Abstract: The invention relates to a catheter device, having a catheter, an actuation device at a first end of the catheter and also a mechanical transmission element for transmitting a movement along the catheter to the actuation device, the actuation device having a coupling element which is connected to the transmission element and can be actuated by the latter relative to the longitudinal direction of the catheter in a first degree of freedom, and also a conversion element which can be actuated by the coupling element and which converts the actuation movement at least partially into a movement in a second degree of freedom. As a result, a combined movement at the distal end of the catheter can be produced particularly simply for compression and release of a functional element.

Abstract: A method of rapid frequency cycling during electrical stimulation according to an embodiment may include determining, by a controller of an electrical stimulation system, a plurality of frequency band groupings of discrete frequency bands of an electrical stimulation signal having a frequency range, wherein each frequency band grouping includes at least one discrete frequency band, wherein a corresponding current or voltage amplitude of the electrical stimulation signal is independently tuned within each discrete frequency band based on feedback received from a patient, determining, by the controller, a random sequence of the frequency band groupings of the plurality of frequency band groupings, generating, by at least one signal generator controlled by the controller, the electrical stimulation signal according to the determined random sequence of the frequency band groupings, and delivering the generated electrical stimulation signal through an electrode array to the patient to provide therapy to the patien

Abstract: A pacemaker system includes a drive-sense circuit (DSC) operably coupled to a pacemaker lead. The DSC generates a pace signal including electrical impulses based on a reference signal. The DSC provides the pace signal via the pacemaker lead to an electrically responsive portion of a cardiac conductive system of a subject to facilitate cardiac operation of a cardiovascular system of the subject. The DSC senses, via the pacemaker lead, cardiac electrical activity of the cardiovascular system of the subject that is generated in response to the pace signal and electrically coupled into the pacemaker lead and generates a digital signal that is representative of the cardiac electrical activity of the cardiovascular system of the subject that is sensed via the pacemaker lead. The DSC provides digital information to one or more processing modules that includes and/or is coupled to memory and that provide the reference signal to the DSC.

Abstract: An exemplary Open Label Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) Implantable Pulse Generator (IPG) may be configured to treat a pain syndrome based on applying a predetermined waveform protocol to a patient, while measuring patient physiological parameters in a feedback loop using sensors and triggering a change of the predetermined waveform protocol to an adapted waveform protocol, in response to detecting a change in the tolerance of the pain syndrome to the predetermined waveform protocol. The waveform protocol may be multiple waveforms cycling or alternating in patterns to prevent a pain syndrome from developing tolerance to individual waveforms. Pain syndrome tolerance may be determined based on preset, pre-implantation data. Pain syndrome tolerance to the predetermined waveform protocol may be based on the patient's pain level determined from the physiological parameters.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for generating burst waveforms. An implantable neurostimulation system includes an implantable stimulation lead including a plurality of contacts, and an implantable pulse generator communicatively coupled to the stimulation lead. The pulse generator is configured to generate a waveform including a burst that includes a leading anodic pulse followed by alternating cathodic pulses and anodic pulses, each cathodic pulse in the burst having a greater amplitude than the previous cathodic pulse.

Abstract: A non-invasive and convenient method and apparatus for approximation of left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) can be used in both hospital/clinic environments and nursing home or home environments. The method and apparatus use non-invasive sensors and a new “cardiac triangle” computational method to obtain an approximation of LVEDP. The computational method uses hemodynamic and electrocardiogram (ECG) waveforms as input, which can be collected by a portable device or devices.

Abstract: A blood pump comprises a pump casing having a blood flow inlet and a blood flow outlet, and an impeller arranged in said pump casing and rotatably supported in the pump casing by a bearing so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation. The impeller has blades for conveying blood from the blood flow inlet to the blood flow outlet. The bearing comprises at least one stationary bearing portion coupled to the pump casing and having a stationary bearing surface that faces radially outwards. The bearing further comprises a rotating bearing surface interacting with the stationary bearing surface to form the bearing, wherein the rotating bearing surface faces radially inwards and is formed on an exposed radially inner edge of the blades. The blades are designed to draw blood deposit on the stationary bearing surface in a radially outward direction.

Abstract: Multiple circuits in a computing device can share one or more conductive elements. The use of the conductive element can vary by circuit, such as an antenna radiator for a radio frequency (RF) circuit or an electrode for an electrocardiography (ECG) circuit. The circuitry sharing a conductive element can utilize signals obtained over different frequency ranges. Those ranges can be used to select decoupling circuitry, or elements, that can enable the respective circuits to obtain signals over a respective frequency range, excluding signals over one or more other frequency ranges corresponding to other circuitry sharing the circuit. Such an approach allows for concurrent independent operation of the circuitry sharing a conductive element.

Abstract: Embodiments presented herein are generally directed to techniques for the transfer of isochronous stimulation data over a standardized isochronous audio or data link between components of an implantable medical device system. More specifically, as described further below, a first component is configured to generate dynamic stimulation data based on one or more received sound signals. The first component is configured to obtain static configuration data and to encode the dynamic stimulation data and the static configuration data into a series of isochronous wireless packets. The first component is configured to transmit the series of wireless packets over an isochronous wireless channel to a second component of the implantable medical device system.

Abstract: A method for determining a sharpness index of a pulse wave signal includes receiving a pulse wave signal; determining a first reference line starting point and a second reference line starting point on the basis of a curvature of the pulse wave signal; determining a first reference line connecting the first reference line starting point and a first reference line ending point by determining the first reference line ending point by applying an intersecting tangent method to the first reference line starting point, and determining a second reference line connecting the second reference line starting point and a second reference line ending point by determining the second reference line ending point by applying the intersecting tangent method to the second reference line starting point; and determining a sharpness index by using a peak point of the pulse wave signal, the first reference line, and the second reference line.

