Abstract: Medical devices coupled to a sensor, and systems including such devices, can generate data and analysis based on that data, which may be used to identify and/or address problems associated with the implanted medical device, including incorrect placement of the device, unanticipated degradation of the device, and undesired movement of the device. Also provided are medical devices coupled to a sensor, and devices and methods to address problems that have been identified with an implanted medical device.

Abstract: A retractor for use in surgical operations comprises a pair of blade assemblies. In operation, the blade assemblies are initially in a closed position to assume a low profile, inserted into a relatively small incision, and stretched apart from each other, thereby stretching the skin about the incision to form an aperture longer than the incision. The retractor is adapted to rotate a first blade about a first axis and a second blade about a second axis. The retractor is adapted to move the pair of blade assemblies apart along a third axis. The retractor is adapted to pivot the first blade about a fourth axis and the second blade about a fifth axis. In some embodiments, a method of performing an operation, e.g. a spinal operation, on a patient using the disclosed retractor is provided.

Abstract: Described is a low voltage, pulsed electrical stimulation device for upregulating expression of klotho, a useful protein, by tissues. Also described are methods of enhancing expression of klotho in cells.

Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, systems and methods for inhibiting, reducing or eliminating motion sickness using a neuromodulation device configured to be worn on a subject's head and a controller configured to deliver therapeutic stimulation pulses for providing motion sickness therapy involve delivering, by the controller, a first series of stimulation pulses to first electrode(s) positioned on or near the subject's ear in a first tissue region to modulate peripheral activity, and delivering, by the controller, a second series of stimulation pulses to second electrode(s) positioned on or near the subject's ear in a second tissue region t to modulate one or more areas in the subject's brain stem.

Abstract: Systems and methods for remote therapy and patient monitoring are provided. A method comprises contacting an outer skin surface of a patient with a contact surface of a stimulator and transmitting an electrical impulse from the stimulator transcutaneously through the outer skin surface to a nerve within the patient. Data related to parameters of the electrical impulse applied to the nerve is stored and transmitted to a remote source. The data may include duration of treatment, amplitude of the electrical impulse, compliance with a prescribed therapy regimen or other relevant data related to the therapy. The method may further include collecting patient status data, such as symptoms of a medical condition (e.g., severity of a headache) before, during and/or after stimulation. The patient status data is correlated with the treatment data to monitor compliance and/or the effectiveness of the therapy.

Abstract: The present invention provides, inter alia, methods, apparatus, and systems useful for ameliorating impulse control disorders known to be extremely disabling and common to many neurological and psychiatric conditions using closed-loop (responsive) neuro stimulation.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for setting a therapeutic dose of a neuromodulator implanted into a patient. The therapeutic dose typically includes a therapeutic dose duration including a ramp-up time to reach a peak modulation voltage and a sustained peak modulation time during which the voltage is sustained at the peak modulation voltage. The methods and apparatuses may use a testing ramp to identify a peak modulation voltage that is patient-specific and provides a maximized therapeutic effect while remaining comfortably tolerable by the patient during the application of energy by the neuromodulator.

Abstract: A method of applying tumor treating fields to a torso of a subject's body, the method including: locating a first transducer at a first location of the subject's body, the first location being on the torso of the subject's body; locating a second transducer at a second location of the subject's body, the second location being below the torso of the subject's body; and inducing an electric field between at least part of the first transducer and at least part of the second transducer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to branched proximal connectors for high density neural interfaces and methods of microfabricating the branched proximal connectors. Particularly, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a branched connector that includes a main body having a base portion of a supporting structure and a plurality of conductive traces formed on the base portion, and a plurality of plugs extending from the main body. Each plug of the plurality of plugs include an end portion of the supporting structure comprised of the one or more layers of dielectric material, and a subset of conductive traces from the plurality of conductive traces. Each trace from the subset of conductive traces terminates at a bond pad exposed on a surface of the end portion of the supporting structure.

Abstract: A method of generating a treatment plan for treating a patient with radiotherapy, the method includes obtaining a plurality of sample plans, which are generated by use of a knowledge base comprising historical treatment plans and patient data. The method also includes performing a multi-criteria optimization based on the plurality of sample plans to construct a Pareto frontier, where the plurality of sample plans are evaluated with at least two objectives measuring qualities of the plurality of sample plans such that treatment plans on the constructed Pareto frontier are Pareto optimal with respect to the objectives. The method further includes identifying a treatment plan by use of the constructed Pareto frontier.

