Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application inventions 10/06

20060241696 - Method of limiting hair loss and promoting hair growth: A method of treating baldness or promoting hair grown or limiting hair loss in which a scalp region is subjected to removal of at least the epidermal layer. The epidermal layer can be removed by a chemical skin removal, a laser skin removal procedure, a radiofrequency ablation, abrasion, jet peeling,...

20060241698 - Methods and implantable devices for inducing fibrillation by alternating constant current: The present invention is directed toward methods for inducing fibrillation in a patient using a controlled current AC signal applied via an implanted ICD. In some embodiments, the AC signal is applied as a series of alternating constant current pulses. Some embodiments make use of a specialized H-bridge circuit for...

20060241697 - System to provide neural markers for sensed neural activity: Various aspects of the present subject matter relate to a method and a device. In various embodiments of the method, a neural activity signal is sensed, a feature from the sensed neural activity signal is extracted, and a neural marker for the extracted feature is created. The neural marker includes...

20060241699 - Neural stimulation system to prevent simultaneous energy discharges: Various aspects of the present subject matter relate to a system. Various embodiments of the system comprise at least one port to connect to at least one lead with at least one electrode, at least one stimulator circuit and at least one controller. The at least one stimulator circuit is...

20060241700 - Level crossing detector for detecting noise, sinus rhythm and ventricular fibrillation in subcutaneous or body surface signals: A SubQ ICD that is entirely implantable subcutaneously with minimal surgical intrusion into the body of the patient and associated with subcutaneous leads provides distributed cardioversion-defibrillation sense and stimulation electrodes for delivery of cardioversion-defibrillation shock and pacing therapies across the heart when necessary. A level crossing detection system and process...

20060241701 - Remotely enabled pacemaker and implantable subcutaneous cardioverter/defibrillator system: Subcutaneous Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (SubQ ICDS) are disclosed that are entirely implantable subcutaneously with minimal surgical intrusion into the body of the patient and provide distributed cardioversion-defibrillation sense and stimulation electrodes for delivery of cardioversion-defibrillation shock and pacing therapies across the heart when necessary. The SubQ ICD is implemented with other...

20060241705 - Cardiac pacemaker: Endocardial or intravascular cardiac pacemaker having a sealed housing, in which a battery and a pacemaker controller connected to the battery, as well as at least one stimulation pulse generator, are situated, the housing being oblong and having a length of less than 70 mm and a cross-sectional area of...

20060241702 - Cardiac sensing and detection using subcutaneous ecg signals and heart sounds: A method and device for detecting cardiac signals that includes a first plurality of electrodes that senses cardiac signals and delivers therapy, and a second plurality of electrodes that senses the cardiac signals. A microprocessor detects a cardiac event in response to the sensing by the first plurality of electrodes,...

20060241704 - Method and apparatus for pacing during revascularization: Cardiac protection pacing is applied to prevent or reduce cardiac injury and/or occurrences of arrhythmia associated with an ischemic event including the occlusion of a blood vessel during a revascularization procedure. Pacing pulses are generated from a pacemaker and delivered through one or more pacing electrodes incorporated onto a percutaneous...

20060241703 - Method and system for treatment of mechanical cardiac asynchrony: A system and method for identifying patients with asynchronous ventricular contractions due to abnormal electro-mechanical coupling and computing optimal pacing parameters for restoring synchronous contractions is disclosed. Such patients may have normal intra-ventricular and inter-ventricular conduction and cannot be identified from intrinsic conduction data alone such as QRS width. Techniques...

20060241706 - Morphology-based optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy: A method and apparatus for delivering cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in which an evoked response electrogram is recorded during one or more cardiac cycles and used to aid in the selection of resynchronization pacing parameters and/or to monitor the effectiveness of resynchronization therapy. The morphology of an evoked response electrogram...

