending the sinus rate over time if the measurement conditions are satisfied. The accepted sinus rate values, i.e. values that satisfy the measurement conditions, are trended over time, wherein each trended sinus rate value is created based on recordings from at least one cardiac cycle. A preferred pacing therapy setting is determined to be the pacing therapy setting that provides a lowest sinus rate.

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.

Abstract: Provided is an artificial heart control device for controlling a blood pump which assists flow of blood in a heart, the artificial heart control device including: a timing detection part which is configured to detect reference timing within a cardiac cycle of the heart; and a blood pump control part which is configured to control a rotational speed of the blood pump, wherein the blood pump control part controls, with reference to the reference timing detected by the timing detection part, the rotational speed of the blood pump such that the rotational speed becomes a rotational speed corresponding to a predetermined control pattern. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an artificial heart control device, an artificial heart system and an artificial heart control method which can provide a load control optimum for the recovery of functions of a patient's own heart.

Abstract: An electrosurgical system for performing an electrosurgical procedure is provided and includes an electrosurgical generator and a calibration computer system. The electrosurgical generator includes one or more processors and a measurement module including one or more log amps that are in operative communication with the processor. The calibration computer system configured to couple to a measurement device and is configured to measure parameters of an output signal generated by the electrosurgical generator. The calibration computer system is configured to compile the measured parameters into one or more data look-up tables and couple to the electrosurgical generator for transferring the data look-up table(s) to memory of the electrosurgical generator. The microprocessor is configured to receive an output from the log amp(s) and access the data look-up table(s) from memory to execute one or more control algorithms for controlling an output of the electrosurgical generator.

Abstract: An implantable lead having an elongated lead body and a function conductor extending in the longitudinal direction of the conductor body, the function conductor being provided to implement a medical function of the lead, wherein in addition to the function conductor, a field decoupling conductor loop is provided, which reduces coupling of the function conductor to the outside alternating magnetic field by generating an induction field that is in the opposite direction of an outside magnetic field.

Abstract: A field controlling electrode for providing transcutaneous nerve and/or muscle stimulation to a user's body includes a conductive flexible member having a top side and a bottom side. An electrically driven master electrode, in combination with the conductive flexible member, is provided for generating a current distribution in the conductive flexible member; and an electrically undriven slave electrode disposed in a spaced apart relationship with the master electrode is provided, for focusing or controlling the generated current distribution over an area of a user's body.

Abstract: A pilomotor effect stimulating device is designed to electrically stimulate the arrector pili muscles of the skin to cause a pilomotor reaction in which goosebumps are formed in the affected area and the hairs are raised away from the skin. The device has a handle and a head at one end of the handle carrying electrodes for skin application. An electronic control unit in the handle is connected to the handles and includes a pulse generator configured to produce a pulsed electrical signal at the electrodes which is designed to stimulate the arrector pili muscles in the vicinity when the electrodes are applied to the skin. The device may be used as a shaving aid to raise the hairs in an area to be shaved, making it easier to cut the hairs closer to the skin when shaving.

Abstract: The disclosure describes implantable medical systems that respond to occurrence of a lead-related condition by utilizing an elongated coil electrode in defining an alternative pacing therapy vector to maintain optimal drain of an IMD power supply. An exemplary system includes a medical electrical lead having an elongated electrode and an improved sensing and therapy delivery circuitry to provide the alternative pacing therapy vector responsive to the lead-related conditions. The system reconfigures the operation of the sensing and therapy delivery circuitry triggered by the switch to the alternative pacing therapy vector.