Abstract: A system and method are described for delivering an implantable medical device in a patient and through a catheter. The delivery catheter comprises telemetry means for communicatively coupling the implantable medical device with an external instrumentation during implantation.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying the location of a medical device within a patient's body may be used to localize the fossa ovalis for trans-septal procedures. The systems and methods measure light reflected by tissues encountered by an optical array. An optical array detects characteristic wavelengths of tissues that are different distances from the optical array. The reflectance of different wavelengths of light at different distances from an optical array may be used to identify the types of tissue encountered, including oxygenated blood in the left atrium as detected from the right atrium through the fossa ovalis.

Abstract: A method and device for delivering therapy that includes an electrode to sense cardiac signals and to deliver a therapy, a monitoring module detecting a cardiac event in response to the sensed cardiac signals using first detection criteria, a sensor emitting light and detecting emitted light scattered by a tissue volume adjacent the sensor to generate a corresponding detected light intensity output signal, a control module coupled to the sensor to control light emission of the sensor in response to delivering the therapy, and a controller coupled to the monitoring module, the therapy delivery module and the sensor, the controller configured to determine tissue oxygenation measurements in response to the output signal, determine a tissue oxygenation trend in response to the tissue oxygenation measurements, determine a recovery index in response to the determined tissue oxygenation trend, and control one or both of detecting a cardiac event by the monitoring module and delivery of therapy by the therapy deliver

Abstract: A medical device for sensing cardiac events that includes a plurality of light sources capable of emitting light at a plurality of wavelengths, and a detector to detect the emitted light. A processor determines a plurality of light measurements in response to the emitted light detected by the detector, updates, for each of the plurality of wavelengths, a first normalization coefficient and a second normalization coefficient in response to the detected emitted light, and adjusts the determined plurality of light measurements in response to the first normalization coefficient and the second normalization coefficient.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods for extension of longevity of implantable medical devices (IMDs) are provided. An apparatus includes a battery, a first communication component configured to provide a first communication type and to be powered by the battery, a second communication component configured to provide a second communication type, and a processor configured to switch on the first communication component or the second communication component to perform communication based, at least, on a defined condition being satisfied. In one embodiment, the first component is a radio frequency (RF) component and the second component is a component that requires less battery power than the RF component. The second component can include a component configured to perform communication based on inductive coupling or based on tissue conductance communication.

Abstract: A method and medical device for detecting signals that detects emitted light scattered by a volume of tissue delivered along a first pathway at a plurality of wavelengths to generate corresponding first detected light intensity output signals, detects emitted light scattered by the volume of tissue delivered along a second pathway different from the first pathway at a plurality of wavelengths to generate corresponding second detected light intensity output signals, determines whether a difference between the emitted light detected along the first pathway and the emitted light detected along the second pathway is greater than a predetermined threshold, and alters sensing by the device in response to the determining whether a difference is greater than the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method and medical device for detecting signals that detects emitted light scattered by a volume of tissue delivered along a first pathway and a second pathway different from the first pathway, detects emitted light scattered by a volume of tissue delivered along a third pathway and a fourth pathway different from the third pathway, determines a first uniformity corresponding to the emitted light detected along the first pathway and the second pathway, determines a second uniformity corresponding to the emitted light detected along third pathway and the fourth pathway, determines a total uniformity in response to the determined first uniformity and the determined second uniformity, and alters sensing by the device in response to the determined total uniformity.

Abstract: A method and device for delivering therapy that includes an electrode to sense cardiac signals and to deliver a therapy, a therapy delivery module coupled to the electrode to deliver a therapy via the electrode in response to the sensed cardiac signals, a sensor emitting light and detecting emitted light scattered by a tissue volume adjacent the optical sensor to generate a corresponding detected light intensity output signal, a control module coupled to the sensor to control light emission of the sensor in response to delivering the therapy, and a controller coupled to the therapy delivery module and the sensor, the controller configured to determine tissue oxygenation measurements in response to the output signal, determine a tissue oxygenation trend in response to the tissue oxygenation measurements, and determine whether the delivered therapy restored cardiac hemodynamic function in response to the determined tissue oxygenation trend.

Abstract: A method and medical device for detecting signals that detects emitted light scattered by a volume of tissue delivered along a first pathway at a plurality of wavelengths to generate corresponding first detected light intensity output signals, detects emitted light scattered by the volume of tissue delivered along a second pathway different from the first pathway at a plurality of wavelengths to generate corresponding second detected light intensity output signals, determines whether a difference between the emitted light detected along the first pathway and the emitted light detected along the second pathway is greater than a predetermined threshold, and alters sensing by the device in response to the determining whether a difference is greater than the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method and device for delivering therapy that includes an electrode to sense cardiac signals and to deliver a therapy, a therapy delivery module coupled to the electrode to deliver a therapy via the electrode in response to the sensed cardiac signals, a sensor emitting light and detecting emitted light scattered by a tissue volume adjacent the sensor to generate a corresponding detected light intensity output signal, a control module coupled to the sensor to control light emission of the sensor in response to delivering the therapy; and a controller coupled to the therapy delivery module and the sensor, the controller configured to determine a tissue oxygenation measurement in response to the output signal, and determine whether the delivered therapy was successful in restoring cardiac hemodynamic function in response to the tissue oxygenation measurement.