20060241708 - Multiple sensors for sleep apnea with probability indication for sleep diagnosis and means for automatic activation of alert or therapy: An apparatus and method for detecting respiratory disturbances based on multiple physiological parameters are provided. The method includes sensing one or more physiological signals, deriving from the sensed signals multiple physiological parameters that change during a respiratory disturbance, computing a probability that the respiratory disturbance is present using the multiple...

20060241707 - System and method for breaking reentry circuits by cooling cardiac tissue: Systems and methods to inhibit the conduction of certain spurious electrical impulses in the heart. Inhibition of spurious electrical impulses in the heart is accomplished by cooling one or more targeted portions of the heart. Optionally, inhibition of spurious electrical impulses may be accomplished by cooling of cardiac tissue in...

20060241709 - Ion imbalance detector: In general, the invention is directed to methods and devices for determining an ion concentration in the extracellular fluid of a patient. As examples, the ion may be one or more of potassium, sodium, chloride, or calcium. A system includes an electrode deployed in or near a tissue, such as...

20060241711 - Implantable cardiac device and method for reduced phrenic nerve stimulation: Methods and devices for reducing phrenic nerve stimulation of cardiac pacing systems involve delivering a pacing pulse to a ventricle of a heart. A transthoracic impedance signal is sensed, and a deviation in the signal resulting from the pacing pulse may be used to determine phrenic nerve stimulation. Methods may...

20060241710 - System and method for capture management: An implantable medical device (IMD) includes both evoked response and algorithmic based threshold testing methodologies. The leads used with the IMD are evaluated to determine whether they are high or low polarization. The evoked response methodology is only utilized if the leads are low polarization....

20060241712 - Method and apparatus for indication-based programming of cardiac rhythm management devices: A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system includes a programming device that determines parameters for programming an implantable medical device based on patient-specific information including indications for use of the implantable medical device. By executing an indication-based programming algorithm, the programming device substantially automates the process between the diagnosis of a...

20060241713 - Programmer having retractable antenna: The present invention is an apparatus and method for the automatic extension and retraction of an antenna for a pacemaker programmer. One embodiment of the apparatus includes an antenna in a shaft, a sensor, and a motor. The sensor detects the opening and closing of the display of the programmer...

20060241714 - Cardiac rhythm management system with user interface for threshold test: An implantable cardiac rhythm management system includes a user interface, such as an external programmer, for performing therapy energy threshold tests. The threshold tests allow the caregiver to determine the threshold energy at which paces capture the heart, i.e., cause a resulting contraction of the heart chamber to which the...

20060241715 - Electrode for a pulse generator and method therefor: An implantable medical device includes a pulse generator having a housing with an outer casing having internal circuitry therein and a lead connector portion. An external electrode is wrapped around at least a portion of the housing or flexibly formed around a portion of the housing. The external electrode is...

20060241716 - System and method for electrical stimulation of the intervertebral disc: In one embodiment, a method electrically stimulates an area in a spinal disc. The method comprises: implanting at least one steerable lead at a placement site for stimulating a spinal disc such that the lead is disposed exterior and immediately adjacent to and circumferentially along an annulus of the spinal...

20060241719 - Electrical stimulation of tissue for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes: Electrobiological stimulation is carried out transcranially by applying high frequency squarewave bursts exhibiting no d.c. term across the cranial region. Such stimulation is commenced employing ramp generators and positive and negative voltage converters which evolve the requisite baseform and burst frequencies having a voltage waveform which is square in nature....

20060241718 - Systems and methods for altering brain and body functions and for treating conditions and diseases of the same: The present invention relates to systems and methods for management of brain and body functions and sensory perception. For example, the present invention provides systems and methods of sensory substitution and sensory enhancement (augmentation) as well as motor control enhancement. The present invention also provides systems and methods of treating...

20060241717 - Treatment of movement disorders by extra dural motor cortex stimulation: System and methods for introducing one or more stimulating drugs and/or applying electrical stimulation to the cortex of the brain to treat movement disorders uses at least one implantable system control unit (SCU), specifically an implantable signal/pulse generator (IPG) or microstimulator with two or more electrodes in the case of...

