Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for treating a tissue with an electric treatment by rotating a pattern of electrodes partway through a treatment is disclosed. Also described herein are methods and apparatuses to treat tissue, including treating skin disorders, by selectively de-nucleating epidermal cells without provoking a significant inflammatory response, e.g., without increasing the density of leukocytes in the treated skin, and without affecting the non-cellular components of the dermis.

Abstract: In some examples, a medical device is configured to deliver sub-threshold electrical stimulation therapy to a patient at a stimulation intensity that is significantly less than a perception or paresthesia threshold intensity level for the patient. The medical device may determine the particular intensity level for the patient through a titration process. The medical device may titrate automatically or based upon the input of the patient, a clinician or a physician.

Abstract: A medical electrical lead and methods of implanting medical electrical leads in lumens. Leads in accordance with the invention employ preformed biases to stabilize the lead within a lumen and to orient electrodes in a preferred orientation.

Abstract: Implantable medical lead devices such as leads and lead extensions include conductors within the lead device body that interconnect proximal and distal electrical connectors and that have balanced clocked positions. The balanced clocked positions may be achieved by separating a first conductor from a second conductor by an adequate amount, where the first conductor has a length as measured from a given point along the lead to the end of the conductor that is most similar to the length of the second conductor as measured in the same manner. The balanced clocked position of conductor pairings based on similarity of length may provide benefits such as reducing the tendency of the lead to curve when one or more layers of the lead body are being injection molded around the conductors.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treating a patient's mucus hypersecretion condition are disclosed herein. Certain implementations may involve a method for reducing mucus secretion in an upper airway of a patient to treat at least one of post nasal drip or chronic cough. The method may include advancing a treatment delivery portion of an energy-based treatment device into a nostril of the patient. The treatment delivery portion may contact mucosal tissue of the upper airway without piercing the mucosal tissue. The treatment delivery portion may deliver treatment to at least one tissue selected from the group of the mucosal tissue and another tissue underlying the mucosal tissue to modify a property of the at least one tissue and thus treat at least one of post nasal drip or chronic cough in the patient.

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: Software for providing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for use in a clinician programmer for programming an implantable pulse generator (IPG) or external trial stimulator (ETS) is disclosed. A user may define in the GUI multiple pole configurations (e.g., monopoles, bipoles, etc.) which may be used independently to provide stimulation to a patient via the IPG or ETS's electrode array. Selected of the pole configurations can be linked or associated as a group in the GUI and used to concurrently provide stimulation. The pole configuration group may be steered or moved in the electrode array using a single movement instruction which moves all pole configurations in the group simultaneously. This allows the relative positions of the pole configurations in the group to remain constant as the group is moved.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an implantable lead device that includes an internal support comb. The support comb can include one or more faces that enable the alignment, routing, and holding of the lead device's internal wires. The support comb can enable the interconnection of the wires with to the microelectrode film that includes the lead device's electrodes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flexible catheter (1) with a drive shaft (2), with a sleeve (6) surrounding the drive shaft (2) and with a sheath (7) surrounding the drive shaft (2) and the sleeve (6), wherein the drive shaft, the sleeve (6) and the sheath (7) are pliable, wherein the drive shaft (2) at a proximal end of the drive shaft (2) comprises a coupling element (5) for connecting the drive shaft (2) to a drive motor (18), wherein the drive shaft (2) at least regionally consist of a alloy which contains at least 10% by weight of chromium, nickel and cobalt in each case. The invention moreover relates to a blood pump arrangement with such a catheter.

Abstract: An implantable pulse generator (IPG) that generates spinal cord stimulation signals for a human body has a programmable signal generator that can generate the signals based on stored signal parameters without any intervention from a processor that controls the overall operation of the IPG. While the signal generator is generating the signals the processor can be in a standby mode to substantially save battery power. The IPG also contains circuity to indicate to a patient that proper alignment exists between the IPG and an external charger to charge a battery in the IPG.

Abstract: An ear worn device includes an optical source, an optical detector, and a housing supporting the optical source and optical detector. The housing is configured to be positioned within an ear of a subject and includes a first light guide in optical communication with the optical source and a second light guide in optical communication with the optical detector. A distal end of the first light guide is configured to deliver light from the optical source into the ear, and a distal end of the second light guide is configured to collect light from the ear and deliver collected light to the optical detector. The first and second light guides define respective first and second axial directions that are outwardly diverging such that light rays directed into the ear via the first light guide cannot overlap with light rays collected by the second light guide.

Abstract: A monitoring device includes a band capable of at least partially encircling a portion of a body of a subject. An optical source and an optical detector are supported by the band. A first light guide is in optical communication with the optical source and a second light guide is in optical communication with the optical detector. A distal end of the first light guide is configured to deliver light from the optical source into the body, and a distal end of the second light guide is configured to collect light from the body and deliver collected light to the optical detector. The first and second light guides define respective first and second axial directions that diverge outwardly from the band such that light rays directed into the body via the first light guide cannot overlap with light rays collected by the second light guide.

