Abstract: In a system and method for monitoring cardiac synchrony in a human heart, a first sensor is positioned at a first cardiac wall location of a heart that is subject to movements related to longitudinal valve plane movements along the longitudinal axis of the heart, and the first sensor measures said cardiac wall movements at the first cardiac wall location and emits a first sensor output signal corresponding thereto, a second sensor is positioned at a second cardiac wall location of the heart that is subject to movements related to longitudinal valve plane movements along the longitudinal axis of the heart, and the second sensor measures the cardiac wall movements at the second cardiac wall location and emits a second sensor output signal corresponding thereto.

Abstract: A device (10) for processing electrocardiogram signals and marker signals includes an input interface (30) for receiving electrocardiogram signals and marker signals detected by an implantable medical device; an analyzer unit (32) connected to the input interface (30) for processing the electrocardiogram signals and marker signals, and an output interface (34) connected to the analyzer unit (32) for output of data representing an analytical report to a playback unit. The analyzer unit (32) is designed to analyze electrocardiogram signals and marker signals in combination, such that the analyzer unit (32) detects relevant particular features on the basis of predefined criteria; assigns a priority to a detected particular feature; and generates an analytical report containing at least a listing of the detected particular features.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining variation over time of a medical parameter of a human being obtained from a sensed signal has a sensor implantable in the human being for sensing the signal. A comparator compares at least one characteristic property, derived from the sensed signal obtained for at least one predetermined first level of activity of the human being, with corresponding reference property of a sensed reference signal, obtained for a predetermined reference level of activity of the human being, for determining a relation between the characteristic property of the sensed signal and the reference property. A trend determining unit determines trends in the medical parameter by analyzing the relation between the characteristic property of the sensed signal obtained at different times and the reference property. A corresponding method also function an implant for heart failure diagnostics also function as described.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring a patient and graphically representing ST-segment deviations. A receiver acquires, from a plurality of leads, electrocardiogram (ECG) signals that each includes an ST-segment. A processor processes the ECG signals to determine baseline and current ST-segment deviations relative to an isoelectric value. A display module displays a graph that includes a first axis representing ST-segment deviation values and a second axis representing the plurality of leads. At each location along the second axis representing a respective lead, the graph displays a first set of graphic indicia representing the baseline ST-segment deviations and a second set of graphic indicia representing the current ST-segment deviations. In certain embodiments, the graphic indicia are represented by bar graphs. In other embodiments, the graphic indicia are represented by symbols that may be connected by line segments.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an implantable medical device that includes a storage circuit. The storage circuit includes a first stage circuit configured to receive an input signal and to invert and store information about a data bit received in the input signal, a second stage circuit coupled to the output of the first stage circuit to invert and store information about a data bit received from the first stage circuit, and an error circuit coupled to the output of the first stage circuit and an output of the second stage circuit. The error circuit generates an error indication when the storage circuit outputs match while the first stage circuit and the second stage circuit are in an inactive state.

Abstract: A lead system has an elongate body, an active fixation assembly movable relative to the elongate lead body, and a low variation friction member frictionally engaged with the active fixation assembly. In an option, the active fixation assembly undergoes greater torsional resistance as the active fixation assembly is moved in a direction to retract the lead.

Abstract: Methods of selective neuromodulation in a live mammalian subject, such as a human patient. The method comprises applying an electrical signal to a target site in the nervous system, such as the brain, where the electrical signal comprises a series of pulses. The pulses includes a waveform shape that is more energy-efficient as compared to a corresponding rectangular waveform. Non-limiting examples of such energy-efficient waveforms include linear increasing, linear decreasing, exponential increasing, exponential decreasing, and Gaussian waveforms. The parameters for the energy-efficient waveform are chosen to selectively activate neural tissue on the basis of axonal diameter.

Abstract: A distal section of an implantable medical electrical lead body includes a pair of pre-formed arcuate segments between which an approximately straight segment extends. The approximately straight segment includes a first portion extending distally from a first of the pair pre-formed arcuate segments, a second portion extending from the first portion, a third portion extending from the second to a second of the pair pre-formed arcuate segments. An electrode is coupled to the second portion of the approximately straight segment, and the adjacent first portion has a stiffness which is less than that of the first of the pair pre-formed arcuate segments and preferably less than the stiffness of the third portion, so that, when the distal section of the lead body is implanted, for example, within a cardiac vein, the lead buckles to bring the electrode into closer contact with surrounding tissue.

Abstract: The present invention includes methods and devices for treating hypotension, such as in cases of shock, including septic shock, anaphylactic shock and hypovolemia. The method includes the step of applying at least one electrical impulse to at least one selected region of a parasympathetic nervous system of the patient. The electrical impulse is sufficient to modulate one or more nerves of the parasympathetic nervous system to increase the ratio of blood pressure to heart rate and relieve the condition and/or extend the patient's life.