20060241721 - Display graphics for use in stimulation therapies: Tissue stimulation systems, such as spinal cord stimulation systems, include a pulse generator to generate pulses at various amplitude, duration, and frequency through one or more electrodes. A visual depiction of both a pulse and an electrode configuration is thus provided herein. These depictions may be used in a stimulation...

20060241722 - Evaluating stimulation therapies and patient satisfaction: A tissue stimulation system is provided that evaluates and/or scores stimulation sets based on both patient feedback and frequency of use. Stimulation sets and any associated scores and/or usage may be stored in a retrievable database. Upon subsequent stimulation sessions, a patient may select stimulation sets that have a high...

20060241720 - Graphical representation of pain therapy: A graphical display for use in a stimulation session includes a human figure depiction and a depiction of the one or more implanted electrodes. The depictions aid in pain mapping and in programming effective electrode configurations to be supplied in a pain stimulation session. Pain maps, paresthesia maps, and/or stimulation...

20060241723 - Insertion device for an electrode array: A device, system and method for inserting a pre-curved electrode array (100) held in a substantially straight configuration by a straightening member (101) into a cochlea of a subject. As the electrode array (100) is inserted into the cochlea by the device, the straightening member (101) is held by the...

20060241724 - Implantable device including multiple communication antennas: An implantable device, such as an implantable medical device (IMD) includes at least two radio frequency (RF) antennas and may additionally include an RF communication circuit. The RF antennas are spatially diverse, are disposed adjacent a housing, and are each configured to receive RF signals transmitted to the IMD from...

20060241725 - Method and apparatus for simultaneously presenting cardiac and neural signals: A presentation device such as a display screen or a printer provides for simultaneous presentation of temporally aligned cardiac and neural signals. At least one cardiac signal in the form of a cardiac signal trace or cardiac event markers and at least one neural signal in the form of a...

20060241726 - Cosmetic or therapeutic methods and apparatus: A method of photorejuvenation, wrinkle removal, wound healing and/or pain reduction comprises irradiation with light of a wavelength substantially within the range of 610-680 nm, and preferably having a maximum intensity around 630 nm, or substantially within the range of 800-880 nm, and preferably having a maximum intensity around 830...

20060241727 - Apparatus and method for interstitial laser therapy of small breast cancers and adjunctive therapy: Apparatus and method for performing interstitial laser therapy and adjunctive therapy on a patient are revealed. The apparatus employs a combination of a mammography unit, an interstitial laser treatment device attached to the mammography unit and a treatment platform positioned relative to the mammography unit to enable the interstitial laser...

20060241728 - Control equipment for holding a laparoscopic probe: A control equipment is provided for precisely positioning the tip of a laparoscopic probe in a body cavity. The control equipment consists of, a housing adapted to be arcuately movable about a vertical axis; a post extending from said housing, an arm fitted in proximity to the apex of the...

20060241729 - Method of treating nail fungus onychomycosis: A method of treating nail fungus is disclosed. The method comprises the application of ultraviolet light to an affected nail. Such nail treatment is selected from a reaction, a sterilizing reaction....

20060241730 - Low voltage and high performance climate control pad for skin surface: A climate control pad includes a pad body having a climate treating surface and an air circulating circuit formed thereon for preserving a volume of air within the air circulating circuit in a circulating manner, and a heat generating element, which is a fiber heating wire, disposed in the air...

20060241732 - Catheter system for implanting an intravascular medical device: A catheter system and method are employed to implant components of a medical device inside an animal. The catheter system includes a plurality of coaxial catheters and sheaths between which electrically interconnected components of the medical device are releasably held. A guide wire is inserted to a desired location inside...