Abstract: A subcutaneous implantable medical device and method (SIMD) provided. A pulse generator (PG) is configured to be positioned subcutaneously within a lateral region of a chest of a patient. The PG has a housing that includes a PG electrode. The PG has an electronics module. An elongated lead is electrically coupled to the pulse generator. The elongated lead includes a first electrode that is configured to be positioned along a first parasternal region proximate a sternum of the patient and a second electrode that is configured to be positioned at an anterior region of the patient. The first and second electrodes are coupled to be electrically common with one another. The electronics module is configured to provide electrical shocks for antiarrhythmic therapy along at least one shocking vector between the PG electrode and the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods for treating obstructive sleep apnea using an acoustic sensor configured to detect acoustic sounds generated by the heart and lungs. Sensory data from the acoustic sensor is used by an implanted stimulation system to determine when to deliver electrical stimulation to a nerve which innervates an upper airway muscle, such as the hypoglossal nerve, to treat sleep apnea.

Abstract: Stimulation and recording electrode assemblies that are particularly useful for Automatic Period Stimulation (APS). Such embodiments are compatible with nerve monitoring systems to provide continuous stimulation of a nerve during surgery. Certain embodiments include an electrode assembly having cuff including a body and two ears extending from the body. Within the body, at least one electrode is supported and connected to a lead wire assembly. The ears can be brought together to enlarge a gap in the body so that the electrode assembly can be fixated around a nerve. Other embodiments include an electrode assembly including first and second needle electrodes that each have a tip. A body is provided to interconnect the needle electrodes and can be manipulated to move the tips either toward or away from one another. Disclosed embodiments provide nerve monitoring and stimulation in cases where the nerve is only partially dissected.

Abstract: An implantable stimulator device is disclosed for executing a stimulation program comprising a plurality of sub-programs, wherein the sub-programs are configured to be automatically sequentially executed by stimulation circuitry in the device. Control circuitry periodically stores log data to indicate where each sub-program is in its execution. If the device experiences an interruption that prevents the stimulation circuitry from executing the stimulation program, and upon receiving an indication that the stimulation circuitry can continue execution of the stimulation program, the control circuitry is configured to query the log data to determine a sub-program during which the interruption occurred, and using the log data, cause the stimulation circuitry to continue execution of the stimulation circuitry either at the beginning of the sub-program, or at a point during the sub-program when the interruption occurred.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining monitoring data recorded by first and second devices, the first and second devices being attached to the subject at different first and second sties, respectively. The monitoring data comprises signals associated with at least one physiological parameter of the subject. The method also includes extracting one or more features of the signals recorded by the first and second devices during a transitionary period when the first and second devices simultaneously monitor the at least one physiological parameter of the subject. The method further includes generating at least one correlation parameter by analyzing the extracted features of the signals recorded by the first and second devices for at least a portion of the transitionary period, the at least one correlation parameter when applied to signals recorded by the second device at least partially compensating for relative changes in signals recorded by the first and second devices.

Abstract: A subcutaneously implantable device includes a housing, a first prong, and a second prong. A first electrode on the first prong is configured to contact the first lung. A second electrode on the device is configured to contact the first lung or a second lung. A third electrode on the second prong is configured to contact the heart or the tissue surrounding the heart. Sensing circuitry in the housing in electrical communication with the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode is configured to measure an impedance in the first lung and/or the second lung, and/or a transthoracic impedance across the first lung and the second lung through the first electrode and the second electrode, and to measure an electrical signal from the heart through the third electrode.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and technique selectively eliminates the noxious signal components in a neuronal signal by creating an interfering electrical signal that is tuned to a given frequency corresponding to the oscillatory pattern of the noxious signal, resulting in a modified neuronal signal that substantially reproduces a normal, no-pain neuronal signal. The disclosed system and technique of pain relief is based on the hypothesis that the temporal profile of pain signals encodes particular components that oscillate at unique and quantifiable frequencies, which are responsible for pain processing in the brain.

Abstract: A method including processing electrocardiograph (ECG) signals taken over a heartbeat received over a plurality of channels, selecting a subset of the ECG signals captured at a point in time with a window of interest (WOI) around reference annotations and having a morphology pattern within the WOI, storing the morphology patterns, receiving continuous sets of ECG signals taken over a plurality of heartbeats over the plurality of channels and having a morphology pattern within the WOI, performing a correlation between the stored morphology patterns of the ECH signals and the morphology patterns of the continuous sets of ECH signals for each heartbeat, generating a correlation coefficient that is a measure of a goodness of fit between geometries of the ECG signals and the continuous sets of ECG signals and identifying each heartbeat having a correlation coefficient that exceeds a threshold coefficient as having been caused by an arrhythmia.

Abstract: Implantable electrodes with power delivery wearable for treating sleep apnea, and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A representative system includes non-implantable signal generator worn by the patient and having an antenna that directs a mid-field RF power signal to an implanted electrode. The implanted electrode in turn directs a lower frequency signal to a neural target, for example, the patient's hypoglossal nerve. Representative signal generators can have the form of a mouthpiece, a collar or other wearable, and/or a skin-mounted patch.

Abstract: A coaptive surgical sealing tool may be similar to an ordinary hemostat with long (50, 60, 70 or 80 mm) thin jaws for sliding into the liver parenchyma, without tearing the larger blood vessels. The jaws are spring loaded and are designed for uniform compression, and to avoid closing too quickly. The jaws are capable of sealing a 50, 60, 70 or 80 mm sealing length, in a single bite, although it can also seal shorter lengths as well. The tool can be used with existing RF/bi-polar cautery generators.