Abstract: An intraluminal microneurography probe has a probe body configured to be introduced into an artery near an organ of a body without preventing the flow of blood through the artery. An expandable sense electrode and an expandable stimulation electrode are fixed to the probe body at one end of each electrode such that movement of the other end toward the fixed end causes the sense electrode to expand from the probe body toward a wall of the artery. A ground electrode is configured to couple to the body, and a plurality of electrical connections are operable to electrically couple the electrodes to electrical circuitry. The sense electrode is operable to measure sympathetic nerve activity in response to excitation of the stimulation electrode. A radio frequency ablation element is located between the expandable sense electrode and expandable stimulation electrode, and is operable to ablate nerves proximate to the artery.

Abstract: An intraluminal microneurography probe has a probe body configured to be introduced into an artery near an organ of a body without preventing the flow of blood through the artery. An expandable sense electrode and an expandable stimulation electrode are fixed to the probe body at one end of each electrode such that movement of the other end toward the fixed end causes the sense electrode to expand from the probe body toward a wall of the artery. A ground electrode is configured to couple to the body, and a plurality of electrical connections are operable to electrically couple the electrodes to electrical circuitry. The sense electrode is operable to measure sympathetic nerve activity in response to excitation of the stimulation electrode. A radio frequency ablation element is located between the expandable sense electrode and expandable stimulation electrode, and is operable to ablate nerves proximate to the artery.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide interface to a patient's autonomic nerves via an interior lumen wall of a blood vessel. Systems can include a probe having at least one electrode for receiving electrical signals from the interior of the lumen wall. The system can include processing components for extracting the signals from noise within the patient's body. Systems can include stimulation electrodes for providing stimulation and eliciting action potentials within the patient and destructive processes for destroying nervous function. The effect of nerve destruction on the propagation of action potentials can be effectively used as a feedback mechanism for determining the amount of nervous function destruction in the patient.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide interface to a patient's autonomic nerves via an interior lumen wall of a blood vessel. Systems can include a probe having at least one electrode for receiving electrical signals from the interior of the lumen wall. The system can include processing components for extracting the signals from noise within the patient's body. Systems can include stimulation electrodes for providing stimulation and eliciting action potentials within the patient and destructive processes for destroying nervous function. The effect of nerve destruction on the propagation of action potentials can be effectively used as a feedback mechanism for determining the amount of nervous function destruction in the patient.

Abstract: Certain embodiments described herein relate to a system for use in analyzing neural activity of nerves surrounding a biological lumen. The system includes a probe body, electrodes, a stimulator, and an amplifier. The stimulator delivers electrical stimulation via a first pair of the electrodes, supported by the probe body, to test for an evoked neural response by nerves surrounding the biological lumen. The amplifier includes a pair of input terminals, an output terminal, and a ground reference terminal. A second pair of the electrodes is electrically coupled to the pair of input terminals of the amplifier, to thereby enable the amplifier to produce the sensed signal indicative of the evoked neural response. A remaining one of the electrodes, which is not included in the first and the second pairs of the electrodes, is electrically coupled to the ground reference terminal of the amplifier.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide interface to a patient's autonomic nerves via an interior lumen wall of a blood vessel. Systems can include a probe having at least one electrode for receiving electrical signals from the interior of the lumen wall. The system can include processing components for extracting the signals from noise within the patient's body. Systems can include stimulation electrodes for providing stimulation and eliciting action potentials within the patient and destructive processes for destroying nervous function. The effect of nerve destruction on the propagation of action potentials can be effectively used as a feedback mechanism for determining the amount of nervous function destruction in the patient.

Abstract: Methods and devices for treating patients such as patients who suffer from migraine headaches including attaching electrodes of an electrical stimulation device to the patient bilaterally at a first location overlying a trigeminal nerve and at a second location overlying a second nerve, and then delivering electrical series of stimulation pulses to the patient, the stimulation pulses having a duration of between about 1 and about 20 microseconds, wherein the electrical stimulation device comprises a stimulation unit and a plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: An intraluminal microneurography probe has a probe body configured to be introduced into an artery near an organ of a body without preventing the flow of blood through the artery. An expandable sense electrode and an expandable stimulation electrode are fixed to the probe body at one end of each electrode such that movement of the other end toward the fixed end causes the sense electrode to expand from the probe body toward a wall of the artery. A ground electrode is configured to couple to the body, and a plurality of electrical connections are operable to electrically couple the electrodes to electrical circuitry. The sense electrode is operable to measure sympathetic nerve activity in response to excitation of the stimulation electrode. A radio frequency ablation element is located between the expandable sense electrode and expandable stimulation electrode, and is operable to ablate nerves proximate to the artery.

Abstract: Methods and devices for treating patients such as patients who suffer from migraine headaches including attaching electrodes of an electrical stimulation device to the patient bilaterally at a first location overlying a trigeminal nerve and at a second location overlying a second nerve, and then delivering electrical series of stimulation pulses to the patient, the stimulation pulses having a duration of between about 1 and about 20 microseconds, wherein the electrical stimulation device comprises a stimulation unit and a plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide interface to a patient's autonomic nerves via an interior lumen wall of a blood vessel. Systems can include a probe having at least one electrode for receiving electrical signals from the interior of the lumen wall. The system can include processing components for extracting the signals from noise within the patient's body. Systems can include stimulation electrodes for providing stimulation and eliciting action potentials within the patient and destructive processes for destroying nervous function. The effect of nerve destruction on the propagation of action potentials can be effectively used as a feedback mechanism for determining the amount of nervous function destruction in the patient.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide interface to a patient's autonomic nerves via an interior lumen wall of a blood vessel. Systems can include a probe having at least one electrode for receiving electrical signals from the interior of the lumen wall. The system can include processing components for extracting the signals from noise within the patient's body. Systems can include stimulation electrodes for providing stimulation and eliciting action potentials within the patient and destructive processes for destroying nervous function. The effect of nerve destruction on the propagation of action potentials can be effectively used as a feedback mechanism for determining the amount of nervous function destruction in the patient.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide interface to a patient's autonomic nerves via an interior lumen wall of a blood vessel. Systems can include a probe having at least one electrode for receiving electrical signals from the interior of the lumen wall. The system can include processing components for extracting the signals from noise within the patient's body. Systems can include stimulation electrodes for providing stimulation and eliciting action potentials within the patient and destructive processes for destroying nervous function. The effect of nerve destruction on the propagation of action potentials can be effectively used as a feedback mechanism for determining the amount of nervous function destruction in the patient.