20060241731 - Chip level biostable interconnect for implantable medical devices: A lead is connected to an integrated circuit in an implantable medical device in a lead bonding region that includes a lead-receiving recessed region. At least a portion of a lead conductor is bonded in the lead-receiving recessed region, making an electrical and mechanical connection to the integrated circuit that...

20060241733 - Atrial pacing lead: A lead includes a lead body having an expandable section. A plurality of electrodes are disposed on the expandable section. The expandable section is adapted to expand against an inner surface of a heart so as to position at least one of the plurality of electrodes at or near an...

20060241734 - Medical electrical electrodes with conductive polymer: A medical electrical electrode includes an elongated conductive coil located over a lead body, and a conductive polymer material in contact with the lead body and located between individual coils of the elongated conductive coil. In certain embodiments, the conductive polymer is a polymer (e.g., silicone) implanted with a conductive...

20060241735 - Self-deploying vascular occlusion device: The present invention provides a cardiac vascular occlusion system which includes inner and outer guide catheters and an occluding member disposed on the inner catheter. The occluding member may be deployed from a compressed to an expanded position to limit retrograde blood flow in a body lumen. The occluding member...

20060241736 - Cardiac lead having self-expanding fixation features: The present invention provides a cardiac lead for placement in the vicinity of a patient's heart. The lead includes a self-expanding fixation mechanism, which in a retracted position, is contained within a cavity disposed at a distal end of the lead. In an expanded position, the fixation mechanism extends axially...

20060241737 - Fixation device for coronary venous lead: In one embodiment, the present invention provides a cardiac lead device including a fixation mechanism slidably attached to the lead such that when the fixation mechanism is expanded into contact with a body lumen, the lead may be moved relative to the fixation mechanism if desired. Such lead movement may...

20060241738 - Apparatus and method for making a spherical lesion: An electrode assembly for a bi-polar ablation system comprises a first electrode array including a plurality of first tines, each of the first tines, when in a deployed configuration, extending substantially radially away from a center of the first array and including a substantially straight central portion in combination with...

20060235471 - Biological chip: A biological chip provided for maintaining the health of a body cell through maintaining an original electrical signal expressed by the body cell, wherein the biological chip comprises a power source, a communication chip, and a biological carrier. The communication chip contains a correcting electrical signal, which is adapted for...

20060235475 - Implantable device using ultra-nanocrystalline diamond: An implantable biocompatible device, that may be either a sensor or stimulator, having electronic circuitry and electrodes formed on a substrate, is uniformly covered with a coating approximately one-micron thick of ultra-nanocrystalline diamond, hermetically sealing the electronic circuitry. Selected electrodes are either left uncovered during coating or uncovered by conventional...

20060235474 - Methods and apparatus for multi-vessel renal neuromodulation: Methods and apparatus are provided for multi-vessel neuromodulation, e.g., via a pulsed electric field. Such multi-vessel neuromodulation may effectuate irreversible electroporation or electrofusion, necrosis and/or inducement of apoptosis, alteration of gene expression, action potential attenuation or blockade, changes in cytokine up-regulation and other conditions in target neural fibers. In some...

20060235473 - Regulation of transforming growth factor-beta (tgf-beta) gene expression in living cells via the application of specific and selective electric and electromagnetic fields: Methods and devices are described for the regulation of Transforming Growth actor (TGF)-β1, β2, and/or β3 protein gene expression in bone cells and other tissues via the capacitive coupling or inductive coupling of specific and selective electric fields to the bone cells or other tissues, where the specific and selective...

20060235472 - Therapy programming guidance based on stored programming history: A programming device used to program delivery of therapy to a patient by a medical device, such as an implantable neurostimulator or pump, maintains or accesses a programming history for the patient. The programming history may take the form of a record of programs, e.g., combinations of therapy parameters, tested...

