Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a handpiece, an elongate shaft assembly extending distally from the handpiece, an activation assembly, an end effector disposed at a distal end of the shaft assembly, and a firing beam. The handpiece comprises a cover operable to selectively expose an interior of the handpiece. The activation assembly is selectively coupleable with the handpiece and is operable to regulate the delivery of power to the end effector. The shaft comprises a selectively removable jaw assembly. The end effector has a pivoting jaw operable to pivot toward and away from the jaw assembly to thereby capture tissue. The jaw assembly and the pivoting jaw each comprise an electrode surface. The electrode surfaces are configured to seal the captured tissue by providing RF energy to the tissue. The firing beam is configured to sever the sealed tissue.

Abstract: A catheter pump assembly is provided that includes a proximal a distal portion, a catheter body, an impeller, and a flow modifying structure. The catheter body has a lumen that extends along a longitudinal axis between the proximal and distal portions. The impeller is disposed at the distal portion. The impeller includes a blade with a trailing edge. The flow modifying structure is disposed downstream of the impeller. The flow modifying structure has a plurality of blades having a leading edge substantially parallel to and in close proximity to the trailing edge of the blade of the impeller and an expanse extending downstream from the leading edge. In some embodiments, the expanse has a first region with higher curvature and a second region with lower curvature. The first region is between the leading edge and the second region.

Abstract: A signal processing arrangement generates electrode stimulation signals to stimulation contacts in a cochlear implant electrode array. A signal filter bank transforms an input sound signal into band pass signals, which each represent an associated frequency band of audio frequencies. A signal processing module processes the band pass signals in a sequence of sampling time frames, wherein for each time frame, the processing includes performing a spectral feature analysis of the band pass signals, and dynamically assigning a stimulation focus pattern to one or more of the band pass signals based on the spectral feature analysis. A stimulation coding module is configured to code the processed band pass signals for each time frame to produce the electrode stimulation signals for delivery by the stimulation contacts to a region of adjacent auditory neural tissues.

Abstract: An exercise suit with integrated weights includes a shirt portion and a pants portion that are constructed from a lightweight elastomeric material. A plurality of soft weights are disposed along the shirt and pants portions at locations adjacent to the major muscle groups of the suit wearer. Each of the weights can be permanently secured along the inside facing surface of the shirt and pants, and conform to the shape and movement of the suit wearer. The suit also includes a fitness monitor having a heartbeat sensor, timer and display.

Abstract: In certain aspects, a method for providing electrical stimulation includes transferring energy from a battery to an electrode to charge the electrode, and, after the electrode is charged, transferring energy from the electrode to the battery to discharge the battery. The energy transferred from the electrode to the battery may include a portion of the energy transferred from the battery to the electrode.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods, devices, and systems used for the treatment of and/or promoting recovery from various neurological disorders and conditions, including epilepsy and other seizure disorders and movement and other related disorders; for promoting recovery from acute or chronic brain injury (e.g. stroke, hypoxia/ischemia, head trauma, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and other forms of brain injury, for awakening and/or promoting the recovery of patients in various levels of coma, altered mental status or vegetative state); or for promoting recovery from chronic daily headache and migraine and related disorders via external (cutaneous) stimulation of the sensory branches of the trigeminal nerve in the face and forehead. More specifically, devices and electrode assemblies configured for stimulation of the supraorbital, supratrochlear, infraorbital, auriculotemporal, zygomaticotemporal, zygomaticoorbital, zygomaticofacial, nasal and infratrochlear nerves are disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to a self ligating orthodontic bracket system that includes a rotatable member for securing an archwire within a slot of a bracket. Embodiments of the orthodontic bracket system disclosed herein include a bracket body containing the archwire slot as well as tie wings for attaching various orthodontic devices (e.g., elastomeric bands) to the bracket. The rotatable member is rotatable in a first direction (e.g., counter clockwise) relative to a body of the bracket for securing or locking the archwire within the slot, and for rotating in an opposite direction (e.g., a clockwise direction) relative to the bracket body for unsecuring or unlocking the archwire so that it is substantially unrestrained from exiting the slot.

Abstract: A forceps includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members moveable with respect to one another between an open position and a closed position. A knife channel having a body and a base is defined within each jaw member. A knife assembly includes a knife having a bifurcated distal end. The bifurcated end includes first and second cutting members each defining an opposed cutting surface and having a tab at a free end thereof for translation through the base of a knife channel. The knife is translatable into the channels when the jaw members are in the closed position such that the cutting members are approximated when translated through the channels. The knife is also translatable into the channels when the jaw members are in the open position such that the cutting members are flexed apart when translated through the jaw members.

Abstract: An implantable high voltage electrode includes a shaft having a first end and a second end and an ellipsoid tip disposed at the first end. A terminal is disposed at the second end and the terminal in in electrical communication with the ellipsoid tip. At least a first forward facing barb and at least a first aft facing barb disposed on an exterior face of the shaft. The at least first forward facing bard and the at least first aft facing barb are configured to limit movement of the electrode when implanted in biological tissue.

