Abstract: An active low impedance electrode (20) employing an electrical activity sensor (21) connected to a voltage sense contact (22), a current flow contact (23) and an active electrode coupler (24). In operation, responsive to the voltage sense contact (22) and the current flow contact (23) being attached to the anatomical region (13) of the patient, the electrical activity sensor (21) controls a directional flow of a sensor current between the electrical activity sensor (21) and the anatomical region (13) to establish an equivalence between a patient voltage at voltage sense contact (22) and a sensor voltage at active electrode coupler (24), and/or a patient contact impedance between the voltage sense contact (22) and the current flow contact (23) is greater than an active electrode impedance at the active electrode coupler (24).

Abstract: A system and method for stimulating a user, the system comprising: a set of pads configured at head regions of the user; a band having a first end coupled to a first pad of the set of pads and a second end coupled to a second pad of the set of pads; a bridge coupled the band and to an electrode during use; and a set of links, each link coupled at a first region to an interior portion of its corresponding pad, and coupled at a second region to the bridge, having an elastic modulus above a threshold modulus such that: in a first mode, displacement of the set of pads produces displacement of the electrode away from the head region of the user, and in a second mode, release of the set of pads orients protrusions of the electrode approximately normal to the head region.

Abstract: A gel deployment device for use with an electrotherapy system is provided. The device includes a plurality of gel reservoirs disposed on a substrate, each of the plurality of gel reservoirs containing conductive gel. Each of the gel reservoirs are positioned adjacent to at least one seal such that the seal restricts flow of the conductive gel. The seal can be configured to release the conductive gel from the gel reservoir in response to pressure being applied about a perimeter of the seal at, for example, multiple points about the perimeter or substantially equally about the perimeter of the seal. In an example, each gel reservoir can be shaped such that the gel reservoir partially or fully surrounds a seal. In another example, multiple gel reservoirs can be arranged in clusters such that the multiple gel reservoirs are positioned about a single seal.

Abstract: Medical lead bodies that are paired each include a braided conductive shield. The braided conductive shield of one lead body has a value for a physical parameter that differs from a value for the physical parameter of the second lead body. The difference in values of the physical parameter for the paired lead bodies results in a reduction in heating from exposure of the lead bodies to radiofrequency energy at electrodes associated with the lead bodies. The lead bodies may be paired by being implanted adjacently to one another. The lead bodies may be further paired by being coupled to a same distal body, such as a paddle containing the electrodes.

Abstract: An intracardiac ventricular pacemaker having a motion sensor is configured to produce a motion signal including an atrial systolic event and at least one ventricular diastolic event. The pacemaker is configured to set an atrial refractory period, detect a change in a ventricular diastolic event metric and adjust the atrial refractory period in response to detecting the change. The pacemaker sets set an atrioventricular pacing interval in response to detecting the atrial systolic event from the motion signal after expiration of the atrial refractory period.

Abstract: A mounting ring for a ventricular assist device or other device used in the heart includes a plate adapted to be secured to the exterior of the heart by rigid anchors such as hook, pin, or screw. When hooks are used, they can be pivotally mounted to the plate so that the hooks can rotate from retracted positions to advanced positions. A tool can be included in a mounting ring kit to move the hooks from their retracted positions to their advanced positions so that the hooks secure the plate to the heart. Preferably, all of the hooks are advanced simultaneously. The VAD or other device is then secured to the plate. The plate can be mounted to the heart in less time than required to install a traditional mounting ring by suturing to the heart.

Abstract: A method and medical device for adjusting a blanking period that includes sensing cardiac signals from a plurality of electrodes, the plurality of electrodes forming a plurality of sensing vectors, determining whether to adjust a blanking period during a first operating state, advancing from the first operating state to a second operating state in response to the sensed cardiac signals, determining, while in the second operating state, whether the blanking period was adjusted while in the first operating state, and adjusting the blanking period while in the second operating state in response to the blanking period being adjusted while in the first operating state.

Abstract: A spinal cord modulation system is disclosed. While in one embodiment the system is used for the treatment of pain, other embodiments are also provided. In particular embodiments, the spinal cord modulation system generates and delivers an electrical therapy signal at a frequency in the range of from about 1.5 kHz to about 100 kHz to address pain without creating unwanted sensory and/or motor side effects. The system may further include various signal delivery devices to deliver the therapy signal to a patient's spinal cord region.

Abstract: Selective high-frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, a programmer has instructions that, in response to an input, select between a paresthesia-inducing therapy program that includes a frequency of less than 1,500 Hz, and a non-paresthesia-inducing therapy program that includes a frequency in range from 1.5 kHz to 50 kHz.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method of positioning in a mammalian heart of a patient a blood pump including an inflow cannula, a pump housing and an outflow cannula, the method including forming an incision in a low-pressure location on the heart wall; passing the outflow cannula of the blood pump through the incision and into a left ventricle of a heart; positioning a tip of a guidewire into an aorta, distal to an aortic valve; advancing the tip through the aortic valve and into the left ventricle; connecting the tip to the outflow cannula; pulling the blood pump with the guidewire to advance at least a portion of the outflow cannula through the aortic valve and into the aorta; securing the blood pump to the heart, the aorta, or both; disconnecting the tip from the blood pump; and removing the guidewire from the patient.