20060235476 - Method and apparatus for identifying oversensing using far-field intracardiac electrograms and marker channels: A method for identifying and classifying various types of oversensing in implantable medical devices (IMDs), such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), to assist a physician in choosing corrective action to reduce the likelihood of oversensing and inappropriate therapy delivery. Far-field electrogram (EGM) signals are analyzed to detect the occurrence of...

20060235477 - Adaptive resynchronization therapy system: A system including a learning module and an algorithmic module for learning a physiological aspect of a patient body and regulating the delivery of a physiological agent to the body. An embodiment of the invention is an adaptive CRT device performing biventricular pacing in which the AV delay and VV...

20060235479 - Monophasic waveform for anti-bradycardia pacing for a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator: A power supply for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for subcutaneous positioning between the third rib and the twelfth rib and using a lead system that does not directly contact a patient's heart or reside in the intrathoracic blood vessels and for providing anti-bradycardia pacing energy to the heart, comprising a capacitor...

20060235478 - Optimization of av intervals in single ventricle fusion pacing through electrogram morphology: The present invention thus provides a simple and automatic method for determining an optimal AV interval and/or range of AV intervals for, in an exemplary embodiment, LV-only pacing. Such a method provides significant advantages for patients while reducing burdens related to post-implant follow-up by clinicians in that it greatly reduces...

20060235480 - Method and apparatus for automatically programming crt devices: External or internal monitoring equipment is used to automatically determine optimal programming parameters for a CRT based on externally or internally derived measurements of cardiac performance, anisotropic myocardial deformation (AMD) or both. The ideal programming parameter, operational parameter, represents optimal interval timing between multiple electrodes within the CRT, and is...

20060235481 - Selective resynchronization therapy optimization based on user preference: A method and system for calculating an atrio-ventricular delay interval based upon an inter-atrial delay exhibited by a patient's heart. The aforementioned atrio-ventricular delay interval may optimize the stroke volume exhibited by a patient's heart. The aforementioned atrio-ventricular delay interval may be blended with another atrio-ventricular delay interval that may...

20060235482 - Controlled penile prosthesis: A male sexual impotence prosthesis apparatus comprises an operable prosthesis implanted in the cavities of the corpora cavemosa of a patient's penile tissue for providing erect penile condition, when the prosthesis is operated. The prosthesis is operable by an implanted operation device. A control device is provided for controlling a...

20060235483 - Patterned visualization of electrophysiological data: A system and method for graphically depicting a desired region for a treatment instrument with respect to a patient is disclosed. In performing the method, different types of electrophysiological data of the patient are obtained. The different types of electrophysiological data are combined to provide a graphical depiction that indicates...

20060235484 - Stimulation of a stimulation site within the neck or head: Methods of applying a stimulus to a stimulation site within the neck or head of a patient include implanting a distal portion of one or more leads adjacent to the stimulation site, forming a loop with a proximal portion of the one or more leads, and securing the distal and...

20060235485 - Visual prosthesis including enhanced receiving and stimulating portion: A visual prosthesis including an enhanced receiving and stimulating portion for electrically stimulating retinal tissue to present an apparent image to a user. The prosthesis includes an extraocular camera which responds to a real image to generate a real image signal. The real image signal is coupled, e.g., RF coupling,...

20060235486 - Sound processor for a cochlear implant: The sound processor and method uses a model of basilar membrane motion to select stimuli, based upon the predicted motion which the acoustic signal presented would produce in an acoustically excited normally hearing cochlea. The filter; used, in contrast to single channel per electrode approaches, cover multiple channels and overlap...

20060235487 - Method and system for treatment of eating disorders by means of neuro-electrical coded signals: A method for treating eating disorders comprising the steps of generating at least one confounding gastrointestinal signal and at least one satiety or hunger signal that substantially corresponds to a neuro-electrical signal that is generated in a body and produces a gastrointestinal effect in the body, sensing food intake in...