Abstract: A system and method for retrieving an implantable device includes a delivery catheter, a recapture section, and a sheath. The delivery catheter has a proximal end and a distal end. The recapture section is axially extendable from the distal end of the delivery catheter. The sheath has a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen sized to receive the delivery catheter. A portion of the lumen of the sheath is actuatable from an enlarged inside diameter to a reduced inside diameter to apply an inwardly directed force to the recapture section. The delivery catheter can be actuated with respect to the sheath to extend or retract the recapture section with respect to the delivery catheter.

Abstract: An electrical ear nerve stimulation earpiece apparatus includes an earpiece body configured to fit on or in the ear. A first electrode is coupled to a surface of the earpiece configured to stimulate a cranial nerve, and a second electrode is coupled to a surface of the earpiece configured to stimulate a spinal nerve. Circuitry coupled to or in the earpiece is operable to provide an electrical signal to at least the first and second electrodes to treat a disorder affecting the nervous system by stimulating the spinal nerve and the cranial nerve.

Abstract: An intraluminal microneurography probe has a probe body configured to be introduced into an artery near an organ of a body without preventing the flow of blood through the artery. An expandable sense electrode and an expandable stimulation electrode are fixed to the probe body at one end of each electrode such that movement of the other end toward the fixed end causes the sense electrode to expand from the probe body toward a wall of the artery. A ground electrode is configured to couple to the body, and a plurality of electrical connections are operable to electrically couple the electrodes to electrical circuitry. The sense electrode is operable to measure sympathetic nerve activity in response to excitation of the stimulation electrode. A radio frequency ablation element is located between the expandable sense electrode and expandable stimulation electrode, and is operable to ablate nerves proximate to the artery.

Abstract: An intraluminal microneurography probe has a probe body that is configured to be introduced into an artery near an organ of a body without preventing the flow of blood through the artery. An expandable sense electrode and an expandable stimulation electrode are fixed to the probe body at one end of each electrode such that movement of the other end toward the fixed end causes the sense electrode to expand from the probe body toward a wall of the artery. A ground electrode is configured to couple to the body, and a plurality of electrical connections are operable to electrically couple the electrodes to electrical circuitry. The sense electrode is operable to measure sympathetic nerve activity in response to excitation of the stimulation electrode. An ablation element is located between the expandable sense electrode and expandable stimulation electrode, and is operable to ablate nerves proximate to the artery.

Abstract: As described herein a CRT delivers high energy pulses via a durable fine wire lead formed of a glass, silica, sapphire or crystalline quartz fiber core with a metal coating. A unipolar electrical conductor can have an outer diameter of about 150 microns or even smaller. The buffered fibers support conduction of high intensity electrical pulses as required for internal or external defibrillators, or other biomedical applications, as well as non-medical applications. Defibrillation pulses can be transmitted through less cross-sectional area of metal in the subject fine wire conductor than would be the case with conventional solid core metal wires. Multiple such coated fibers can act as a single conductor. An outer protective sheath of a flexible polymer material can be included.

Abstract: A small diameter, shielded, fine wire glass fiber conductor which is capable of transmitting optical and electrical signals in environments with electromagnetic interference or radio frequency interferences. The conductor includes a fiber core, a first insulation layer, a conductive layer, a second insulation layer, a shielding layer, and an outer coating. Applications include use in aerospace, automotive, and other vehicles as well as potential use in electrostimulation devices, such as pacemaker leads, vascular guidewires and other medical applications.

Abstract: Method and systems for ablating nerves including measurement of physiological parameters and/or electrical conduction. The method may include ablating nerves within an artery of a patient such as the renal artery and may include advancing a catheter into the artery, measuring a physiological parameter, emitting an electrical pulse into a wall of the artery, measuring the physiological parameter during or after the step of emitting the electrical pulse, ablating the artery wall, then repeating the steps of measuring the physiological parameter, emitting an electrical pulse, and measuring the physiological parameter during or after the step of emitting the electrical pulse. The change in the physiological parameter caused by the electrical pulse before ablation may be compared to the change in the physiological parameter caused by the electrical pulse after ablation to determine the degree of nerve ablation achieved and whether or not to perform further ablation.

Abstract: Durable fine wire electrical conductors are robust, durable, small in profile, and light weight, yet capable of operating under extreme environmental conditions. Formed of a glass, silica, sapphire or crystalline quartz fiber core with a metal coating and one or more polymer layers, a unipolar electrical conductor can have an outer diameter as small as about 300 microns or even smaller. The metal buffer coating may be deposited directly on the glass/silica fiber, or upon an intermediate layer between the glass/silica fiber and metal, consisting of carbon and/or polymer. The resulting metallized glass/silica fibers are extremely durable, can be bent through small radii and will not fatigue even from millions of iterations of flexing. Bipolar electrical conductors can include several insulated metallized glass/silica fibers residing side by side, or can be coaxial with two or more insulated metal conductive paths. An outer protective sheath of a flexible polymer material can be included.