Abstract: Systems, methods, and interfaces are described herein for assisting a user in noninvasive evaluation of patients for cardiac therapy and noninvasive evaluation of cardiac therapy being delivered. The systems, methods, and interfaces may provide graphical representations of cardiac electrical activation times about one or more portions of human anatomy and one or more cardiac health metrics.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods in which a user can treat a patient or monitor a parameter of the patient or both may include a housing, a patient module located within the housing that is used for treating the patient, monitoring the patient or both, and a control panel. The control panel is attached to the housing and has a first surface and a second surface and is positionable between a first position and a second position with respect to the housing. The first position exposes a user to a first surface of the control panel and the second position exposes the user to a second surface of the control panel. A first set of user controls are located on one or the other of the first surface and the second surface and are structured to allow the user to interact with the patient module.

Abstract: Described herein is a system and method of automatically monitoring QT intervals in a patient based on one or more EKG signals received from attached monitoring devices. Each EKG signal is analyzed to detect attributes of the first and second EKG signals, including QRS onset information, QRS peak information, and T-wave offset information. A QT interval is calculated based on QRS onset information derived from the first EKG signal and T-wave offset information derived from the second EKG signal. The calculated QT interval is compared to thresholds to detect elongation of the QT interval and an alert is generated in response to a detected elongated QT interval.

Abstract: A mobile terminal according to the present invention includes a terminal main body, a user input unit provided at the terminal main body and capable of receiving a control command for executing a specific function, a sensor unit provided adjacent to the user input unit and capable of sensing biometric information during the reception of the control command, and a controller capable of executing the specific function based on the control command and calculating a blood pressure value using the biometric information.

Abstract: A powder jet device (10) for dispensing a dental material comprises a nozzle head (12) comprising a discharge nozzle. The powder jet device (10) further comprises a housing (14) comprising a valve portion (28), which is connected to the nozzle head (12) and is adapted to receive a valve member (16), and a chamber portion (30) comprising at least a first chamber (32) for storing a powder material. The chamber portion (30) comprises a proximal end (34) located adjacent the valve portion (28), a distal end (36) located away from the valve portion (28) and a fluid channel (38) extending from the distal end (36) substantially to the proximal end (34) into the chamber. The powder jet device (10) further comprises a valve member (16) disposed within the valve portion (28).

Abstract: In some embodiments, a paddle lead is implanted within a patient such that the electrodes are positioned within the cervical or thoracic spinal levels. An electrode combination on a first row of electrodes can be determined that is effective for a first pain location with minimal effects on other regions of the body. The first pain location can be addressed by stimulating a first dorsal column fiber due to the relatively fine electrical field resolution achievable by the multiple columns. Then, another electrode combination on a second row of electrodes can be determined for a second pain location with minimal effects on other regions. The second pain location could be addressed by stimulating a second dorsal column fiber. After the determination of the appropriate electrodes for stimulation, the patient's IPG can be programmed to deliver pulses using the first and second rows according to the determined electrode combinations.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for generating an induction waveform for performing threshold testing in an implantable medical device are disclosed. Such tests may be performed during the implant procedure, or during a device checkup procedure, or routinely during the lifetime of the device. The threshold test may include induction of an arrhythmia (such as ventricular fibrillation) followed by delivery of therapy at various progressively-increasing stimulation parameters to terminate the arrhythmia. As such, the capability to induce fibrillation within the device is desired. Induction of the arrhythmias may be accomplished via delivery of a relatively low energy shock or through delivery of an induction stimulation pulse to the cardiac tissue timed concurrently with the vulnerable period of the cardiac cycle.

Abstract: A system automatically detects and measures ST deviation of a heart wave ECG signal in the presence of noise and accommodates baseline variation of the signal and other artifacts. A system identifies a particular point in an electrophysiological signal representing heart electrical activity using an interface for receiving an electrical signal waveform comprising an R-wave and including an ST segment portion associated with heart electrical activity of a patient over a heart beat cycle. A signal processor processes data representing the electrical signal waveform by identifying an S point and T point in the electrical signal waveform and determining a first candidate J point in the electrical signal waveform having substantially a maximum distance from a line between the identified S and T points, the distance being measured perpendicularly to the line.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for calculating cardiac output (CO) of a living subject using applanation tonometry measurements. In one embodiment, the apparatus and methods build a nonlinear mathematical model to correlate physiologic source data vectors to target CO values. The source data vectors include one or more measurable or derivable parameters such as: systolic and diastolic pressure, pulse pressure, beat-to-beat interval, mean arterial pressure, maximal slope of the pressure rise during systole, the area under systolic part of the pulse pressure wave, gender (male or female), age, height and weight. The target CO values are acquired using various methods, across a plurality of individuals. Multidimensional nonlinear optimization is then used to find a mathematical model which transforms the source data to the target CO data. The model is then applied to an individual by acquiring physiologic data for the individual and applying the model to the collected data.

Abstract: A stimulation system, such as a spinal cord stimulation (SCS) system, having a programmer for establishing a program to treat a patient. The programmer uses a discretized, interrupted, and safe spatial electrode migration process for establishing the stimulation program.