Abstract: A headpiece for a cochlear implant system includes a transcutaneous transmission coil that transfers power and/or data to an implantable device implanted under a user's skin. The headpiece includes a magnet for holding the transmission coil in close proximity to the receiver coil in the implanted device, which also contains a magnet, and provides the desired alignment between the coils so that inductive coupling may efficiently occur. The headpiece has a bottom surface for skin contact that includes a plurality of flexible bumps configured to distribute pressure over a large surface area while allowing blood flow throughout the area. This also provides friction contact with the skin to help secure the headpiece, reducing movement due to lateral loading, while reducing skin irritation and erosion.

Abstract: The restoration of melody perception is a key remaining challenge in cochlear implants. A novel sound coding strategy is proposed that converts an input audio signal into time-varying electrically stimulating pulse trains. A sound is first split into several frequency sub-bands with a fixed filter bank or a dynamic filter bank tracking harmonics in sounds. Each sub-band signal is coherently downward shifted to a low-frequency base band. These resulting coherent envelope signals have Hermitian symmetric frequency spectrums and are thus real-valued. A peak detector or high-rate sampler of half-wave rectified coherent envelope signals in each sub-band further converts the coherent envelopes into rate-varying, interleaved pulse trains. Acoustic simulations of cochlear implants using this new technique with normal hearing listeners, showed significant improvement in melody recognition over the most common conventional stimulation approach used in cochlear implants.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes delivering a pace using an electrode positioned on the lateral wall of the left ventricle of a heart, sensing the pace using an electrode positioned in the right ventricle of the heart, determining a left to right directional conduction time (TLR), delivering a pace using an electrode positioned in the right ventricle of the heart, sensing the pace using an electrode positioned on the lateral wall of the left ventricle of the heart, determining a right to left directional conduction time (TRL), calculating a site-to-site offset (VVATP) for multi-site anti-tachycardia pacing based on the left to right directional conduction time and the right to left directional conduction time and instructing an implantable device to deliver multi-site anti-tachycardia pacing using the site-to-site offset (VVATP). Other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating atrial fibrillation or atrial tachycardia comprises means for dynamically steering or selecting two or more current vector paths sequentially or simultaneously for defibrillation to change the transmembrane potential in the left and right atria sufficiently to halt AF or AT. The apparatus is useful to treat AF or AT in patients.

Abstract: Disclosed is a medical nebuliser including a container providing a sump area for a liquid drug. A rotor is located in the container, and an impacter ring encircles the rotor. The rotor is formed from two disc shaped components at least one of which is concave. The components have co-operating mating faces machined so that when they are clamped together, microscopic passageways are provided therebetween. There is a connection between the interior of the rotor and a sump to contain liquid to be nebulised. The impacter ring has an impacter face that is an inwardly facing frusto-conical surface to encourage the return of larger droplets to the sump. The frusto-conical surface has a number of ridges in the form of concentric or helical grooves over its length, whereby there is the ejection of liquid drug from within the perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotor, of uniform and controlled droplet size which impacts on the ridges on the impacter ring to reduce the droplet size of liquid drug.

Abstract: A tobacco filter is obtained by shaping a sheet material having a web structure and comprising (1) cellulose acetate or other cellulose ester short staple, and (2) a binder fiber selected from polysaccharides or their derivatives and biodegradable polymers, and having a binding property with respect to the short staple into a rod-form. The fiber (2) includes (2a) an esterified cellulose fiber, (2b) a cellulose fiber coated with a cellulose ester, (2c) a fibrillated cellulose ester fiber having a BET specific surface area of 0.5 to 4.5 m.sup.2 /g, and (2d) a cellulose fiber at least a part of its surface has been water-solubilized. The sheet material may further comprise a wood pulp or other beaten pulps.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for preventing contamination of a gas analyzer of respiratory gas exchange analyzing equipment due to a patient's saliva. The method involves determining a resistance value of the inspired respiratory gas flow in a sample line leading to the gas analyzer. This is determined by calculating the absolute pressure in the line at the gas analyzer. The pressure difference from atmospheric pressure is then divided by the sample flow rate to obtain a resistance value. A microprocessor in the equipment compares the calculated resistance of the flow with a previously stored reference threshold resistance. If the calculated resistance exceeds the predetermined threshold, the microprocessor sends a signal to a vacuum pump used to draw the respiratory gases through the gas analyzer. The vacuum pump is immediately shut down when the calculated resistance exceeds the predetermined resistance threshold and, hence, any saliva in the sample line is not drawn into the gas analyzer.