Abstract: A system and method are provided for monitoring the condition of the skeletal system and adjusting a treatment device to provide appropriate treatment in response to the sensed signal. More particularly, in one aspect the present invention is directed to a sensor for detecting changes at a spinal level and a dynamic treatment system adjustable in response to the detected changes.

Abstract: Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient.

Abstract: A sensor for detecting changes in spinal tissue is disclosed. The implantable sensor or surgical instrument includes a sensing element adapted for detecting indicators of tissue health. The sensor is configured for transmitting the tissue data outside of the body. Further a system and method are provided to utilize the sensed tissue properties to treat the patient's condition.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for assessing tissue characteristics such as the dimensions and volume of an osteolytic lesion are disclosed. The apparatus may utilize ultrasound to provide visual and volumetric feedback related to a lesion or other tissue. Further the apparatus may be utilized to determine whether the lesion has been completely removed and filled with the appropriate amount of graft material.

Abstract: A medical effector system comprised of a bedside unit and a procedure unit. The bedside unit contains a series of connection points for receiving inputs from a series of patient monitors. The procedure unit contains a patient monitoring and medical effector program, and a drug delivery pump or magnetic flux generator capable of delivering therapeutic energy to a patient. The medical effector system contains the capability to issue and receive a request from a non-sedated patient, issue and receive a request from a sedated patient and then to calculate a time difference. The medical effector program operates the pump or magnetic flux generator based upon at least some of the patient outputs and program inputs including a calculated time difference. A removable umbilical cable connects the two units and allows the output of the patient monitors as well as other information to travel between the two units.

Abstract: Disclosed is an interface between a drug delivery cassette and a medical effector system. The cassette may be mounted to the medical effector system in such a way that a fluid tube located on the cassette is positioned adjacent to a pump located on the medical effector system. The medical effector system may purge the fluid line of air by activating the pump and forcing fluid through the fluid line until a sensor positioned to monitor the fluid line indicates that fluid and not air is present in the tube. To prevent air purging of the fluid tube when connected to the patient, the medical effector system prohibits air purging unless the drug delivery end portion of the fluid tube is in a designated storage site located on the cassette. This is accomplished with a position sensor at the storage site that monitors the position of the fluid tube.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for assessing tissue characteristics such as the dimensions and volume of an osteolytic lesion are disclosed. The apparatus may utilize ultrasound to provide visual and volumetric feedback related to a lesion or other tissue. Further the apparatus may be utilized to determine whether the lesion has been completely removed and filled with the appropriate amount of graft material.

Abstract: According to the invention, a finger-operated switch for activating and operating an ultrasonic surgical handpiece is provided. The power output of the surgical handpiece is responsive and proportional to the pressure applied to the finger-operated switch.

Abstract: In some examples, an electromechanical disassociation state (EMD) of a heart of a patient can be treated by delivering electrical stimulation to a tissue site to at least one of modulate afferent nerve activity or inhibit efferent nerve activity upon determining that the heart is in an electromechanical dissociation state, where the tissue site comprises at least one of a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site. The delivery of electrical stimulation may effectively treat the EMD state of the heart, e.g., by enabling effective mechanical contraction of the heart. In another example, an electromechanical disassociation state of a heart of a patient can be treated by determining autonomic nervous system activity associated with a detected EMD state of the heart of a patient, and delivering electrical stimulation therapy to the patient based on the determined autonomic nervous system activity of the patient associated with the EMD state.

Abstract: Neurostimulation to mitigate lung wetness is delivered to a patient based on a sensed parameter indicative of lung wetness. The neurostimulation is configured to at least one of increase parasympathetic activity or decrease sympathetic activity within the patient. In some examples, a patient response to the neurostimulation therapy may be detected to modify the neurostimulation therapy. The patient response may include, for example, changes in the contractility of a heart of the patient, changes in the heart rate, heart rate variability or blood pressure of the patient, changes in a bladder size of the patient, changes in bladder functional activity of the patient, changes in urine flow, changes in lung function, changes in lung composition, or changes in the nerve activity of the patient.

