Abstract: Symmetrical and asymmetrical snares are used for endoscopically controlled methods by which tumors in hollow organs of the gastrointestinal tract can be ensnared and RF-surgically removed from the organ wall for diagnostic and/or therapeutic purposes. These snares are characterized in that one of the two snare portions, in the case of asymmetrical snares the longer of the two snare portions, is completely electrically insulated or is made from electrically non-conductive material and that the other of the two snare portions is made from electrically conductive material and its surface is not electrically insulated. In one embodiment, the asymmetrical snare is characterized in that the long snare portion is so much flexurally stiffer than the short snare portion that it tensions the short snare portion like the string of a bow.

Abstract: A medical lead is configured to be implanted into a patient's body and comprises a lead body, and an electrode coupled to the lead body. The electrode comprises a first section configured to contact the patient's body, and a second section capacitively coupled to the first section and configured to be electrically coupled to the patient's body.

Abstract: A forceps is provided and includes a housing having a shaft. An end effector assembly operatively connects to a distal end of the shaft and includes a pair of first and second jaw members. One or both of the first and second jaw members is movable relative to the other jaw member from a clamping position to an open position. A resilient member operably couples to at least one of the first and second jaw members. The resilient member is configured to bias the first and second jaw members in the clamping position and provide a closure force on tissue disposed therebetween.

Abstract: A medical device comprises: a feeding tube (70) including a feeding lumen (80) with an opening (152) at a distal end of the feeding tube and an electrical lumen (84) having access openings (120) spaced apart along the feeding tube; a set of insulated electrical conductors (82) disposed in the electrical lumen, the set of insulated electrical conductors having electrically exposed portions (132, 132a, 132b) proximate to the access openings; and electrodes (72, 73, 74, 75, 78, 79, 140) comprising electrically conductive material portions (140) disposed in the access openings and electrically contacting the proximate electrically exposed portions of the set of insulated electrical conductors disposed in the electrical lumen. The electrodes include at least one upper or proximal electrode (74, 75, 78, 79) disposed above an expected patient heart electrical centerline (CL) and at least one lower or distal electrode (72, 73) disposed below the expected patient heart electrical centerline.

Abstract: A connecting element for connecting a blood pump or a cannula to a heart, the connecting element including a sealing element, which is designed to at least temporarily close an opening formed in the cardiac wall and to be opened via insertion of a preferably cylindrical object in the direction of an axis of the opening.

Abstract: Systems, devices and methods for using environmental data to manage health care are disclosed. One aspect is an advanced patient management system. In various embodiments, the system includes at least one implantable medical device (IMD) to acquire at least one IMD parameter indicative of patient wellness, means to acquire at least one environmental parameter from at least one external source, and means to correlate the at least one parameter indicative of patient wellness and the at least one environmental parameter to assist with patient health care decisions. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Abstract: A surgical instrument can include a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, and a wrist coupled to the distal end of the shaft and configured to articulate in multiple degrees of freedom. An end effector having jaws may be supported by the wrist. The surgical instrument can further include a first drive element extending from the proximal end of the shaft to the end effector, the first drive element being configured to transmit forces to move the jaws relative to each other between open and closed positions, and a second drive element extending from the proximal end of the shaft to the end effector, the second drive element being configured to transmit forces to translate a component of the end effector in a longitudinal direction relative to the jaws. The component can be configured to translate independently of movement of the jaws.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods are provided for treating pain while minimizing or eliminating possible complications and undesired side effects, particularly the sensation of paresthesia. This is achieved by stimulating in proximity to a dorsal root ganglion with stimulation energy in a manner that will affect pain sensations without generating substantial sensations of paresthesia. In some embodiments, such neurostimulation takes advantage of anatomical features and functions particular to the dorsal root ganglion.

Abstract: An implantable neurostimulator system adapted to provide therapy for various neurological disorders is capable of varying therapy delivery strategies based on the context, physiological or otherwise, into which the therapy is to be delivered. Responsive and scheduled therapies can be varied depending on various sensor measurements, calculations, inferences, and device states (including elapsed times and times of day) to deliver an appropriate course of therapy under the circumstances.

Abstract: A highly flexible implantable lead that offers improved flexibility, fatigue life and fatigue and abrasion resistance improved reliability, effective electrode tissue contact with a small diameter and low risk of tissue damage during extraction. In one embodiment the lead is provided with both defibrillation electrodes and pacing/sensing electrodes. For defibrillation/pacing leads, the lead diameter may be as small as six French or smaller. The construction utilizes helically wound conductors. For leads incorporating multiple separate conductors, many of the helically wound conductors are arranged in a multi-filar relationship. Preferably, each conductor is a length of wire that is uninsulated at about the middle of its length to create an electrode, wherein the conductor is folded in half at about the middle of the length to create first and second length segments that constitute parallel conductors.

