Abstract: A vessel electrode line (10) for pacemaker stimulation and/or for sensing cardiac actions in the region of the atrium has an oblong base body (11) that receives at least one electrode supply line, and at least one electrode (13, 14) that is mounted on the base body, with the effective diameter of the electrode(s) being nearly identical to the diameter of the base body, and with fixing elements (11a) that essentially do not act as an electrode, and particularly have at least a partial insulating surface, being provided for fixedly positioning the electrode(s) with respect to the vessel wall.

Abstract: With a method and a device for producing a helper signal for determining the point in time for a defibrillation or a cardiac massage given a cardiac arrest, the value (W) of the blood flow (B) into the head of the patient affected by the heart malfunctioning is used in order on the one hand to determine the necessity for activating the reanimation impulse (current shock/cardiac massage) and in order on the other hand to indicate whether the blood supply of the brain is sufficient. In order to be able to quickly lay the arrangement for measuring the blood flow onto the carotid artery, the measuring arrangement (10) consists of a multidude of individual flow measuring units (11, 11′) arranged next to one another.

Abstract: An implantable cardiac stimulation system operates in one of at least two modes, a normal mode and a reset mode, wherein the control parameters for the reset mode are programmable. In the event of an error in operation, the implantable system switches from the normal mode to the reset mode. The programmability of the parameter values of the reset mode allows a physician to customize the operation of the pacemaker in the reset mode to meet the particular therapeutic needs of a patient in the event of an error in operation. In a preferred embodiment, the parameter values for the normal mode of operation are stored in a volatile memory unit, whereas the parameter values for the reset mode of operation are stored in a non-volatile memory unit.

Abstract: A stent delivery assembly includes a catheter for carrying an intravascular stent for use in a body lumen. The catheter assembly includes a rapid exchange feature in which a proximal port is spaced a relatively short distance form the distal end of the catheter and a relatively long distance from the proximal end of the catheter. A stent is mounted on the expandable member or balloon portion of the catheter.

Abstract: A stent delivery assembly includes a catheter for carrying an intravascular stent for use in a body lumen. The catheter assembly includes a rapid exchange feature in which a proximal port is spaced a relatively short distance form the distal end of the catheter and a relatively long distance from the proximal end of the catheter. A stent is mounted on the expandable member or balloon portion of the catheter.

Abstract: The implantable device for long term monitoring of congestive heart failure employs a signal generator, such as within a pacemaker, to generate an electrical signal which is monitored to obtain a single or dual frequency measurement that can independently measure systemic venous and pulmonary (lung) impedance. The device is able to detect changes in resistance to a flow of current in the systemic venous system and changes in impedance to a flow of current through a lung to thereby indicate separate detection of systemic venous and pulmonary congestion.

Abstract: An implantable system for the defibrillation or cardioversion of the atria and the ventricles of a patient's heart comprises: a first catheter configured for positioning in the right ventricle of the heart; a second catheter configured for positioning through the coronary sinus ostium and in the coronary sinus of the heart, with the first and second catheters together carrying at least three defibrillation electrodes; a power supply; and a control circuit operatively associated with the power supply and the electrodes. The control circuit is configured for delivering an atrial defibrillation pulse through at least two of the electrodes, or a ventricular defibrillation pulse through at least two of the electrodes.

Abstract: Provided are exemplary devices and methods for electrically stimulating the phrenic nerve. In one embodiment, electrodes are placed posterior and anterior in the region of the cervical vertebrae. Electrical current having a multi-phasic waveform is periodically applied to the electrodes to stimulate the phrenic nerve, thereby causing the diaphragm to contract.

Abstract: A needle and catheter system, including components, is provided such that the position of an epidural needle may be identified after insertion into the body of a patient by electrically stimulating and thus locating a specific nerve. When a specific nerve is located, the catheter is inserted through the needle to a point slightly beyond the distal tip of the needle. The catheter tip may then be manipulated and the optimum position for the catheter tip determined by applying an electrical voltage through the helical wire to the proximal tip of the helical wire, this electrical stimulation being utilized in locating the specific location of the catheter tip within the nerve. Once optimum placement is achieved, the catheter is utilized for continuous administration of anaesthetic. A catheter adapter is utilized to allow easy access to the catheter and introduction of fluid into the nerve of the patient through the catheter tip.

Abstract: Heat transfer catheter apparatus and methods of making and using same are disclosed wherein a fluid connection is provided between the distal portions of two adjacent, thin-walled, high strength fluid lumens to define a closed loop fluid circulation system capable of controlled delivery of thermal energy to or withdrawal of thermal energy from remote internal body locations.

Abstract: Apparatus provides an output signal characteristic of the geometry of a confined volume. There is a conduit with an open first end for exchanging acoustical energy with the confined volume. An electroacoustical transducer is coupled to the conduit for launching acoustical energy into the conduit towards the opening in the confined volume producing an incident wave and a reflected wave to form a wave field representative of the geometry of the confined volume. In one embodiment, the acoustical energy is launched into a sidewall of the tube. At least first and second pressure-wave-sensing transducers are mounted along the length of the conduit in spaced relationship for providing first and second transduced signals representative of the wave field at spaced locations in the conduit. A processor processes the first and second transduced signals to provide an output signal characteristic of the geometry of the confined volume. In one embodiment, the processor provides high-pass filtering of the impulse response.