Abstract: Selective high-frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, a programmer has instructions that, in response to an input, select between a paresthesia-inducing electrical therapy signal having a frequency of less than 1.2 kHz, and a non-paresthesia-inducing electrical therapy signal having a frequency in a range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.

Abstract: Selective high-frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, a programmer has a computer-readable medium containing executable instructions in memory to, in response to an input, select between at least two therapy programs: a first having a frequency of less than 1,500 Hz, and a paresthesia-inducing amplitude between 3 mA and 10 mA; and a second having a frequency between 5 kHz and 15 kHz, and a non-paresthesia-inducing amplitude between 0.5 mA and 10 mA.

Abstract: An implantable medical device can include a device housing including a circuitry module and a header including a header core defining a bore configured to receive a distal end of a lead, an antenna, and a header shell disposed around the header core and the antenna. The antenna can be a closed loop antenna and arranged such that the antenna is positioned within two planes to maximize the area within the closed loop to increase the radiation characteristics of the antenna.

Abstract: Selective high-frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side affects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, a programmer has instructions that, in response to an input, select between at least first and second sets of therapy signal parameters, the first set including a frequency of less than 1.2 kHz and generating a paresthesia-inducing electrical therapy signal, and the second set including a frequency in a range from 1.5 kHz to 50 kHz and generating a non-paresthesia-inducing electrical therapy signal.

Abstract: A medical device having automated electrocardiogram (ECG) feature extraction is disclosed. The medical device includes input circuitry configured to receive an ECG signal. Processing circuitry coupled to the input circuitry is configured to identify at least one fiducial point of heartbeat signature of the ECG signal. The processing circuitry is further configured to perform substantially simultaneously both a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and a curve length transform (CLT) to identify the at least one fiducial point.

Abstract: An authentication apparatus includes one or more processors configured to temporally implement a neural network, used to extract a feature value from hidden nodes, that is connected to input nodes to which an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal is input so as to share a weight set with the input nodes, and to match the ECG signal and the extracted feature value to a user for registration.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a tissue of a subject using applied pulsed electric fields. The system for controlling a therapy provided to a tissue of a subject using applied pulsed electric fields. The system includes an electrode assembly configured to engage a skin tissue of a subject to deliver a series of electric field pulses to the skin tissue and a user input configured to receive an operational instruction for the series of electric field pulses. The operational instruction defines at least one of a pulse duration, a pulse frequency, a pulse number, and a pulse amplitude. The system also includes at least one processor configured to access the operational instruction received by the user input and, using the operational instruction, create an electric field profile to be generated by the electrode assembly about the skin tissue of the subject to control a fibroblast characteristic while preserving a vascular perfusion in at least a portion of the skin tissue.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for configuring external defibrillators are described herein. A medical device management system is described that includes a plurality of external defibrillators associated with a common owner, the plurality of external defibrillators including a previously stored protocol configuration, and a configuration information database that includes owner-selected protocol configuration settings, wherein the plurality of external defibrillators associated with the common owner are configured to be communicatively connected by a wireless connection to a central server comprising the configuration information database, and to send a request for the owner-selected protocol configuration settings to the central server, receive the owner-selected protocol configuration settings, and update the previously stored protocol configuration based on the received owner-selected protocol configuration settings.

Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument. The electrosurgical instrument includes a first arm, a second arm and a coupling system. The first arm includes a first jaw. The second arm is pivotably connected to the first arm and includes a second jaw, a cutting member movable within the first and second jaws, and a cutting member trigger. The coupling system includes a coupling member mechanically coupled to the cutting member trigger. The coupling member is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position of the coupling member, the cutting member is mechanically uncoupled from the cutting member trigger. In the second position of the coupling member, the cutting member is mechanically coupled to the cutting member trigger.

Abstract: This relates to an electronic device with dynamically reconfigurable apertures to account for different skin types, usage conditions, and environmental conditions and methods for measuring the user's physiological signals. The device can include one or more light emitters, one or more light sensors, and a material whose optical properties can be changed in one or more locations to adjust the optical path and the effective separation distances between the one or more light emitters and one or more light sensors or the size, location, or shape of the one or more dynamically reconfigurable apertures. In some examples, the material can be a liquid crystal material, MEMS shutter layer, or light guide, which can form the one or more dynamically reconfigurable apertures. In some examples, the light emitters or light sensors or both can be an array of individually addressable optical components.