Abstract: An implantable medical device (IMD) may include at least two separate lead connection assemblies, each with electrical connectors for connecting implantable leads to the IMD. In some examples, a IMD may include a first therapy module configured to generate a first electrical stimulation therapy and a second therapy module configured to generate a second electrical stimulation therapy for delivery to the patient. The IMD may include a first lead connection assembly including a first electrical connector electrically coupled to the first therapy module and a second lead connection assembly including a second electrical connector electrically coupled to the second therapy module. In some examples, the first and second lead connection assemblies are distributed around the outer perimeter of the IMD housing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a drug-delivery cassette for use with a drug delivery device. The cassette includes a main board and a luer site base portion connected to the main board for positioning a luer on the main board. A drip chamber is included on the main board to collect any drug that exits the luer when the luer is attached to the luer site portion. A deflectable sensor beam is positioned to detect the presence or absence of a luer in the luer site base portion. The drug-delivery cassette further includes a drug vial spike attachable to and detachable from the cassette main board that is connected to the luer by way of a drug delivery tube.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical system utilizes a digital control system to generate ultrasonic drive current for transducers that are located in a hand piece and are attached to a surgical scalpel or blade in the hand piece so as to vibrate the blade in response to the current. The digital control includes a digital signal processor (DSP) or microprocessor; a direct digital synthesis (DDS) device; a phase detection logic scheme, a control algorithm for seeking and maintaining resonance frequency; and design scheme that allows to regulate current, voltage, and power delivered to an ultrasonic thereby a device. Such system allows the power versus load output curve to be tailored to a specific hand piece, which improves efficiency and reduces heat. Further, the components of the digital system are much less sensitive to temperature variations, thereby allowing it to operate with narrow as needed frequency range around the desired resonance in order to avoid excitation of other resonances.

Abstract: Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient.

Abstract: A medical device includes an implantable device having a processor, a pulse generator and a first lead having first and second ends. The first end of the lead is operably and conductively coupled to the implantable device. A first electrode is operably and conductively coupled to the second end of the first lead. The first electrode has a sharp tip for transmitting and focusing a stimulation signal from the pulse generator to a tissue site.

Abstract: A first implantable medical device (IMD) implanted within a patient may communicate with a second IMD implanted within the patient by encoding information in an electrical stimulation signal. The delivery of the electrical stimulation signal may provide therapeutic benefits to the patient. The second IMD may sense the electrical stimulation signal, which may be presented as an artifact in a sensed cardiac signal, and process the sensed signal to retrieve the encoded information. The second IMD may modify its operation based on the received therapy information. Crosstalk between the first and second IMDs may be reduced using various techniques described herein. For example, the first IMD may generate the electrical stimulation signal to include a spread spectrum energy distribution or a predetermined signal signature. The second IMD may effectively remove a least some of the signal artifact in a sensed cardiac signal based on the predetermined signal signature.

Abstract: Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient.

Abstract: A therapy or monitoring system may implement one or more techniques to mitigate interference between operation of a charging device that charges a first implantable medical device (IMD) implanted in a patient and a second IMD implanted in the patient. In some examples, the techniques may include modifying an operating parameter of the charging device in response to receiving an indication that a second IMD is implanted in the patient. The techniques also may include modifying an operating parameter of the second IMD in response to detecting the presence or operation of the charging device.

Abstract: Techniques for minimizing interference between first and second medical devices of a therapy system may include providing an outer housing for at least one of the medical devices that comprises an electrically insulative layer formed over at least the electrically conductive portions (e.g., an electrically conductive layer) of the housing, or providing an electrically insulative pouch around an electrically conductive housing of at least the first medical device. The electrically insulative layer or electrically insulative pouch may reduce or even eliminate shunt-current that flows into the medical device via the housing. The shunt-current may be generated by the delivery of electrical stimulation by the second medical device. In some examples, the techniques may also include shunt-current mitigation circuitry that helps minimize or even eliminate shunt-current that feeds into the first medical device via one or more electrodes electrically connected to the first medical device.

Abstract: A lead connection assembly of an implantable medical device (IMD) may include at least two different types of electrical connectors. In some examples, the lead connection assembly may include first and second electrical connectors that have at least one of a different electrical contact arrangement, a different lead connection receptacle geometry or a different size than the first electrical connector. The first electrical connector may be electrically connected to a first therapy module that generates cardiac rhythm therapy that is delivered to a heart of a patient, and the second electrical connector may be electrically connected to a second therapy module that generates electrical stimulation that is delivered to a tissue site within the patient. The second electrical connector may be configured to be incompatible with a lead that delivers the cardiac rhythm therapy to the patient.