20060235490 - Determining stimulation signals for neural stimulation: An embodiment of the present invention takes masking effects into consideration when determining stimulation signals for neural stimulation. These masking effects may be modeled using user-specific models determined by taking measurements for an implant system of an implant recipient. Or, the model may correspond to a group of individuals sharing...

20060235489 - Patient event marking in combination with physiological signals: Methods for receiving a patient mark in an implanted device. A patient may experience symptoms that indicative of a neurological event or are common precursors to more severe clinical symptoms. The patient may activate a patient activator. Activation of the patient activator can cause the patient activator to transmit the...

20060235488 - Systems and methods for rfid-based medical implant identification: Methods and systems for identifying medical implants. Data input is supplied by an operator including implant identification number, procedure date, and/or other patient record information. An RF module writes the data input to an RFID tag associated with and/or attached to the medical implant. Once the implant is set, but...

20060235491 - Apparatus for stimulating the physiological processes of living organism using light waves electromagnetic induction and thermal interaction: The apparatus includes a number of supports (1) with an identical height and optional shape. These are connected with the upper plane of the apparatus, this including a thinly woven material (2). The thinly woven material (2) is line from above with an insulating thermal material (3). The supports (1)...

20060235492 - Phototherapeutical apparatus and method for the treatment and prevention of diseases of body cavities: A phototherapeutical apparatus and method are described. The apparatus includes an ultraviolet light source, an optical guidance system, and a patient interface. The patient interface is insertable at least partially into a body cavity and is operable to apply the guided ultraviolet light to a tissue surface of a body...

20060235493 - Ophthalmic phototherapy device and associated treatment method: An ophthalmic phototherapy device (10) and associated phototherapy treatment method for promoting healing of damaged or diseased eye tissue. The ophthalmic phototherapy device (10) includes a light emitting mechanism (12) for transmitting light of at least one preselected wavelength to the eye tissue, whereby the light transmitted to the damaged...

20060235494 - Therapeutic devices and methods for applying therapy: According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are provided of therapeutic devices and methods for applying therapy. In one exemplary embodiment, a therapeutic device generally includes one or more light sources for emitting therapeutic light. In some embodiments, the therapeutic device can also include means for applying hot therapy and/or cold...

20060235496 - External heat exchange pad for patient: An intravenous heat exchange catheter and/or an external cooling pad/bladder can be used to maintain hypothermia in, e.g., a cardiac arrest patient, but to accelerate the cooling process the patient first can be infused with cold saline before the opportunity arises to connect the catheter or pad to the patient....

20060235495 - Long-acting flexible thermal compress: A long-acting flexible thermal compress includes an inner compound layer, an outer compound layer, and a thermal filling. The inner compound layer comprises a film layer laminated with a contact layer. The outer compound layer comprises a film layer laminated with a separation layer. The thermal filling is sealed in...

20060235498 - Body thermal regulation/measurement system: The present invention relates to a body thermal regulation system. The system includes a fluid-circulating garment having a plurality of fluid-impervious compartments where each compartment is in contact with a different part of a body. At least one heating/cooling unit is positioned to heat and/or cool fluid circulating to the...

20060235497 - Thermal exchange apparatus, particularly for the application of thermal treatments: Thermal exchange apparatus (1) comprising a primary circuit for circulating a primary thermal carrier fluid, said primary circuit being enclosed in a main body (2) and comprising at least one compressor, means for imposing a temperature change on said primary thermal carrier fluid, an expansion member for said primary thermal...

20060235499 - Coated lead fixation electrode: In one embodiment, the present invention provides a cardiac lead including a fixation member extending from a distal end of the lead. The fixation member includes a coated portion and an uncoated portion. The coating that forms the coated portion includes a biocompatible polymer material and a therapeutic agent. The...

20060235500 - Optic fibre device: An electrode array or assembly that enables a surgeon to visualise a region of the body and particularly the cochlea during or prior to implantation of the array or assembly into the body so that, where necessary, appropriate action can be taken by the surgeon in accordance with any complications...