Abstract: A medical device system and associated method are used for monitoring a heart failure patient. A medical device for monitoring delivery of a therapy includes a sensor sensing an optical sensor signal corresponding to light attenuation by a volume of body tissue of a patient, a therapy delivery module to deliver a therapy, and a processor configured to compute a first tissue oxygenation measurement from the optical sensor signal prior to initiating delivery of the therapy, compute a second tissue oxygenation measurement from the optical sensor signal subsequent to initiating delivery of the therapy, compare the first and the second tissue oxygenation measurements, and determine whether the delivered therapy was successful in response to the first tissue oxygenation measurement and the second tissue oxygenation measurement.

Abstract: Implantable medical devices and methods include an optical sensor that includes at least two optical sensor portions. The light emitting devices of the optical sensor are distributed among the at least two optical sensor portions.

Abstract: A medical device system and associated method control the delivery of a therapy to a patient. The system includes an activity sensor and detects a change in activity level of the patient. The system further include an optical sensor to sense signal corresponding to tissue light attenuation. The system computes a tissue oxygenation measurement in response to detecting a change in activity level. A parameter controlling delivery of the therapy is adjusted in response to detecting the decreased tissue oxygenation.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to an implantable medical device having a communication dipole configured in accordance with the techniques described herein. In one example, the disclosure is directed to an implantable medical device comprising a housing that encloses at least a communication module, a first electrode of a communication dipole electrically coupled to the communication module and an electrically conductive fixation mechanism that is electrically coupled to a portion of the housing and wherein a portion of the fixation mechanism is configured to function as at least part of a second electrode of the communication dipole. The electrically conductive fixation mechanism includes a dielectric material that covers at least part of a surface of the fixation mechanism. The communication module is configured to transmit or receive a modulated signal between the first electrode and second electrode of the communication dipole.

Abstract: A first concentration of a chromophore corresponding to a measurement volume of an optical sensor is determined. A second concentration of the chromophore is obtained in the vicinity of the measurement volume corresponding to a change in at least one of a total concentration of the chromophore and a relative concentration of a first form of the chromophore to the total concentration of the chromophore in the measurement volume. Light remittance measurements including a first light wavelength and a second light wavelength are obtained corresponding to the first chromophore concentration and the second chromophore concentration. A coefficient for computing an index of a change in the chromophore concentration is computed using the difference between the first and second chromophore concentrations and the first and second light remittance measurements.

Abstract: A medical device for monitoring a patient condition includes a sensor capable of being advanced transvascularly to be positioned along a volume of tissue, the sensor including a first combination of a light source and a light detector to emit light into a volume of tissue and to detect light scattered by the volume of tissue and to generate a first output signal corresponding to an intensity of the detected light. A control module is coupled to the light source to control the light source to emit light at least four spaced-apart light wavelengths, and a monitoring module is coupled to the light detector to receive the output signal and compute a measure of tissue oxygenation using the light detector output signal.

Abstract: A medical device for monitoring of oxygen saturation includes an optical sensor adapted for positioning adjacent to a tissue volume. The optical sensor has a light emitting portion capable of emitting light at a plurality of wavelengths and a light detecting portion capable of generating an electrical output signal corresponding to light incident on the detecting portion. A control module coupled to the optical sensor controls the light emitted by the light emitting portion. A monitoring module receives the output signal from the light detecting portion and computes a volume-independent measure of oxygen saturation in the volume of tissue using the output signal.

Abstract: An optical sensor for a medical device includes a fixed lens spacing between emit and receive modules to achieve target sensor sensitivity, while varying other sensor parameters in order to increase signal amplitude without increasing power demand. An optical sensor connected to a housing of a medical device includes a circuit board, an opto-electronic component, a wall, a lens, and a ferrule. The circuit board is arranged within the housing. The opto-electronic component is mounted on a surface of the circuit board. The wall protrudes from the surface of the circuit board and surrounds the opto-electronic component. The lens is offset from the surface of the circuit board. The ferrule is connected to the housing, the lens and the wall. An inner surface of the wall mates with an outer surface of the ferrule.

Abstract: A reflectance-type optical sensor includes one or more photodiodes formed in a semiconductor substrate. A well having sidewalls and a bottom is formed in the top surface of the substrate, and a reflective layer is formed on the sidewalls and bottom. A light-emitting diode (LED) is mounted in the well, so that light emitted laterally and rearwardly from the LED strikes the sidewalls or bottom and is redirected in a direction generally perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate. The optical sensor can be fabricated using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication techniques.

Abstract: An optical sensor for a medical device includes a fixed lens spacing between emit and receive modules to achieve target sensor sensitivity, while varying other sensor parameters in order to increase signal amplitude without increasing power demand. The arrangement of an opto-electronic component within an optical sensor receive module is improved by masking the receive module lens with an opaque member to create a masked lens leading edge that is aligned with a leading edge of the opto-electronic component.