Abstract: Techniques for motion artifact (MA) reduction in impedance plethysmography (IP) and other physiological signals are provided. The techniques limit the amplitude of MA filtered signals by imposing an “?-tube.” The techniques may include the introduction of a regularization term to ensure that the pattern of a filtered signal is similar to the pattern of the primary component of the original, unfiltered signal by maximizing the regularity of the filtered signal. The techniques may be integrated into a portable monitoring device, such as an armband, to remove MA from various diagnostic signals and to extract primary signal components for producing enhanced device performance.

Abstract: Methods and devices for stimulating nerves are disclosed. In one embodiment adapted for stimulating excitable tissue, the invention includes drive circuitry, an acoustic transducer and a pair of electrodes.

Abstract: Electrical energy is transcutaneously transmitted at a plurality of different frequencies to an implanted medical device. The magnitude of the transmitted electrical energy respectively measured at the plurality of frequencies. One of the frequencies is selected based on the measured magnitude of the electrical energy (e.g., the frequency at which the measured magnitude of the electrical energy is the greatest). A depth level at which the medical device is implanted within the patient is determined based on the selected frequency. For example, the depth level may be determined to be relatively shallow if the selected frequency is relatively high, and relatively deep if the selected frequency is relative low. A charge strength threshold at which a charge strength indicator generates a user-discernible signal can then be set based on the determined depth level.

Abstract: Provided is a slide device which includes a fixed-side slide member having an annular-shaped first slide surface, and a rotary-side slide member having an annular-shaped second slide surface, with the slide device being configured such that the first slide surface and the second slide surface are positioned opposite to each other, and an outer peripheral side of the fixed-side slide member and an outer peripheral side of the rotary-side slide member are brought into contact with a liquid containing a blood component, and a region where the first slide surface and the second slide surface face each other along the rotary-side slide member, the first slide surface and the second slide surface are brought into contact with each other on an outermost periphery of the opposite-facing region of the first and second slide surfaces.

Abstract: Surgical devices and methods are described herein that provide energy density control during tissue sealing. In general, these devices include a handle portion, an elongate shaft, and an end effector having a first jaw having a first tissue engaging surface and a second jaw having a second tissue engaging surface. The first tissue engaging surface can include an energy delivering electrode having a selected pattern of varying conductivity which may include a discrete region or a continuous pattern. The energy delivering electrode may be formed from a polymer substrate that includes a metal. The metal may be mixed into the substrate using an ion beam process. The amount of ions in the ion beam, the energy of the ion beam, or both may be varied to create the selected pattern of varying conductivity.

Abstract: A system for monitoring ablation size is provided and includes a power source including a microprocessor for executing at least one control algorithm. A microwave antenna is configured to deliver microwave energy from the power source to tissue to form an ablation zone. An ablation zone control module is in operative communication with memory associated with the power source. The memory includes one or more data look-up tables including one or more electrical parameter associated with the microwave antenna. The one or more electrical parameters corresponding to an ablation zone having a radius. The one or more electrical parameters include a threshold value, wherein when the threshold value is met the power source is adjusted to form an ablation zone of suitable proportion.

Abstract: A biosignal processing apparatus and method thereof include a signal receiver and a signal processor. The signal receiver is configured to receive a biosignal having a corresponding electrical physical quantity from a sensor. The signal processor includes a voltage inputter and a current inputter, and configured to process the biosignal using one of the voltage inputter and the current inputter and based on the corresponding electrical physical quantity of the biosignal.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to detect a multi-domain ECG waveform and display one or more cardiac electrophysiological markers. Electrical impulses are detected between at least one pair of electrodes adapted to be located near a beating heart and are converted to an ECG waveform. The ECG waveform for at least one heartbeat is received from the detector, the ECG waveform is converted to a frequency domain waveform, the frequency domain waveform is separated into two or more different frequency domain waveforms using two or more different bandpass filters, and the two or more different frequency domain waveforms are converted into two or more different time domain waveforms. The two or more different time domain waveforms are displayed in the same time domain plot as the ECG waveform and one or more cardiac electrophysiological markers are displayed along the x-axis of the two or more different time domain waveforms.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and a medical system for utilizing of an intravascular ECG signal for central venous catheter placement. The medical system is capable of detecting the position of a catheter tip and assessing its location relative to the cavoatrial junction. The detection and assessment are performed by a multiscale analysis of the complexity of the intravascular signal data points.

Abstract: A cryoablation method, system, and device that allows for real-time and accurate assessment and monitoring of PV occlusion and lesion formation without the need for expensive imaging systems and without patient exposure to radiation. The system includes a cryoballoon catheter with a cryoballoon, a distal electrode, a proximal electrode, and a temperature sensor. Impedance measurements recorded by the electrodes may be used to predict ice formation, quality of pulmonary vein occlusion, and lesion formation.

Abstract: ECG data is analyzed by detecting points in the ECG data which represent ventricular activity; measuring time intervals between each two consecutive points in the ECG data which represent ventricular activity; and then within a set of such time intervals, evaluating the time intervals by computing at least one comparative dimension for at least one time interval subset. The time interval subset includes at least two time intervals, and the comparative dimension represents variations between the interval lengths between the time intervals of the time interval subset.