Abstract: A spinal electrode for use in spinal cord stimulation having portions which are specifically provided for coupling the electrode to the adjacent spinal tissue so that displacement of the electrode cannot easily occur by normal bodily motion as is a failure mechanism of prior electrode designs. The distal end of the electrode which includes the electrical contacts also includes at least one laterally extending non-electrical portion. The extending portions are provided for receiving a suture or wire therethrough. The laterally extending portions may include a readily identifiable distinguishing feature, such as a color dye or a textural difference, so that it can be readily seen as a safe region through which a suture may be passed. Alternatively (or in addition), the laterally extending portions may include a through hole so that the tip of the electrode may be tied to the spinous process (or other spinal bone) by a wire.

Abstract: A diagnostic imaging system includes oppositely disposed radiation detectors (32, 34) configured to detect coincidence radiation events caused by a substance injected into a subject which generates positron emissions. A coincidence data processor (40) collects and processes the radiation detected by the detectors (32, 34) and a coincidence circuitry (44) matches and compares the detected events to determine coincidence. Coincidence data is generated and stored in a coincidence data memory (46). A collimated radiation detector (50) is disposed at an angle to the coincidence radiation detectors (32, 34) and is configured to detect single photon radiation traveling along a selected projection path determined by a collimator (52) mounted on a front face of the collimated radiation detector (50). A single photon data processor (60) generates collimated data (74) based on the radiation detected by the collimated radiation detector (50).

Abstract: A temporary cardiac pacing wire (TPW) includes an electrically conductive flexible wire having a bioabsorbable anchor near its distal end. The anchor includes a tubular section that surrounds the wire and a leg that extends from the tubular section at an acute angle to the wire. The bioabsorbable anchor causes minimal trauma to the heart when it is inserted with the TPW, but securely anchors the TPW in the heart. After the TPW is no longer needed, it can be removed, again with minimal trauma to the heart, leaving behind only the bioabsorbable anchor. The bioabsorbable anchor is suitable for use with both monopolar and bipolar TPWs.

Abstract: A method of stereotactic therapy. A frame including at least three markers that are imaged by a structural imaging modality such as CT or MRI, is rigidly secured to a patient and a structural image, of a target inside the patient including diseased tissue, and of a part of the frame including the markers, is acquired. A functional image, such as a SPECT image or a PET image, of the diseased tissue is acquired and registered with the structural image to produce a combined image. A stereotactic guide is rigidly attached to the frame and is used to guide an instrument such as a biopsy needle or a brachytherapy needle to the diseased tissue, with reference to the combined image.

Abstract: A description is given of a device and a method for reconstructing the three-dimensional structure of blood vessels or other structures. The method comprises the stages of: obtaining at least three images of the blood vessels to be reconstructed, each of said images showing reference points which permit the determination of a matrix (T) which describes the geometric projections associated with each image; identifying, by means of said three images, a starting point for the tracing of a center line of a blood vessel; tracking the center line of the blood vessel to an end point; determining the cross-sectional dimension of said blood vessel at a plurality of points of the center line; reconstructing the three-dimensional image of the blood vessel from said cross-sectional dimensions and said center line.

Abstract: A portable kidney dialysis system device is provided including a belt with a drain bag mounted thereon. A pump is also mounted on the belt and coupled between a user and the drain bag. The pump is adapted to pump fluid from the user to the drain bag upon the receipt of a drain signal. Further provided is a pressure switch for detecting when the drain bag is full. A control mechanism serves for transmitting the drain signal to the pump only when the means fails to detect that the drain bag is full.

Abstract: A system is described which has a battery, a device which is powered by the battery in an episodic manner, and a charge storage capacitor, the system having a device(s) attached to the charge storage capacitor which is capable of:g) reading the rate of charge storage orh) measuring both time and charge stored or added to the charge storage capacitor so that a rate of charge storage may be calculated.The use of this system allows for easy estimation of the estimated replacement time for the battery, particularly for a lithium battery in a pacing device.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for manipulating the nervous system of a subject by applying to the skin a pulsing external electric field which, although too weak to cause classical nerve stimulation, modulates the normal spontaneous spiking patterns of certain kinds of afferent nerves. For certain pulse frequencies the electric field stimulation can excite in the nervous system resonances with observable physiological consequences. Pulse variability is introduced for the purpose of thwarting habituation of the nervous system to the repetitive stimulation, or to alleviate the need for precise tuning to a resonance frequency, or to control pathological oscillatory neural activities such as tremors or seizures. Pulse generators with stochastic and deterministic pulse variability are disclosed, and the output of an effective generator of the latter type is characterized.

Abstract: In the field of medicine and medical engineering, in particular to methods and devices for diagnostics of the status of an alive organism basing on skin electrical conductivity, a method and device for monitoring galvanic skin reactions is usable in experimental and clinical medicine, as well as in psychophysiology, pedagogics and sports medicine. The device enables to eliminate interference caused by artifacts of a subject's movements as well as interference brought about by non-biological causes (various electrical noises and equipment drift). The method is featured by the fact that the shape of each pulse of the sequence of pulses is being analyzed in the phasic component frequency band. For this purpose monitored are the first and the second derivatives in time of the logarithm of skin electric conductivity. The value of the trend brought about by the tonic component is determined, and the value of the first derivative is adjusted through subtraction of the trend value from it.

