Abstract: Blood pump devices having improved rotor design are provided herein. Such blood pump devices include rotors having cantilevered support through a sealed mechanical bearing disposed outside a blood flow path of the device so as to avoid thrombus formation caused by blood contact with the bearing. The bearing means can be rotatably coupled with a proximal portion of the rotor shaft extending outside the fluid path, while a stator drives rotation of the rotor shaft so that one or more rotor blades on a distal portion of the rotor force blood flow through the device. The bearing means may include one or more radial bearings on a proximal portion of the rotor shaft that are isolated from the blood flow path by one or more rotary seals.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for managing residual charge for multi-point pacing therapy. The method and system provide an electrode configuration that includes an atrial (A) electrode, a right ventricular (RV) electrode and multiple left ventricular (LV) electrodes. The method and system deliver pacing pulses for an MPP therapy, during a first cardiac cycle, from a pulse generator to the electrode configurations. The pacing pulses are separated by pacing pulse (PP) intervals. The method and system dynamically adjust at least one of a timing or a duration of discharge pulses for the residual charge to form a discharge sequence. The method and system activate the discharge pulses based on the discharge sequence, during the first cardiac cycle, to the multiple LV electrodes to distribute the residual charge across the PP intervals.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for electroporation ablation therapy are disclosed in the context of esophageal ablation. An ablation device may include a first catheter defining a longitudinal axis and a lumen therethrough. A balloon may be coupled to the first catheter. The balloon may be configured to transition between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration. A second catheter may extend from a distal end of the first catheter lumen. A set of splines including electrodes formed on a surface of each of the splines may couple to the distal end of the first catheter lumen and a distal portion of the second catheter. The second catheter may be configured for translation along the longitudinal axis to transition the set of splines between a first configuration and a second configuration.

Abstract: A method for processing electrocardiograph (ECG) data using a garment includes determining, by a processor, a current working lead from ECG leads formed in advance using flexible electrodes in the garment based on a current ECG monitor type, and receiving, by the processor through lead wires corresponding to the current working lead, ECG data collected by flexible electrodes corresponding to the current working lead. A wearable apparatus for processing ECG data includes at least two flexible electrodes, in which the at least two flexible electrodes are capable of forming different leads based on predetermined configurations, at least two lead wires, and an ECG data collector configured to receive ECG data collected by the at least two flexible electrodes, in which each of the at least two flexible electrodes connects to the ECG data collector via at least one of the at least two lead wires.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a stimulus circuit, a cardiac signal sensing circuit, and a control circuit. The cardiac signal sensing circuit senses a cardiac activity signal using a sensing channel. The stimulus circuit provides electrical pulse energy to a first pacing channel that includes a first left ventricular (LV) electrode and a second pacing channel that includes a second LV electrode. The control circuit initiates delivery of electrical pulse energy using the first and second pacing channels according to a first multi-site LV pacing mode; determines a cardiac event associated with a change in cardiac conduction path using a sensed cardiac activity signal; and changes to a second LV pacing mode in response to determining the cardiac event. The second LV pacing mode is different from the first multi-site LV pacing mode in one or more of a pacing site location and inter-electrode stimulus timing.

Abstract: A method, electrical tissue stimulation system, and programmer for providing therapy to a patient are provided. Electrodes are placed adjacent tissue (e.g., spinal cord tissue) of the patient, electrical stimulation energy is delivered from the electrodes to the tissue in accordance with a defined waveform, and a pulse shape of the defined waveform is modified, thereby changing the characteristics of the electrical stimulation energy delivered from the electrode(s) to the tissue. The pulse shape may be modified by selecting one of a plurality of different pulse shape types or by adjusting a time constant of the pulse shape.

Abstract: Representative embodiments are directed to detecting neurological activity in a patient. The detection of neurological activity includes identifying cross-frequency coupling and determining whether the cross-frequency coupling is physiological or pathological. When pathological cross-frequency coupling is detected, neurostimulation of one or more sites is applied. In some embodiments, an implantable pulse generator is adapted to analyze neural activity for pathological cross-frequency coupling and to provide electrical stimulation in response to the detected pathological cross-frequency coupling.

Abstract: An implantable pulse generator includes a device housing containing pulse generator circuitry and a header connected to the device housing. The header includes a core assembly defining first and second lead bore cavities sized for receiving terminal pins of leads, first and second labels, and an outer layer. The first label is printed onto a surface of the core assembly proximate the first lead bore cavity and includes a first color. The second label is printed onto the surface of the core assembly proximate the second lead bore cavity and includes a second color different from the first color. The outer layer is overmolded over the core assembly so as to encapsulate the first and second labels and to allow access to the first and second lead bore cavities.

Abstract: In embodiments, a WCD system includes one or more transducers that may sense patient parameters from different parts of the patient's body, and thus render physiological inputs from those parameters. Individual analysis scores may be determined from the physiological inputs, and an aggregate analysis score may be determined from the individual analysis scores. A shock/no shock determination may be made depending on whether or not the aggregate analysis score meets an aggregate shock criterion. Accordingly, multiple inputs are considered in making the shock/no shock determination.

Abstract: A system and method for localizing a deep brain stimulation electrode in vivo in a subject or object is provided. A magnetic resonance imaging system obtains MR image data from a volume-of-interest by way of a zero echo time (ZTE) or ultrashort echo time (UTE) pulse sequence, with one or more of a phase domain image and a magnitude domain image being analyzed from the MR image data acquired by the ZTE or UTE pulse sequence. One or more electrodes are localized within the volume-of-interest based on an analysis of the phase domain image and/or magnitude domain image. In localizing the electrodes, a multi-scale correlation-based analysis of the volume-of-interest is performed to estimate at least one of an electrode center and electrode contact locations of the electrode, with the localization being achieved with a fast scan-time and with a high level of accuracy and precision.