20060229678 - Computer mouse with transcutaneous electro nerve stimulation capabilities: A computer mouse with transcutaneous electro nerve stimulation capabilities includes two major devices: a computer mouse device, and a transcutaneous electro nerve stimulator (T.E.N.S.), both of which use a common casing. A first conductive region and a second conductive region are disposed on the surface of the common casing, so...

20060229677 - Transvascular neural stimulation device: This document discusses, among other things, apparatus, systems, and methods for transvascularly stimulation of a nerve or nerve trunk. In an example, an apparatus is configured to transvascularly stimulate a nerve trunk through a blood vessel. The apparatus includes an expandable electrode that is chronically implantable in a blood vessel...

20060229680 - Defibrillator that monitors cpr treatment and adjusts protocol: An apparatus and method is provided for a defibrillator that specifies treatment protocols in terms of number of chest compressions instead of time intervals. The defibrillator includes a connection port that is configured to attach with a plurality of electrodes that are capable of delivery of a defibrillation shock and/or...

20060229679 - External defibrillator and a method of determining when to use the external defibrillator: In a method of operating an external defibrillator configured to provide a defibrillation shock to a patient, physiological data is gathered from the patient. Next, the physiological data is analyzed using a first algorithm to determine whether to initiate a shock. Then, if it is determined that a defibrillation shock...

20060229681 - Implantable system for the treatment of atrial fibrillation: Disclosed is a closed-loop system that utilizes an implanted responsive tissue stimulator connected electrically to sensing and stimulation electrodes that can detect a precursor of atrial fibrillation or the atrial fibrillation signal itself and then apply electrical stimulation onto some of the patient's tissue such that the atrial fibrillation episode...

20060229682 - Power supply for an implantable subcutaneous cardioverter-defibrillator: A power supply for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for subcutaneous positioning between the third rib and the twelfth rib and for providing cardioversion/defibrillation energy to the heart, the power supply comprising a capacitor subsystem for storing the cardioversion/defibrillation energy for delivery to the patient's heart; and a battery subsystem electrically coupled...

20060229684 - Heart stimulator with stimulation control dependent on perfusion blood flow: A heart stimulator for multi-site stimulation of the heart of a patient has a pulse generator and a measuring device for measuring a physiological cardiac parameter and delivering a corresponding output signal to a control unit for controlling time intervals between pulses delivered to different stimulation sites in the heart...

20060229683 - Method and system for magnetic shielding in semiconductor integrated circuit: A circuit with an inter-module radiation interference shielding mechanism is disclosed. The circuit includes a circuit module producing a radiation field. At least one radiation shielding module is situated between the circuit module and another module that is vulnerable to the interference of the radiation field. The shielding module is...

20060229685 - Method and apparatus for treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (gerd): GERD is treated through a method and apparatus of stimulating the body organ to accelerate a discharge of contents from the duodenum of the patient to thereby encourage discharge of contents from the stomach of the patient across the pyloric valve and into the duodenum....

20060229686 - Monopolar stimulation assembly including at least one remote electrode: An assembly for sensing physiologic signals and delivering monopolar stimulation therapy includes a pulse generator, a lead body that is coupled to the pulse generator and includes a first lead, at least one stimulating electrode coupled to the first lead and adapted to receive stimulating pulses from the pulse generator,...

20060229687 - Shifting between electrode combinations in electrical stimulation device: In general, the invention is directed to techniques for shifting between two electrode combinations. An amplitude of a first electrode combination is incrementally decreased while an amplitude of a second, or subsequent, electrode combination is concurrently incrementally increased. The stimulation pulses of the first and second electrode combinations are delivered...

20060229688 - Controlling stimulation parameters of implanted tissue stimulators: Systems and techniques for controlling the stimulation of tissue. In one aspect, an apparatus includes an implantable stimulation device to elicit a response in a tissue by delivering one or more stimuli. The stimulation device includes a stimulus delivery element to deliver the one or more stimuli to elicit the...

