Abstract: In some examples, a lead identification system includes a first set of first lead indicators and a second set of second lead indicators. Each of the first lead indicators is configured to removably attach to at least one of a first therapy delivery element, a first epidural needle, or a first connector to uniquely identify at least one of the first therapy delivery element, the first epidural needle, or the first connector during implantation of the first therapy delivery element in the patient. Each of the second lead indicators is configured to removably attach to at least one of a second therapy delivery element, a second epidural needle, or a second connector to uniquely identify at least one of the second therapy delivery element, the second epidural needle, or the second connector during implantation of the second therapy delivery element in the patient.

Abstract: A stethoscope front-end recorder device (also referred to as Sleeve) for the chest piece of a stethoscope, which is easily installed and removed. The Sleeve is attached to the chest piece of a stethoscope for comprehensive diagnosis of heart issues. The Sleeve contains sensors for acquiring biosensor parameters such as electrocardiogram, body temperature, heartbeat, heart rhythm, heart rate variability, heart rate turbulence, heart sounds, respiration, cardiac index and blood flow. The Sleeve has Bluetooth interface communicating with a mobile device with software component, interfacing with a back-end server with the capability to capture, analyze and save patient information.

Abstract: An internal medical device for implantation into a human or animal where the internal medical device has an electric field source that may be an active source of electromotive force such as a battery or capacitor, or may be an electric field generating material such as an electret, piezoelectric, or the like.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for neuro-cranial stimulation includes an electrode, a conductive gel, and an adapter including an interior compartment for positioning the electrode relative to the adapter and for receiving and retaining the conductive gel. The conductive gel contacts the electrode along an electrode-gel interface. An orifice at one end of the interior compartment and adjacent to a positioning surface of the adapter for positioning the electrode assembly against a skin surface of a user enables the conductive gel is able to contact the skin surface of the user to define a gel-skin interface, such that a minimum distance between the electrode-gel interface and the gel-skin interface is maintained between 0.25 cm and 1.3 cm. An electrode assembly mounting apparatus is provided for adjustably positioning a plurality of electrode assemblies against target positions on the cranium.

Abstract: Diastolic function is monitored within a patient based on dynamic cardiogenic impedance as measured by a pacemaker or other implantable medical device. In one example, the device uses ventricular cardiogenic impedance values to detect E-wave parameters representative of passive filling of the ventricles. Atrial cardiogenic impedance values are used to detect A-wave parameters representative of active filling of the ventricles. Diastolic function is then assessed or evaluated based on the E-wave and A-wave parameters. Various functions of the implantable device are then controlled based on the assessment of diastolic function, such as by adjusting atrioventricular delay parameters to improve diastolic function. In some examples, the detection of E- and A-wave parameters is achieved by aligning impedance signals to atrial activation, and separately to ventricular activation, during asynchronous VOO pacing or while artificially inducing a 2:1 block.

Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to signal processing. In accordance with example embodiments, methods and apparatuses involve using at least two electrodes that sense an ECG signal. A denoising module is communicatively coupled to the at least two electrodes, and receives the ECG signal sensed by the sensing electrodes. The denoising module includes circuitry that conditions and digitizes the ECG signal, and a computing circuit that processes the digitized ECG signal to denoise the ECG signal. A communications circuit generates a communication including the denoised ECG signal for access by a remote device.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved hermetic package for implantation in the human body. The implantable device of the present invention includes an eclectically non-conductive bass including electrically conductive vias through the substrate. A circuit is flip-chip bonded to a subset of the vias. A second circuit is wire bonded to another subset of the vias. Finally, a cover is bonded to the substrate such that the cover, substrate and vias form a hermetic package.

Abstract: A medical patch having a multi-piece bottom liner including a central liner sequentially removable independently of two outer perimeter liners. The multi-piece liner covering two adhesives of different peel force. Removal of the central liner exposes a first temporary/repositionable adhesive. Once properly positioned, the outer perimeter liners are removed to expose a second stronger adhesive. A foam cushioning layer is disposed beneath and extends beyond a footprint of every printed circuit board to prevent skin irritation. The medical patch may be designed specifically for stimulation of the sacral (S3 foramen) spinal nerve without the use of a separate mechanical placement tool or assistance by another.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for measuring stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), and cardiac power (CP) from a patient that features: 1) an impedance sensor connected to at least two body-worn electrodes and including an impedance circuit that processes analog signals from the electrodes to measure an impedance signal (e.g. a TBEV waveform); 2) an ECG sensor connected to at least two chest-worn electrodes and including an ECG circuit that processes analog signals from the electrodes to measure and ECG signal; 3) an optical sensor connected to a body-worn optical probe and including an optical circuit that processes signals from the probe to measure at least one optical signal (e.g. a PPG waveform) from the patient; 4) a processing system, typically worn on the patient's wrist and connected through a wired interface to the optical sensor, and through either a wired or wireless interface to the TBEV and ECG sensors.

Abstract: Heart sound detection systems and methods can use updated heart sound expectation window functions to detect heart sounds. In an example, an initial heart sound expectation window function that describes a heart sound timing can be a function of a physiologic variable such as heart rate, intrinsic vs. non-intrinsic beat, respiration rate, index of circadian timing, or posture. The function can include at least one characteristic parameter that describes a value of the heart sound timing at a specified value of the physiologic variable. In an example, information about a patient heart sound can be detected and used to update a characteristic parameter of an initial heart sound expectation window function, and an updated heart sound expectation window function can be provided using the updated characteristic parameter.