Abstract: An active implantable medical device including, once implanted, a module external to the patient and a module inside the patient, the external module and the internal module being intended to transfer energy and data from one to the other. Also, a method for transferring energy and data, the method being implemented by the active implantable medical device.

Abstract: A system and method to control the Na/K pumps for the treatment or prevention of muscle fatigue by applying a synchronization modulation electric field that is effective in synchronizing the Na/K pumps down to individual steps throughout the pumping cycle, thereby synthesizing one ATP for each pumping cycle. The generated ATP molecule compensates the ATP consumed in extrusion of 3 Na ions and pumping 2 K ions such that the net-consumption of ATP for the Na/K pumps controlled by the system and method of the present invention is significantly reduced, theoretically to zero, thereby providing an effective treatment for muscle fatigue.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and apparatuses for reducing or eliminating skin glands (e.g., sebaceous, eccrine and apocrine) with an electric treatment. These apparatuses and methods may produce electroporation of cells by applying treatment dose having an energy density sufficient to eliminate or reduce the size of a target gland. Also described herein are methods for treating and/or preventing a disorder of a skin gland. For example, described herein are methods of treating sebaceous hyperplasia.

Abstract: A peripheral nerve stimulator can be used to stimulate a peripheral nerve to treat essential tremor, Parkinson tremor, and other forms of tremor. The peripheral nerve stimulator can be either a noninvasive surface stimulator or an implanted stimulator. Stimulation can be electrical, mechanical, or chemical. Stimulation can be delivered using either an open loop system or a closed loop system with feedback.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for delivering neurostimulation therapies to patients for treating chronic heart failure. A neural fulcrum zone is identified and ongoing neurostimulation therapy is delivered within the neural fulcrum zone. The implanted stimulation device includes a physiological sensor for monitoring the patient's response to the neurostimulation therapy on an ambulatory basis over extended periods of time and a control system for adjusting stimulation parameters to maintain stimulation in the neural fulcrum zone based on detected changes in the physiological response to stimulation.

Abstract: A device for neurostimulation has a number N of electrodes. N is equal to or larger than 3. The device is configured to deliver via each electrode therapeutic electric phases of amplitudes I1, I2, . . . IN, with a frequency f and after each therapeutic electric phase a number of N?1 charge balancing electric phases. The charge balancing electric phases of the respective electrode each have a polarity that is opposite the polarity of the preceding therapeutic electric phase of the respective electrode. The device is configured to return for each electrode the current of each therapeutic electric phase in the other N?1 electrodes.

Abstract: A device for functional electrical stimulation, including a garment mountable on a user's body part, an assembly having a socket and an electrode in turn having electrode pads and a stimulator with a controlling mechanism for activating/deactivating stimulating electrical signals to be provided to at least some of the electrode pads. The garment defines a hollow area configured to receive the socket, the socket configured to house the stimulator. In use of the device, a first portion of the electrode is in contact with an inner surface of the garment, the electrode pads are in a fixed position with respect to the garment, and a second portion of the electrode is in contact with a surface of the socket for receiving the stimulating electrical signals delivered by the stimulator. A system may include the device and a sensor configured to be positioned on either user or in proximity thereto.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method for implanting an apparatus for treating sexual dysfunction in a female patient. The apparatus has a stimulation device for stimulating an erectile blood flow passageway to increase the amount of blood in the female erectile tissue and thereby obtaining engorgement with blood of the female erectile tissue by affecting said erectile blood flow passageway.

Abstract: Electromechanical transducer (1, 21, 28) having a layer structure comprising, in this order: a first layer (2) which has, in at least one plane, at least one outwardly insulated, structured, electrically conductive region (3) acting as an electrical shield, a second layer (6) serving as an adhesive layer, which is electrically conductive at least at certain points, a third layer (13, 22) comprising an electromechanical functional element, a fourth layer (15, 23) serving as an adhesive layer, which is electrically conductive at least at certain points, a fifth layer (17, 24), which has, in at least one plane, at least one outwardly insulated structured electrically conductive region (18) acting as an electrical shield. In addition, a method for manufacturing such an electromechanical transducer (1, 21, 28) is described.

Abstract: Implantable medical electrical leads having electrodes arranged such that a defibrillation coil electrode and a pace/sense electrode(s) are concurrently positioned substantially over the ventricle when implanted as described. The leads include an elongated lead body having a distal portion and a proximal end, a connector at the proximal end of the lead body, a defibrillation electrode located along the distal portion of the lead body, wherein the defibrillation electrode includes a first electrode segment and a second electrode segment proximal to the first electrode segment by a distance. The leads may include at least one pace/sense electrode, which in some instances, is located between the first defibrillation electrode segment and the second defibrillation electrode segment.