Abstract: An emotional enhancement system for music and film that uses audio and video input to select or generate a stimulation pattern which stimulates the user's face using lights and electrical stimulation directed to certain points on the user's face and head which are believed to induce certain emotions. Using the system, a user's emotional experience of the music or film can be enhanced by inducing emotions in the user coordinated with portions of the music or film. In some embodiments, biometric sensors or cameras and facial tracking software may be used to monitor the emotions displayed by a user while listening to music or watching films, and adjust the stimulation accordingly.

Abstract: A planning system for generating control data for a treatment apparatus which creates at least one cut surface in the cornea using a laser device, and a treatment apparatus which comprises a planning system of the aforementioned type. The invention also relates to a method of generating control data for a treatment apparatus which creates at least one cut surface in the cornea using a laser device, and to a corresponding method of eye surgery. The planning system comprises a calculation means for defining the cut surfaces of the cornea, wherein the calculation means determines the cornea cuts so that the cut surfaces isolate a lenticule, which is treated according to the planned refraction correction after removal from the cornea, so that the planned refraction correction occurs after the insertion into the cornea of the recipient.

Abstract: A medical device for electrical stimulation of a patient. A pulse generator generates current pulses for the electrical stimulation. An electrode lead with a plurality of electrode contacts delivers the pulses to tissue of the patient. The pulse generator repeatedly delivers a current pulse between two electrodes forming a first group and delivers a charge balancing current pulse after each current pulse between the electrodes of the first group. The respective current pulse is separated from the succeeding charge balancing current pulse by an inter pulse interval. The respective current pulse has an amplitude with the same absolute magnitude as the succeeding charge balancing current pulse, but is of opposite sign. The pulse generator delivers between each current pulse and the succeeding charge balancing current pulse a current pulse between two further electrodes forming a second group of electrode contacts of the plurality of electrode contacts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a catheter device, having a catheter (1), an actuation device (8) at a first end of the catheter and also a mechanical transmission element (9, 10) for transmitting a movement along the catheter to the actuation device, the actuation device having a coupling element (14) which is connected to the transmission element (9, 10) 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 (15) 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: In some examples, a feedthrough assembly for a medical device may include a ferrule. The ferrule defines an aperture extending through the ferrule from an outer end surface defined by the ferrule to an end inner end surface defined by the ferrule. The aperture includes a first portion having a first diameter and a second portion having a second diameter less than the first diameter. The aperture defines a longitudinal axis extending therethrough and the ferrule defines a ledge between the first and second portions of the aperture that extends radially inward toward the longitudinal axis. The feedthrough assembly further may include a conductive pin within the aperture and an insulating member surrounding at least a portion of the pin. The insulating member may electrically insulate the conductive pin from the ferrule, and the ledge and a surface of the insulating member adjacent the ledge may define a space therebetween.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for a mechanical circulatory support system are disclosed herein. An implantable power supply can be part of a mechanical circulatory support system. The implantable power supply can include one or several energy storage components, a power source, a voltage converter, and an output bus. Power can be provided to the voltage converter from one or both of the power source and the first energy storage component. The voltage converter can convert the voltage of the power from a first voltage to a second voltage and can power the output bus.

Abstract: Acquiring ECG signals from electrodes positioned in a heart taken over a single heartbeat, selecting a morphology pattern within a window of interest around time of occurrence annotations for the signals; computing a weighted cross-correlation between each morphology pattern of the signals and a stored template morphology pattern, to generate a weighted correlation coefficient of a match between the morphology patterns of the acquired signals and the stored morphology pattern; iteratively changing a phase of the signals relative to the phase of the morphology pattern and repeating the step of generating the weighted correlation coefficient at each iteration; determining a maximum value of the weighted correlation coefficient based on the iterations; comparing the maximum value to a threshold; and when the maximum value exceeds the threshold, accepting the heartbeat as having been caused by the arrhythmia and incorporating a location of the arrhythmia into a local activation map.

Abstract: A surgical system includes a first detector that includes a first array of pixels configured to detect light reflected by a surgical instrument and generate a first signal comprising a first dataset representative of a visible image of the surgical instrument. The surgical system also includes a second detector, comprising a second array of pixels configured to detect infrared radiation produced by the surgical instrument during a procedure using the surgical instrument and generate a second signal comprising a second dataset representative of an infrared image of the surgical instrument. The surgical system further includes a processor configured to receive the first and second signals, identify from the first dataset data representative of the surgical instrument, and identify from the second dataset data representative of one or more regions of the surgical instrument above a predetermined threshold temperature.