Abstract: An electrical method and apparatus for stimulating cardiac cells causing contraction to force hemodynamic output during fibrillation, hemodynamically compromising tachycardia, or asystole. Forcing fields are applied to the heart to give cardiac output on an emergency basis until the arrhythmia ceases or other intervention takes place. The device is used as a stand alone external or internal device, or as a backup to an ICD, atrial defibrillator, or an anti-tachycardia pacemaker. The method and apparatus maintain some cardiac output and not necessarily defibrillation.

Abstract: A blood pump device which includes a blood pump having blood transport ports and cannulae connected to the ports. The blood pump device also includes a coating material covering the junction between the inner surfaces of the ports and cannulae. A method of producing a smooth coating. A blood pump device including a second portion having a stator mechanism and a rotor mechanism disposed adjacent to and driven by the stator mechanism. The second portion has a journal disposed about the rotor mechanism to provide support therewith. The second portion has an impeller disposed in the chamber and a seal member for sealing about a shaft of the impeller. The seal member is fixedly attached to the journal so that the seal member is supported by the journal. A mechanism for providing power to the blood pump so that blood can be pumped through a cannula.

Abstract: A software programmable device means such as a microprocessor discriminates between evoked response signals and post-pace polarization signals sensed by an implantable medical device. The polarity of the positive or negative change in voltage in respect of time (or dv/dt) of the waveform incident on the lead electrodes is monitored during a short period of time immediately following a paced event. It has been discovered that the post-pace polarization signal exhibits a relatively constant polarity during the capture detect window, and that the evoked response signal may cause the polarity of post-pace polarization signal to reverse during the capture detect window . The sign of the post-pace polarization polarity, either positive or negative, is determined by the design of the specific output circuitry. The evoked response signal may reverse the polarity of the sensed signal in either case, from positive to negative or from negative to positive, during the time window of interest.

Abstract: Provided herein is a non-invasive method of treating, controlling or preventing medical, psychiatric or neurological disorders, using transcutaneous electrical stimulation. The method employs a plurality of stimulation frequency parameters, ranging from a relatively high frequency, for example about 40,000 Hertz, to a relatively low frequency, for example about 250 Hertz, the entire plurality of frequency parameters being administered at each of a plurality of stimulation intensity levels. In particular, the method involves stimulating at a first highest frequency parameter and a first lowest intensity parameter, incrementally decreasing the stimulation frequency parameter a lowest frequency parameter, increasing the frequency parameter to the highest frequency parameter and increasing the intensity parameter to a next highest intensity parameter, and again stimulating through the plurality of frequency parameters from the highest frequency to the lowest frequency.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining the optimal electrical stimulation parameters for intracranial stimulation therapy before implantation of a device for electrical stimulation therapy for epilepsy. This method would be used during intracranial electrical stimulation and monitoring procedures which are currently used to identify an epileptic region and map regional brain function prior to resective surgery. This method is used to determine therapeutic stimulation parameters during an evaluation procedure that can be carried out prior to the implantation of a closed-loop electrical stimulation device that is responsive to the onset of an epileptic seizure.

Abstract: A defibrillator for applying bipolar or multipolar shock pulses includes an energy source, a sensor circuit for sensory intrinsic cardiac activity, a controller for applying pulses from said energy source and a protection circuit. The protection current monitors the current to the sensory circuit and limits the same to a predetermined level. The current is monitored during different phases of the pulses by appropriate limiter sections. Preferably the limiter sections are active semiconductor device which are energized all the time.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system includes an auxiliary processor that is connected to the imaging system by an open-standard, high-speed digital data channel. The system processor of the imaging system directs some processing tasks to the imaging system for execution in the conventional manner. Other processing tasks (often associated with computationally intensive applications) are automatically routed to the auxiliary processor for execution. The data channels between the system processor and the auxiliary processor allow high-speed exchange of live video information such that the identity of the processor performing a particular application is transparent to the user.

Abstract: A single pass lead system for defibrillating the heart is shown. Portion of the lead is relatively stiff and holds the lead in the SVC. This stiff section extends into the atrium where good contact with the electrodes on the lead are maintained by the lead stiffness. A very flexible distal portion carries defibrillation leads into the ventricle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a centrifugal pump comprising a pump head (1) and a drive (2) for delivering blood and other ?-sensitive fluids, such as cell-containing cleaning suspensions, for example, in blood-cleaning units, wherein the drive (2) has a drive rotor (64) with a rotor disk (8) which is provided with permanent magnets (7) which are assigned permanent magnets (33), fitted on the pump rotor (3), for the purpose of magnetic coupling, and are assigned in the drive to the magnetic coils (4) of a stator for the purpose of generating the rotary movement, and wherein the pump rotor axis (61) extends into the pump intake (11) and is magnetically centered in the pump intake (11).

Abstract: A method for in-vivo analysis of a biomedical sample characterized by contacting the sample with a chalcogenide glass fiber directly or through a crystal or other medium, with the chalcogenide fiber having input and output ends and light transmitted thereby with some of the light leaving the fiber to form evanescent field, which fiber transmits a signal in response to absorption of some of the light in the evanescent field by the sample, and processing the signal with a Fourier Transform IR Spectrometer to obtain a spectrum which indicates surface character of the sample without water masking the signal.

Abstract: A medical apparatus has an input unit with a number of input terminals to which at least one measuring and/or therapeutic elements is connectable and a display unit for displaying currently connected measuring and/or therapeutic elements. An imaging system produces an image of the cavity or the environment in which the measuring and/or therapeutic elements are situated, together with images of the measuring and/or therapeutic elements. A graphic indication of the currently connected measuring and/or therapeutic elements us superimposed on the image from the imaging system.