Abstract: Example methods and apparatuses are disclosed for providing tissue ablation through electrolysis, electroporation, or a combination thereof. A pulse that has an element of decay may be applied to a target for tissue ablation while the decay is modulated. In some examples, apparatus including a controller and switches may be used to modulate the decay and/or selectively apply the pulse to the target. The apparatus may further include resistors and/or other elements to modulate a magnitude of the pulse and/or a slope of a decay of the pulse.

Abstract: Disclosed and described here are an adapter for a neuromonitoring system for placement of an electrode in a subject and a method for confirming placement of an electrode on an appropriate nerve fiber of a dorsal root ganglion during a dorsal root ganglion stimulation procedure.

Abstract: Provided herein is a computing system for optimizing a waveform, in communication with an implantable pulse generator, and including a computing device including a memory device and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory device. The processor is configured to: retrieve historical waveform data associated with a plurality of waveforms used in therapeutic sessions for a plurality of patients, the historical waveform data including a plurality of waveform parameters; analyzing the historical waveform data to determine preferred waveform parameters; determining that a patient is starting a new therapeutic session using the patient therapeutic device; displaying each of the preferred waveform parameters; prompting the user to accept or modify the displayed waveform parameters; optimizing the waveform parameters for the therapeutic session; and transmitting the optimized waveform parameters to the patient therapeutic device to start the therapeutic session.

Abstract: A subcutaneously implantable device includes a housing and an anchoring mechanism attached to the housing that is configured to anchor the device to a muscle, a bone, and/or a first tissue. The device further includes a first prong with a proximal end attached to the housing and a distal end extending away from the housing that is configured to be positioned adjacent to a first blood vessel, and a first electrode on the distal end of the first prong that is configured to be positioned adjacent to the first blood vessel. Circuitry in the housing is in electrical communication with the first electrode that is configured to deliver electrical stimulation using the electrode to create an electric field around the blood vessel.

Abstract: A sensing device for detecting an artificially induced neuromuscular response within a limb of a subject includes a carrier material and a plurality of mechanical sensors. The carrier material is operative to be secured around a portion of the limb, and each of the plurality of mechanical sensors are coupled with the carrier material. Each mechanical sensor is positioned on the carrier material such that it is operative to monitor a mechanical response of a different muscle group of the limb. Each mechanical sensor then generates a respective mechanomyography output signal corresponding to the monitored mechanical response of its adjacent muscle group.

Abstract: This disclosure provides an apparatus or system for the modulation of neural activity in the cervical sympathetic chain (CSC) or superior cervical ganglion (SCG) or SCG post-ganglionic branch(es) and for the treatment of sleep apnoea, as well as methods for their use.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implantable medical devices and headers are described. In an example, an implantable medical device includes a device container including an electronic module within the device container. A modular header core includes a first core module including a first bore hole portion of a first bore hole, the first bore hole portion configured to couple a first electrical component with the electronic module. A second core module includes a second bore hole portion of a second bore hole different than the first bore hole, the second bore hole portion configured to couple a second electrical component with the electronic module. The first core module is detachably engaged with the second core module. A header shell is disposed around the modular header core and attached to the device container.

Abstract: Implantable medical electrical leads having electrodes arranged such that a defibrillation coil electrode and a pace/sense electrode(s) are concurrently positioned substantially over the ventricle when implanted as described. The leads include an elongated lead body having a distal portion and a proximal end, a connector at the proximal end of the lead body, a defibrillation electrode located along the distal portion of the lead body, wherein the defibrillation electrode includes a first electrode segment and a second electrode segment proximal to the first electrode segment by a distance. The leads may include at least one pace/sense electrode, which in some instances, is located between the first defibrillation electrode segment and the second defibrillation electrode segment.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a patient in a patient area having one or more detection zones, the system comprising one or more cameras, a user interface, and a computing system configured to receive a chronological series of frames from the one or more cameras, identify liquid candidates by comparing a current frame with a plurality of previous frames of the chronological series, determine locations of the liquid candidates, identify thermal signatures of the liquid candidates, determine types of liquids of the liquid candidates based on the locations and thermal signatures of the liquid candidates, and generate an alert with the user interface corresponding to the determined types of liquids.

Abstract: An extra-cardiovascular medical device is configured to select a capacitor configuration from a capacitor array and deliver a low voltage, pacing pulse by discharging the selected capacitor configuration across an extra-cardiovascular pacing electrode vector. In some examples, the medical device is configured to determine the capacitor configuration based on a measured impedance of the extra-cardiovascular pacing electrode vector.

