Abstract: A neurostimulation lead includes fiber optic cable. A human-implantable neurostimulator and neurostimulation lead each include an opto-electric transducer. The opto-electric transducers can be an optical transmitter, an optical receiver, or an optical transducer, that converts: electrical energy to optical energy; optical energy to electrical energy; or both electrical energy to optical energy and optical energy to electrical energy. Neurostimulation-lead electrodes can be activated, and/or lead-status information can be transmitted, over the fiber optic cable, between the neurostimulator and the neurostimulation lead. A neurostimulation-lead power converter may be coupled to a pulse generator of the neurostimulator such that the power converter derives and stores power for the lead from stimulation pulses received from the stimulation-pulse generator.

Abstract: An active implantable medical device of the defibrillation/cardioverter type able to detect a post-therapy sinusal tachycardia. This device includes circuits and logic able to detect ventricular and atrial activity; episodes of tachycardia and deliver a therapy for defibrillation and/or cardioversion, and/or antitachycardia stimulation. The detected tachycardia are classified, and there is selective control for the delivery of therapy according to the type of detected tachycardia classified. The device conducts further analysis of tachycardia after delivery of a shock therapy and is able to determine the presence of a post-therapy sinusal tachycardia, preferably by recognition of a stable ventricular rate, a 1:1 association of ventricular and atrial rates, a ventricular heart rate that is located in a range corresponding to a slow ventricular tachycardia. The device also is able to inhibit the delivery of a therapy in the presence of determined post-therapy sinusal tachycardia.

Abstract: A lead assembly for a body implantable medical system adapted to transmit electrical signals between proximal and distal end portions of the lead assembly to thereby stimulate selected body tissue includes an electrical conductor, an insulative sheath composed of silicone or polyurethane covering the conductor, an electrical connector coupled to the proximal end of the conductor for releasable attachment to a stimulating pulse generator and a distal electrode coupled to the distal end of the conductor. The distal electrode has an outer surface generally coaxial with the lead assembly and facing transversely of the longitudinal axis of the lead assembly and generally parallel to the selected body tissue intended for stimulation. The outer surface of the distal electrode is composed of a biocompatible metallic alloy and includes a layer of a material that exhibits low polarization and thereby enhances the electrical efficacy of the electrode.

Abstract: A system and method for use in an implantable cardiac device that delivers electrical therapy to a patient's heart determines if a T wave alternan pattern of the patient's heart exists. The system includes a sensing circuit that generates an electrical signal representing electrical activity of the patient's heart. A morphology detector measures a magnitude of a T wave characteristic of each T wave in the electrical signal of a predetermined number of cardiac cycles of the heart. A discriminator then determines, responsive to the measured T wave characteristic magnitudes, if a T wave alternan pattern exists. A T wave alternan pattern may be determined to exist if the number of measured T wave characteristic magnitudes greater than and less than a T wave characteristic magnitude baseline are substantially equal and each greater than a given number.