Abstract: An ultrasound pulse generator circuit includes a first gate driver electrically coupled to a first gallium nitride (GaN) transistor, a second gate driver electrically coupled to a second GaN transistor, a first snubber circuit, a second snubber circuit, and a transformer. The first snubber circuit and the second snubber circuit each include a respective capacitor and resistor and each snubber circuit is configured to clamp a voltage overshoot when present. Further, the transformer generates an output signal when operated and the third transformer is electrically connected downstream of the first GaN transistor, the second GaN transistor, the first snubber circuit, and the second snubber circuit. In addition, the transformer includes multiple windings.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include a method of transcatheterly delivering a band to encircle multiple papillary muscles in a heart. The method may comprise transcutaneously inserting a catheter into a heart and delivering a first end of a first guidewire to a ventricle in the heart via the catheter. The method may further comprise looping a first end of a first guidewire around a first papillary muscle and a second end of a second guidewire around a second papillary muscle. The first end of the first guidewire and the second end of the second guidewire may be brought out of the body while the first and second guidewires remain looped around the first and second papillary muscles, respectively. The first and second guidewires may be interconnected, and at least one end of the first and second guidewires may be pulled to establish a single loop around the papillary muscles.

Abstract: A body illumination device adapted to surround at least a part of a user including at least one inflatable structural element and a light emitter. The at least one inflatable structural element includes a first inflatable structural element including a first inflatable chamber including a first wall and a second wall which is transparent to the light emitted by the light emitter such that light can be is provided to the user from the light emitter through the second wall. The light emitter is on or integrally formed with said first wall and is for providing light to the user. The body illumination device may be stored easily in a deflated state and may be used in the treatment of psoriasis, eczema or skin cancer.

Abstract: A controller-transmitter transmits acoustic energy through the body to an implanted acoustic receiver-stimulator. The receiver-stimulator converts the acoustic energy into electrical energy and delivers the electrical energy to tissue using an electrode assembly. The receiver-stimulator limits the output voltage delivered to the tissue to a predetermined maximum output voltage. In the presence of interfering acoustic energy sources output voltages are thereby limited prior to being delivered to the tissue. Furthermore, the controller-transmitter estimates the output voltage that is delivered to the tissue by the implanted receiver-stimulator. The controller-transmitter measures a query spike voltage resulting from the electrical energy delivered to the tissue by the receiver-stimulator, and computes a ratio of the predetermined maximum output voltage and a maximum query spike voltage. The maximum query spike voltage is computed by detecting a query spike voltage plateau.

Abstract: The local conduction velocity of a cardiac activation wavefront can be computed by collecting a plurality of electrophysiology (“EP”) data points using a multi-electrode catheter, with each EP data point including both position data and local activation time (“LAT”) data. For any EP data point, a neighborhood of EP data points, including the selected EP data point and at least two additional EP data points, can be defined. Planes of position and LATs can then be defined using the positions and LATs, respectively, of the EP data points within the neighborhood. A conduction velocity can be computed from an intersection of the planes of positions and LATs. The resultant plurality of conduction velocities can be output as a graphical representation (e.g., an electrophysiology map), for example by displaying vector icons arranged in a uniform grid over a three-dimensional cardiac model.

Abstract: A system and method for applying a uniform dynamic gain over cardiac data with the aid of a digital computer is provided. A time series of a plurality of voltage values that comprises a digital representation of a raw electrocardiography (“ECG”) signal recorded by an ambulatory monitor recorder is obtained by an least one computer processor, the time series including segments of noise and segments of non-noise. The segments of non-noise are analyzed by the at least one computer processor and a single gain factor for all of the values in the analyzed non-noise segments is determined by the at least one computer processor based on the analysis. The single gain factor to all of the values in the non-noise segments is applied by the at least one computer processor.

Abstract: Therapy systems for treating a patient are disclosed. Representative therapy systems include an implantable pulse generator, a signal delivery device electrically coupled to the pulse generator, and a remote control in electrical communication with the implantable pulse generator. The pulse generator can have a computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a process that comprises collecting the patient status and stimulation parameter; analyzing the collected patient status and stimulation parameter; and establishing a preference baseline containing a preferred stimulation parameter corresponding to a particular patient status.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a health characteristic of a user based on one or more biological measurements may include selecting a context from a plurality of contexts, each context corresponding to a baseline health value, and each context being defined by a plurality of recorded events each comprising one or more of repeated biological states, repeated user activity, or space-time coordinates of the user, and then monitoring the health characteristic of the user based on one or more bio-sensing measurements in comparison to the baseline health value corresponding to the selected context.

Abstract: Implantable devices and systems include one or more leads adapted to be emplaced in the internal thoracic vein (ITV) of a patient. The lead may include features to adapt the lead for such placement. An associated device for use with the lead may include operational circuitry adapted for use with a lead having an electrode for sensing and/or therapy purposes coupled thereto. Methods for implantation and use of such devices and systems are disclosed as well.

Abstract: A passive implantable relay module includes a first coupler arm configured to wirelessly receive electromagnetic energy radiated through electric radiative coupling from a transmitting antenna located outside a subject's body; a second coupler arm; and a connector portion comprising a first metal core and a first dielectric coating surrounding the first metal core, the connector portion configured to connect the first coupler arm to the second coupler arm such that when the passive implantable relay module is implanted inside the subject's body and the transmitting antenna initiates wireless energy transfer to the first coupler arm via non-inductive coupling, electromagnetic waves carrying the electromagnetic energy received at the first coupler arm propagate along the first metal core to arrive at the second coupler arm, where the electromagnetic energy arriving is wirelessly transferred, again via non-inductive coupling, to a receiving antenna on a passive wireless neural stimulator device.