Abstract: Even if the ratio between blue and green components of illumination light is changed, a plurality of types of blood vessels at different depths are reliably distinguished. A blue signal B, a green signal G, a red signal R is obtained by imaging the subject using a color CCD 44. A B/G image having a B/G ratio is generated. A superficial blood vessel extraction image is obtained by extracting a pixel, in which the B/G ratio is equal to or less than a boundary value Ls between the mucous membrane and the superficial blood vessel, from the B/G image. A medium-deep blood vessel extraction image is obtained by extracting a pixel, in which the B/G ratio is equal to or greater than a boundary value Ld between the mucous membrane and the medium-deep blood vessel. The boundary values Ls and Ld differ depending on the light amount ratio.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and interfaces are described herein for identification of effective electrodes to be used in sensing and/or therapy. Two or more portions of a signal monitored using an electrode may be compared to determine whether the electrode is effective. The two or more portions may correspond to the same portion or window of a cardiac cycle. Further, signals from a first electrode and from a second electrode located proximate the first electrode may be compared to determine whether one or both of the electrodes are effective.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and interfaces are described herein for identification of effective electrodes to be used in sensing and/or therapy. Two or more portions of a signal monitored using an electrode may be compared to determine whether the electrode is effective. The two or more portions may correspond to the same portion or window of a cardiac cycle. Further, signals from a first electrode and from a second electrode located proximate the first electrode may be compared to determine whether one or both of the electrodes are effective.

Abstract: A method is described for delivering stimulation signals in an implantable multichannel neuro-stimulating device such as a cochlear implant. A stimulation channel is selected for delivering a data stimulation signal. One or more desensitization channels spatially adjacent to the stimulation channel are also selected. One or more non-data desensitization signals are delivered on the desensitization channels during a desensitization period before delivery of the data stimulation signal, and then the data stimulation signal is delivered on the stimulation channel. The stimulation channel may be blanked to prevent stimulation signals during a sensitization period before delivering the data stimulation signal.

Abstract: A hologram chip may be programmed to emit and/or augment energy tuned to interact with bodily functions through transdermal contact. The chip may be programmed by using a pair of Tesla pancake coils, each coupled to a spherical electrode and driven to create an energetic field between the electrodes. The hologram chip may be in contact with a transmitter coil. A tuning medium may be in contact with a receiver coil. A wave function generator may drive the transmitter coil until it is in resonance with the receiver coil causing an energetic field to form between the spherical electrodes. The longitudinal waves passed from the transmitter side to the receiver side may be conducted through the receiver pancake coil and through the tuning medium, which in turn may transmit the natural frequencies/information of the tuning medium through the longitudinal waves to the hologram chip on the transmitter coil.

Abstract: An external component housing is described for a cochlear implant system. A signal processing stage is contained within the housing for generating an electrical signal for an implanted portion of the system. An external coil is also within the housing for transmitting the electrical signal transcutaneously through the skin of a patient to the implanted portion. An impact absorber shields the system components from the impact energy associated with a mechanical impact to the housing.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided to control contraction of the heart. At least one sensing element receives signals indicating electrical activity of sinus rhythm of the heart. Based on the received signals, the progress of contraction of the heart is determined. Based on the progress of contraction, the chamber of the heart may then be stimulated at a plurality of locations. In another embodiment, a plurality of electrodes are implanted in the left ventricle to stimulate at multiple locations in the left ventricle for the purpose of improving hemodynamic performance and increasing cardiac output in a patient who is suffering from congestive heart failure.

Abstract: A fluorescence observation apparatus comprising a light source having a single light-emitting portion for emitting white light and excitation light simultaneously and radiates the white light and the excitation light; a light guide that guides the radiated white and excitation lights and simultaneously irradiates the white and excitation lights light onto a specimen; a white-light-image acquisition unit that receives return light of the white light coming from the specimen and acquires a white-light image; a fluorescence-image acquisition unit that receives fluorescence excited in the specimen by the excitation light and acquires a fluorescence image; an illumination-light filter that is disposed between the light-emitting portion and a radiation exit end of the light source, and satisfies the following conditional expression, Pf(?w)<Pf(?e), wherein Pf(?w) and Pf(?e) are transmittances of the illumination-light filter at a wavelength ?w in a white-light band and a wavelength ?e in a excitation-light band.

Abstract: A conductor for connecting an electrode near a distal end of a medical electrical lead with an implantable medical device connected with a proximal end of the medical electrical lead includes a multi-filar coil wrapped around a central core. The multi-filar coil has an inductance of approximately 0.5 ?H or greater, and the central core is non-conducting and provides reinforcement for the multi-filar coil.

Abstract: The object,—to create a printed circuit board for an implant having improved properties in connection with the electrical contacting via the contact points of the conductor tracks on the printed circuit board,—is achieved, according to the present invention, by means of a device for contacting and/or electrostimulation of living tissue cells or nerves with having a printed circuit board having with at least one contact point for electrical contacting, the printed circuit board encompassing comprising a flexible multilayer system with at least one conductor track. In accordance with the invention, the contact points for the conductor track in the multilayer system are galvanically reinforced. To this end, a galvanically reinforced layer is grown onto the already preprocessed contact point, for example by means of a galvanic process.