Abstract: One example discloses a power application circuit, including: a first power application circuit, configured to receive an enable signal and a first voltage; wherein the first power application circuit is configured to output the first voltage at a first current after a first delay from when the enable signal is received; and a second power application circuit, configured to receive the enable signal and a second voltage; wherein the second power application circuit is configured to output the second voltage at a second current after a second delay from when the enable signal is received.

Abstract: An implantable electrical stimulation device including an implant sized and configured to be implanted subcutaneously, the implant being configured to rectify a received pulse train of ultrasound into a single electrical pulse configured to stimulate a tibial nerve of a patient.

Abstract: A medical device or system of medical devices can be configured to detect an indicator of a symptom in a patient; in response to detecting the indicator of the symptom in the patient, deliver to the patient a first stimulation therapy; and in response to determining that the indicator of the symptom has been present for more than a threshold amount of time after beginning to deliver the first stimulation therapy a second stimulation therapy different than the first stimulation therapy.

Abstract: A subcutaneously implantable device includes a housing and an anchoring mechanism attached to the housing that is configured to anchor the device to a muscle, a bone, and/or a first tissue. The device further includes a first prong with a proximal end attached to the housing and a distal end extending away from the housing that is configured to be positioned adjacent to a first blood vessel, and a first electrode on the distal end of the first prong that is configured to be positioned adjacent to the first blood vessel. Circuitry in the housing is in electrical communication with the first electrode that is configured to deliver electrical stimulation using the electrode to create an electric field around the blood vessel.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a hearing device comprising a magnetic induction coil, a magnetic induction control unit interconnected with the magnetic induction coil. The magnetic induction control unit and the magnetic induction coil being configured for wireless communication. The hearing device comprises a behind-the-ear housing module, the behind-the-ear housing module comprising a signal processor for processing received audio signals into a signal modified to compensate for a user's hearing impairment, a connecting module configured for providing the modified signal to an ear of the user, a coupling module interconnecting the behind-the-ear housing module and the connecting module. The magnetic induction control unit is provided in the behind-the-ear housing module, and the magnetic induction coil is provided in the coupling module.

Abstract: The invention relates to improvements in the technical field of external electromedical pulse generators. For this purpose, it is proposed in the case of an electromedical pulse generator that it has an electronics module and a control module separate therefrom, which can be used spatially separated from one another when the electromedical pulse generator is used.

Abstract: A bioelectric device includes multiple first reservoirs and multiple second reservoirs joined with a planar substrate. Selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs include a reducing agent, and first reservoir surfaces of selected ones of the multiple first reservoirs are proximate to a first substrate surface. Selected ones of the multiple second reservoirs include an oxidizing agent, and second reservoir surfaces of selected ones of the multiple second reservoirs are proximate to the first substrate surface.

Abstract: In some examples, a medical device is configured to deliver high dose electrical stimulation therapy to a patient by at least generating and delivering an electrical stimulation signal having a relatively high duty cycle, and a stimulation intensity less than a perception or paresthesia threshold intensity level for the patient. The pulses may each have a relatively low amplitude, but due at least in part to a relatively high number of pulses per unit of time, the electrical stimulation signal may be high enough to elicit a therapeutic response from the patient. In some examples, the plurality of pulses may have a duty cycle in a range of about 5% to about 50%. Following the generation and delivery of the plurality of pulses, one or more recharge pulses for the plurality of pulses may be delivered.

Abstract: Systems for disease treatment using electrical stimulation are disclosed. A representative method for treating a patient includes changing an activity, expression, or both activity and expression of a fast sodium channel, a glial cell, or both a fast sodium channel and a glial cell of the patient by applying to a target neural population of the patient an electrical therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.

Abstract: Systems and methods to are disclosed to determine a sleep disordered breathing parameter of a patient, including receiving respiration information of the patient and temperature information of the patient and to determine the sleep disordered breathing parameter of the patient using the received respiration information and temperature information of the patient.

Abstract: Various aspects of this disclosure relate to a prosthetic cover comprising an array of sensors, which transmit signals to an array of electrodes in a liner that fits over a residual limb of an amputee. Different interactions with the prosthetic cover cause different activation of the electrodes to transmit electrical current through different areas of the residual limb and modulate neurons differently within the residual limb.