Abstract: A method for the detection of changes in dynamic properties of brain electrical activity is used to characterize and differentiate between physiological and pathological conditions, and to anticipate epileptic seizures. The detection of changes in dynamic properties of brain electrical activity is accomplished by constructing reference dynamics (Sref) of a normal state from an EEG, comparing the reference dynamics (Sref) with dynamics of a test segment (St), and computing the similarities over the entire EEG recordings by sliding the test segment (St) periodically.

Abstract: In connection with the treatment of cell-related abnormalities with therapies heretofore having unavoidable adverse side effects, using a known high frequency electromagnetic therapy used heretofore for blood-related abnormalities having no significant adverse side effects, with the unobvious result that as a substitute therapy for the cell-related abnormalities there are also no adverse side effects characteristic of the use thereof for blood-related abnormalities.

Abstract: A system and method for treating atrial fibrillation using atrial pacing pulses to convert an atrial fibrillation to non-fibrillation atrial arrhythmia prior to delivering a low energy cardioversion/defibrillation shock. The system and method treats atrial fibrillations by first applying a plurality of pacing pulses to the atria which converts the atrial fibrillation to non-fibrillation atrial arrhythmia. Ventricular intervals are concurrently sensed and analyzed while the plurality of electrical pacing pulses are being applied. Upon detecting a period of stable ventricular intervals, the system then proceeds to deliver a low-energy cardioverting/defibrillating pulse of electrical energy across the atria of the heart.

Abstract: Disclosed is a means and method for placing an implantable neurostimulator control module into a place in the cranium where cranial bone has been removed. The method for accomplishing this cranial implantation is by first removing a patient's hair over the site of the implant, then cutting the scalp at that site and pulling it back to expose the cranium. A neurosurgeon would then remove a portion of the cranial bone to accept a control module to be implanted within that hole. The control module would then be placed into that hole. It is also conceived that the control module would be fixed in place by the use of one or more attachment devices such as a multiplicity of bone screws placed through holes in one or more flanges that extend over the cranium beyond the control module. The implantation could also include a fairing placed around the control module to provide a smooth contour under the patient's scalp.

Abstract: A method is provided for immune corrective surgical removal of lymphoid tissues containing shed tumor antigen in an individual. A detector molecule, with binding specificity for shed tumor antigen, is administered to an individual, and detected in the individual is the presence of lymphoid tissue which contains shed tumor antigen, as detected by the signal emitted by the detector molecule bound to shed tumor antigen. The lymphoid tissue, detected as containing shed tumor antigen, may then be surgically removed, thereby removing B cells, shed tumor antigen, and follicular dendritic cells involved in a pro-tumor immune response that are contained in the removed lymphoid tissue.

Abstract: A pocket-sized disposable external defibrillator relies on the use on a thermal battery which using a pyrotechnic molten salt electrolyte which delivers an extremely high current for a short period of time thus providing a perfect energy source for a rare use of an external disposable defibrillator.

Abstract: An apparatus for contemporaneously treating a sequence of treatment sites in an internal organ and creating a viewable map of the treated sites includes a first catheter having a proximal end and a distal end for insertion through a body passage to tissue needing treatment. A needle assembly is attached to the distal end of the first catheter to permit injection of fluid into treatments sites of the tissue. A fluid injection assembly is connected to the proximal end of the first catheter and containing predetermined amounts of radiographic contrast agent and treatment agent for injection into the various treatment sites. A radiographic visualizing apparatus is aimed at the treatment sites, including a display screen for displaying the extent of migration of radiographic contrast agent around each treatment site after injection, so that a radiographic marking appears on the display screen for a predetermined amount of time after each injection, showing which treatment sites have been treated.

Abstract: A cardiac rhythm management system predicts when an arrhythmia will occur and in one embodiment invokes a therapy to prevent or reduce the consequences of the arrhythmia. A cardiac arrhythmia trigger/marker is detected from a patient, and based on the trigger/marker, the system estimates a probability of a cardiac arrhythmia occurring during a predetermined future time interval. The system provides a list of triggers/markers, for which detection values are recurrently obtained at various predetermined time intervals. Based on detection values and conditional probabilities associated with the triggers/markers, a probability estimate of a future arrhythmia is computed. An arrhythmia prevention therapy is selected and activated based on the probability estimate of the future arrhythmia.

Abstract: Medical electrical leads for sensing or electrical stimulation of body organs or tissues, particularly implantable cardiac leads for delivering pacing pulses and cardioversion/defibrillation shocks, and/or sensing the cardiac electrogram (EGM) or other physiologic data and their methods of fabrication are disclosed. A lead body sheath is co-extruded in a co-extrusion process using bio-compatible, electrically insulating, materials of differing durometers in differing axial sections thereof, resulting in a unitary lead body sheath having differing stiffness sections including axial segments or webs or lumen encircling rings or other structures in its cross-section. The lead body sheath is co-extruded to have an outer surface adapted to be exposed to the environment or to be enclosed within an outer sheath and to have a plurality of lead conductor lumens for receiving and enclosing a like plurality of lead conductors of the same or differing types.