Abstract: A model-based method for assessing acoustic signal quality in a heart monitoring device. The personal heart sound interval distribution of a person being actively monitored is compared with a modeled global heart sound interval distribution shared by most human beings after which processing action is taken consistent with the quality assessment. The error in the best fit between the personal interval distribution and the global interval distribution is presumed to be caused predominantly by noise, allowing the quality of the fit to serve as a proxy for the level of noise in the acoustic signal and used in making processing decisions.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for measuring stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), and cardiac power (CP) from a patient that features: 1) an impedance sensor connected to at least two body-worn electrodes and including an impedance circuit that processes analog signals from the electrodes to measure an impedance signal (e.g. a TBEV waveform); 2) an ECG sensor connected to at least two chest-worn electrodes and including an ECG circuit that processes analog signals from the electrodes to measure and ECG signal; 3) an optical sensor connected to a body-worn optical probe and including an optical circuit that processes signals from the probe to measure at least one optical signal (e.g. a PPG waveform) from the patient; 4) a processing system, typically worn on the patient's wrist and connected through a wired interface to the optical sensor, and through either a wired or wireless interface to the TBEV and ECG sensors.

Abstract: The present application discloses systems and methods for detecting non-auditory nerve stimulation with an implant having a plurality of electrodes configured to electrically stimulate a target nerve of the implant recipient. One embodiment includes generating an electrical stimulation signal with a first set of electrodes of the implant, measuring a response to the electrical stimulation signal with a second set of electrodes of the implant, and determining whether the electrical stimulation signal stimulated at least one non-target nerve of the implant recipient based on the measured response.

Abstract: Techniques for forming a header for an implantable medical device via a two-shot molding process are described. The two-shot molding processes may include a first molding step that creates a first-shot assembly and a second molding step that creates a second-shot assembly. The first-shot assembly may be formed to include one or more protrusions configured to interact with a second-shot mold and/or molding material in the second molding step. The second molding step may be configured to overmold the first-shot assembly. The header may include an attachment plate at least partially embedded in molding material and configured to be mechanically coupled to a body of the implantable medical device.

Abstract: An volume of a patient can be mapped with a system operable to identify a plurality of locations and save a plurality of locations of a mapping instrument. The mapping instrument can include one or more electrodes that can sense a voltage that can be correlated to a three dimensional location of the electrode at the time of the sensing or measurement. Therefore, a map of a volume can be determined based upon the sensing of the plurality of points without the use of other imaging devices. An implantable medical device can then be navigated relative to the mapping data.

Abstract: An implantable pulse generator (IPG) is fabricated by utilizing a lead body with a plurality of conductors enclosed in insulative material along a first length of the conductors, and a second length of the conductors being exposed. A tubular structure is placed over the lead body with the plurality of conductors extending through it. A feedthrough assembly includes a plurality of feedthrough pins surrounded by insular material with a ferrule extending about an outer surface of the feedthrough assembly. The plurality of conductors are attached to the plurality of feedthrough pins and the ferrule of the feedthrough assembly is welded to the tubular structure to form an intermediate assembly. The intermediate assembly is then welded to one or more housing components of the IPG providing a hermetically seal. A connector portion on a distal end of the lead body is provided to electrically connect to terminals of a stimulation lead.

Abstract: A stethoscope front-end recorder device (also referred to as Sleeve) for the chest piece of a stethoscope, which is easily installed and removed. The Sleeve covers the circumference of the chest piece of a stethoscope. The Sleeve contains sensors for acquiring biosensor parameters such as electrocardiogram, body temperature, heartbeat, heart rhythm, heart rate variability, heart rate turbulence, heart sounds, respiration, cardiac index and blood flow. The Sleeve has Bluetooth interface communicating with a mobile device with software component, interfacing with a back-end server with the capability to capture, analyze and save patient information.

Abstract: A medical device includes a display area that has a thin panel having a substantially flat front surface portion, a translucent layer on a back surface of the thin panel, a layer of text or graphics on a back surface of the translucent layer, and arranged so that the text or graphics is not visible to a user on the front side when light is not provided from inside the device housing. Also included is a switch to allow a user to select a first mode or a second mode for the device, and circuitry arranged to energize one or more light sources to provide light from behind the thin panel when the device is in the first mode, thereby making visible the text or graphics when the device is in the first mode.

Abstract: The present invention features devices for treating hearing loss, methods of making the devices, and methods for treating hearing loss. The devices include cochlear implants with biological cells placed at least on one or more of the electrodes of the implant. The cochlear implants then bypass dead or damaged hair cells in the cochlea by directly stimulating the auditory nerve fibers leading to the perceptions of sound. The biological cells can extend processes from the implant to the brainstem, creating a bridge that transmits electric signals from the electrode to the brainstem more efficiently than traditional cochlear implants. Methods of making the implants include applying a composition containing biological cells to an electrode of a cochlear implant, and treatment methods include implanting a cochlear implant that carries biological cells on one or more electrodes into a human who has experienced profound hearing loss (e.g., sensorineural hearing loss).

Abstract: In an example, an apparatus can include an implantable medical device comprising a housing, an implantable telemetry circuit carried within the housing, a dielectric compartment mechanically coupled to the housing, the dielectric compartment including first and second substantially parallel face portions and a third face portion extending between the first and second face portions, and an implantable telemetry antenna, located at least partially within the dielectric compartment. The implantable telemetry circuit can be electrically coupled to the implantable telemetry antenna and configured to wirelessly transfer information electromagnetically using the implantable telemetry antenna. In an example the implantable telemetry antenna comprises a spiral conductor portion extending along the first, second, and third face portions. In an example the spiral conductor includes a cross section having a lateral width that can be greater than a sidewall height of the cross section.