Abstract: Methods of treating acute heart failure in a patient in need thereof. Methods include inserting a therapy delivery device into a pulmonary artery of the patient and applying a therapy signal to autonomic cardiopulmonary fibers surrounding the pulmonary artery. The therapy signal affects heart contractility more than heart rate. Specifically, the application of the therapy signal increases heart contractility and treats the acute heart failure in the patient. The therapy signal can include electrical or chemical modulation.

Abstract: A brain machine interface (BMI) to control a device is provided. The BMI has a neural decoder, which is a neural to kinematic mapping function with neural signals as input to the neural decoder and kinematics to control the device as output of the neural decoder. The neural decoder is based on a continuous-time multiplicative recurrent neural network, which has been trained as a neural to kinematic mapping function. An advantage of the invention is the robustness of the decoder to perturbations in the neural data; its performance degrades less—or not at all in some circumstances—in comparison to the current state decoders. These perturbations make the current use of BMI in a clinical setting extremely challenging. This invention helps to ameliorate this problem. The robustness of the neural decoder does not come at the cost of some performance, in fact an improvement in performance is observed.

Abstract: A wearable device directed to be worn by a user as piece of garment. The wearable device may allow the user to feel the sensations currently suffered by a character, such that a deeply immersive experience is experienced. The wearable device is a vest or a suit where a series of electrodes have been strategically placed in such a way that every single muscle covered by the suit can be stimulated electrically by means of pulses generated by a control unit. The electrodes are covered with a conductive gel layer allowing a quick and easy fix on the skin of the gamer, providing a higher electrical conductivity as well.

Abstract: An implantable medical device (IMD) includes one or more stimulation engines (SEs) and selectively connectable output switching circuitry for driving a plurality of output nodes associated with a respective plurality of electrodes of the IMD's lead system when implanted in a patient. The output switching circuitry may be configured to facilitate self-test mode (STM) functionality in the IMD (e.g., when it is in a hermetically sealed package) by using a dual mode switch in series with a stimulation engine selection switch with respect to each output node in the output switching circuitry under mode selection control.

Abstract: Tumors in portions of a subject's body that have a longitudinal axis (e.g., the torso, head, and arm) can be treated with TTFields by affixing first and second sets of electrodes at respective positions that are longitudinally prior to and subsequent to a target region. An AC voltage with a frequency of 100-500 kHz is applied between these sets of electrodes. This imposes an AC electric field with field lines that run through the target region longitudinally. The field strength is at least 1 V/cm in at least a portion of the target region. In some embodiments, this approach is combined with the application of AC electric fields through the target region in a lateral direction (e.g., front to back and/or side to side) in order to apply AC electric fields with different orientations to the target region.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for multiple bit error detection in scrub operations are described. A memory device may initiate a scrub operation on a set of rows of the memory device and determine whether to perform the scrub operation using a first error control mode associated with correcting single-bit errors or using a second error control mode associated with correcting single-bit errors and detecting multiple-bit errors. In a case that the memory device determines to perform the scrub operation using the second error control mode, the memory device may read data and first error control information from the set of rows and additional second error control information for a different partition of the memory device storing error control information. The memory device may then correct single-bit errors and detect multiple-bit errors based on the data, first error control information, and second error control information as part of the scrub operation.

Abstract: A method of using an electrode array to deliver tumor treating electric fields to a patient including the steps of: placing a plurality of electrode elements in optimized locations on the patient, each of the electrode elements being independently programmable, the optimized locations are optimized relative to a target area wherein at least one tumor is located; programming a control device with a frequency range, a firing configuration and a firing sequence for the plurality of electrode elements; and generating electrical signals in the frequency range, the electrical signals being directed to at least two of the plurality of electrode elements in a sequence determined by the firing sequence.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for treating one or more symptoms of central nervous system disorders in a patient, such as anxiety disorders, fibromyalgia, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and others. A method includes positioning a contact surface of a device in contact with an outer skin surface of patient and applying an electrical impulse transcutaneously from the device through the outer skin surface of the patient to a vagus nerve in the patient for about 90 seconds to about 3 minutes. The electrical impulse is sufficient to modify the vagus nerve such that the symptoms of the central nervous system disorder are reduced. For chronic treatment of such disorders, a stimulation protocol is provided that includes two or more doses administered per day for a period of time sufficient to relieve the symptoms.

Abstract: The present disclosure can provide a muscular stimulation apparatus and a system including the same, which apply a voltage through at least one electric stimulation pad that is in close contact with at least one body part of a user, and simultaneously or selectively adjusts a resistance applied to an anode (+) or a cathode (?) of at least one electrode connected to the electric stimulation pad.