Abstract: A medical sensor is described. In an example, the medical sensor includes a nanoscale tapered waveguide attached to a substrate. The nanoscale tapered waveguide includes a nanoscale channel that receives fluid and an excitation light and that outputs a response light. The excitation light propagates through the fluid. A receiving channel of the nanoscale channel is configured as a waveguide that receives and guides the excitation to a linearly tapered channel of the nanoscale channel. The linearly tapered channel has three dimensional linear tapering that focuses the excitation light guided from the receiving channel into an optical response channel of the nanoscale channel. In turn, the optical response channel is configured as a waveguide that outputs a response light in response to the excitation light focused from the linearly tapered channel. The response light corresponds to a response of an analyte of the fluid present in the optical response channel.

Abstract: Thin parylene C membranes having smooth front sides and ultrathin regions (e.g., 0.01 ?m to 5 ?m thick) interspersed with thicker regions are disclosed. The back sides of the membranes can be rough compared with the smooth front sides. The membranes can be used in vitro to grow monolayers of cells in a laboratory or in vivo as surgically implantable growth layers, such as to replace the Bruch's membrane in the eye. The thin regions of parylene are semipermeable to allow for proteins in serum to pass through, and the thick regions give mechanical support for handling by a surgeon. The smooth front side allows for monolayer cell growth, and the rough back side helps prevents cells from attaching there.

Abstract: Fluid-filled accommodating intraocular lenses include components enabling the lens to effectively respond to the eye's natural accommodation process, thereby allowing the patient to visualize over a range of focal distances with minimal complications. Internal components may include, for example, a rigid member that alters optical power of the lens and/or a spanning member extending across the lens that affects the response to accommodative action and/or to filling, or overfilling, of the lens with an optical fluid. Various combinations of internal and external components may be implanted in distinct successive steps or during separate operations to minimize complications and incision size.

Abstract: In various embodiments, high-viscosity fluids are utilized to fill implantable reservoirs while filling accuracy is improved via elimination of dead space and/or utilization of pushing fluids to urge the high-viscosity fluid into the implantable reservoir.

Abstract: Neurostimulator devices and methods of using these devices are described. The neurostimulator devices can include a stimulation assembly connectable to a plurality of electrodes; one or more sensors; and at least one processor configured to modify at least one complex stimulation pattern.

Abstract: Thin parylene C membranes having smooth front sides and ultrathin regions (e.g., 0.01 ?m to 5 ?m thick) interspersed with thicker regions are disclosed. The back sides of the membranes can be rough compared with the smooth front sides. The membranes can be used in vitro to grow monolayers of cells in a laboratory or in vivo as surgically implantable growth layers, such as to replace the Bruch's membrane in the eye. The application further provides an implantable cage-like apparatus for culturing cells comprising the parylene membrane.

Abstract: Advances in filling apparatus, handheld tools, surgical techniques and intraoperative biometry for implanting and adjusting an accommodative liquid lens are disclosed. The lens may be attached to or retained within a handheld surgical tool, which can be fluidly connectable to a filling console to fill the lens with a liquid. In various embodiments, a filling console facilitates aspirating liquid out of the lens in order to ensure the absence of residual bubbles and filling of the lens with fluid during surgery, as well as during post-operative adjustments to the lens. Actuated by the surgeon, the filling console can aspirate fluid from the lens and inject fluid into the lens following insertion thereof.

Abstract: Coating porous material, such as PDMS, with parylene N, C, D, and AF-4 by vapor deposition polymerization is described in which a temperature of the porous material's surface being coated is heated to between 60° C. and 120° C., or 80° C. and 85° C., during deposition. The parylene forms nano roots within the porous material that connect with a conformal surface coating of parylene. In some embodiments, a watertight separation chamber in an integrated microfluidic liquid chromatography device is fabricated by heating tunnels in micro-fabricated PDMS and depositing parylene within the heated tunnels.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an intraocular lens features multiple compartments that, depending on the angular position of the lens, present different combinations of fluids to the central optical region of the lens to alter the refractive power of the lens.