Abstract: A method includes storing baseline data representing at least one local or global electrical characteristics for at least a portion of a region of interest (ROI) of a patient's anatomical structure. The baseline data is determined based on electrical measurement data obtained during at least one first measurement interval. The method also includes storing in memory other data representing the at least one local or global electrical characteristics for the at least a portion of the ROI based on electrical measurement data obtained during at least one subsequent measurement interval. The method also includes evaluating the baseline data relative to the other data to determine a change in the at least one local or global electrical characteristics. The method also includes generating an output based on the evaluating to provide an indication of progress or success associated with the applying the treatment.

Abstract: A method, and associated apparatus and system, for monitoring a baby in-utero during labor are provided. A fetal heart rate signal and a uterine activity signal are processed to derive fetal well-being information at least in part by i) processing the fetal heart rate signal and the uterine activity signal to model a relationship between uterine activity and fetal heart rate variability; and ii) deriving the fetal well-being information at least in part by processing the modeled relationship. The relationship may be modeled, for example, as a system having the uterine activity signal as an input and fetal heart rate variability as an output. Suitable system identification approaches may be used for modeling such a relationship. A signal for causing the fetal well-being information to be displayed on a display device is released to assist clinicians in identifying whether the baby being monitored is exhibiting an adverse response to hypoxic conditions.

Abstract: A hermetically sealed filtered feedthrough assembly for an AIMD includes an electrically conductive ferrule with an electrically conductive extension at least partially extending into the ferrule opening. An electrically non-conductive insulator hermetically seals the ferrule opening. An electrically conductive pathway is hermetically sealed and disposed through the insulator between a body fluid and device side. A filter capacitor is located on the device side. A first low impedance electrical coupling is between a first metallization of the filter capacitor and the pathway. A ground conductor is disposed through the filter capacitor in non-conductive relation with the at least one active and ground electrode plates, where the ground conductor is electrically coupled to the extension of the ferrule. An oxide-resistant metal addition is disposed on the device side and electrically couples the ground conductor to the second metallization of the filter capacitor.

Abstract: A rechargeable medical system comprised of an implanted device, rechargeable power storage operatively connected to the implantable device, a charging module operatively connected to the rechargeable storage, and external devices including a patient programmer and external charging means. The charging module can harvest at least one of thermal, photovoltaic, movement, RF, and magnetic energy to generate electrical power. The system has components for charging the storage from the generated power, and for measuring power generation, usage and reserve levels. The system provides for physically initiating and disrupting charging operations, for generating and communicating signals relevant to power harvesting, for monitoring, providing, and displaying data related to energy generation and energy generation criteria, and for tracking historical harvesting and energy consumption. The system may also have long-range and short-range wireless power harvesting capability.

Abstract: A medical system configured for performing a medical function in a patient. The medical system comprises at least one medical lead configured for being implanted adjacent a tissue region of the patient, at least one sensing element, monitoring circuitry configured for acquiring a plurality of physiological measurements from the sensing element(s) during one of a plurality of events respectively corresponding to a plurality of classes, and a processor configured for deriving a set of data from the plurality of physiological measurements, performing a feature extraction technique on the data set to acquire at least one feature, analyzing the feature(s), and classifying the data set into the one class corresponding to the one event. The medical system further comprises a controller configured for performing a function based on the classified data set.

Abstract: A neurological control system for modulating activity of any component or structure comprising the entirety or portion of the nervous system, or any structure interfaced thereto, generally referred to herein as a “nervous system component.” The neurological control system generates neural modulation signals delivered to a nervous system component through one or more intracranial (IC) stimulating electrodes in accordance with treatment parameters. Such treatment parameters may be derived from a neural response to previously delivered neural modulation signals sensed by one or more sensors, each configured to sense a particular characteristic indicative of a neurological or psychiatric condition.

Abstract: A hand held electrostimulation device has a handle having a first side member and a second side member. At least one first electrode is provided on the first side member and at least one second electrode is provided on the second side member. The handle is configured so that a user can cause relative movement of the first and second side members from a rest position and is resiliently biased to return to the rest position to cause relative movement of the first and second electrodes to massage skin engaged by the electrodes while applying electricity to said skin via said electrodes.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring an epilepsy disease state in a human patient are described. The system includes patient components and a supervisory module. The patient components include: an implantable electrode array for collecting neurological signals, an implantable recording electrode signal processor for processing the neurological signals collected by the electrode array, and a disease state estimator for estimating the patient's disease state. The supervisory module receives the patient's disease state from the patient components and displays a time history of the patient's disease state.

Abstract: Various aspects are directed to identifying a region of interest in a physiological signal. As may be consistent with one or more embodiments, the physiological signal is decomposed into subcomponents, and a subset of the subcomponents is selected based upon overlap of spectral energy with expected spectral energy of the region of interest, in at least one of the subcomponents. At least two of the subcomponents in the subset are combined and compared to a threshold, with the comparison being used to identify the location of the region of interest.

Abstract: A method for biological signal analysis, including providing a multidimensional sensor array disposed at a position for sensing biological data associated with a person, wherein the multidimensional sensor array includes a plurality of sensors and each sensor of the plurality of sensors is mechanically coupled to a common structural coupling material. The method including selectively receiving an output from each sensor of the plurality of sensors, processing the output from each sensor of the plurality of sensors and outputting a biological signal based on the processing.