Abstract: Implantable reservoir structures include an interior and/or exterior modifying element joined to the interior and/or exterior surface of the membrane defining the reservoir in order to alter one or more physical properties thereof. The physical properties can be mechanical (e.g., material strength, flexibility, shear modulus, Young's modulus, hardness, and/or ductility); optical (e.g., refraction, transparency, transmission spectrum, absorption spectrum, fluorescence spectrum, and/or color); and/or permeability to liquids generally or to a particular type of liquid, solute, or suspended material.

Abstract: An implantable medical device is described. In an example, the implantable medical device includes an electromechanical substrate and sensor, such as a pressure sensor, disposed on the substrate. At least a portion of the sensor is packaged via a liquid encapsulation. The packaging includes a shaped flexible outer membrane that surrounds at least the portion of the sensor. The packaging also includes a hydrophobic liquid disposed between at least the portion of the pressure sensor and the flexible outer membrane. The implantable medical device can be a part of a medical system used for monitoring medical conditions or performing medical operations based on the implantable medical device. Additionally, manufacturing methods are described for packaging the sensor in a liquid encapsulation.

Abstract: Embodiments of intraocular lenses described herein include features that enhance depth of focus and/or reduce chromatic aberration. These features may include different optical fluids, multiplexed or asymmetric lens arrangement, dispersive or diffusive elements, and others.

Abstract: An accommodating intraocular lens has a central chamber with an optical axis extending through a vision-correcting optical zone and a peripheral region at least partially surrounding the optical zone but not interfering with light passing therethrough. At least one peripheral chamber surrounds the central chamber at least partially and functions as a storage reservoir for optical fluid, receiving excess fluid when the central chamber is compressed. Within each peripheral chamber (if there is more than one), a shape-retention member resists collapse of the peripheral chamber in response to external force.

Abstract: The lens geometry and power of an intraocular lens is optimized to provide both distance and near vision correction for a patient. The optimization may be based on one or more measured accommodation-related parameters and one or more estimated accommodation-related parameters. An accommodative amplitude may be predicted based on the measured and estimated accommodation-related parameters, and the optimized the intraocular lens geometry and power established based thereon.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for diagnosing cancer, predicting a disease outcome or response to therapy in a patient sample. The method involves isolating a circulating tumor cell (CTC), for example, a viable CTC, from a sample using a parylene microfilter device comprising a membrane filter having or consisting of a parylene substrate, which has an array of holes with a predetermined shape and size; and detecting and quantifying telomerase activity in blood circulating tumor cells. The invention further provides methods of using cells live-captured in various applications.

Abstract: An implantable intraocular lens and methods of manufacturing them provide a target degree of optical accommodation. In various embodiments, the lens includes at least one internal optic, an outer shell for enclosing at least a portion of the internal optic, and a fluid at least partially filling the outer shell.

Abstract: An implantable electrode array assembly configured to apply electrical stimulation to the spinal cord. A substantially electrically nonconductive layer of the device has a first portion positionable alongside the spinal cord that includes a plurality of first openings. The layer has a second portion that includes a plurality of second openings. Electrodes and traces are positioned inside a peripheral portion of a body portion of the device and alongside the layer. At least one of the first openings is adjacent each of the electrodes to provide a pathway through which the electrode may provide electrical stimulation to the spinal cord. At least one of the second openings is adjacent each of the traces to provide a pathway through which the trace may receive electrical stimulation. At least one trace is connected to each electrode and configured to conduct electrical stimulation received by the trace(s) to the electrode.

Abstract: Described are devices including stimulation assemblies connectable to a plurality of electrodes. The plurality of electrodes can be configured to connect to a spinal cord at a location below a lesion of the spinal cord. The stimulation assembly can be configured to deliver stimulation to selected ones of the plurality of electrodes when the stimulation assembly is connected to the plurality of electrodes when located below the lesion of the spinal cord. Methods of using the devices are also described.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an implantable drug-delivery device features one or more rigid drug reservoirs from which therapeutic agents are administered and which are refilled from a flexible reservoir within the device.

Abstract: In various embodiments, implants including reservoirs, such as intraocular lenses, feature flexible membranes and valves integrated therewith, the valves having apertures that are normally closed.