20060229689 - Led therapy device: One embodiment of the current LED therapy device comprises at least a left and right LED panel, each panel having a front surface and a back surface, the front surface of the left panel forming an angle relative to the front surface of the right panel of 70° to 170°....

20060229690 - Device that emits laser beams at automatically-changing pulse frequencies: An improved hand-held laser device that automatically changes the pulse frequency while the laser beam is being generated. The device comprises one or more laser energy sources and a frequency controller to change the pulse frequency of the emitted laser light. In certain embodiments, the frequency change is predictable and...

20060229691 - System and method of applying a therapeutic treatment: A system and method for applying a therapeutic treatment to occupants of an enclosure. The enclosure includes at least one treatment area configured to receive and support one or more occupants. One or more heating panels are provided on the at least one treatment area to generate radiant heat effecting...

20060229692 - Mind stimulator: A mind stimulator includes a head cooler, a supporting frame for adjustably supporting the head cooler above a user's head, and a cooling source, which is communicatively connected with the head cooler, adapted for transferring a cooling air through the head cooler around the user's head so as to substantially...

20060229693 - Medical electrical lead with co-radial multi-conductor coil: A multi-conductor medical electrical lead comprises a connector located at a proximal end of the lead, one or more electrodes located at a distal end of the lead and a co-radial multi-conductor coil connecting the connector with the electrode(s), wherein the coil has a lead body region with co-radially wound...

20060229694 - Substrate sensor: An implantable substrate sensor has electronic circuitry and electrodes formed on opposite sides of a substrate. A protective coating covers the substrate, effectively hermetically sealing the electronic circuitry under the coating. Exposed areas of the electrodes are selectively left uncovered by the protective coating, thereby allowing such electrodes to be...

20060224185 - Endogeneous alpha-msh treatment for stroke: Heating the hypothalamus, preferably by ultrasound, to cause the release of αMSH in the brain....

20060224187 - Apparatus and methods for detecting position and migration of neurostimulation leads: Apparatus and methods for detecting lead migration through the use of measured artifactual data about the tissue in the vicinity of the lead....

20060224188 - Method and apparatus for synchronizing neural stimulation to cardiac cycles: A neural stimulator senses a reference signal indicative of cardiac cycles each including a predetermined type timing reference event using a sensor external to the heart and blood vessels. The delivery of the neural stimulation pulses are synchronized to that timing reference event. Examples of the timing reference event include...

20060224189 - Method to record, store and broadcast specific brain waveforms to modulate body organ functioning: A method for collecting, recording, and broadcasting coded human or animal body waveforms. The method consists of placing a contact, which is designed to receive electrical signals, on a portion of the body. The electrical signal is converted into a readable format and is processed and stored in a computer....

20060224186 - System for characterizing chronic physiological data: An implantable medical device (IMD) senses physiological episodes and stores data associated with the physiological episodes in the IMD. The data is then processed based on a pattern of recurrence of the physiological episodes....

20060224192 - Electroporation devices: Improved devices and methods for performing electroporation-mediated delivery agents to cells is described. The method includes positioning a first electrode and a second electrode such that an electrical signal passed between the first electrode and the second electrode passes through the cell. The method also includes passing an electrical signal...

20060224190 - System and method for detecting heart failure and pulmonary edema based on ventricular end-diastolic pressure using an implantable medical device: Techniques are provided for detecting left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LV EDP) using a pressure sensor implanted within the heart of a patient and for detecting and evaluating heart failure and pulmonary edema based on LV EDP. Briefly, the peak of the R-wave of an intracardiac electrogram (IEGM) is used...

20060224191 - Systems and methods for monitoring a patient's neurological disease state: The present invention provides a system for providing neurological disease state information to a patient. The system comprises one or more sensors that sense at least one signal that comprise feature(s) that are indicative of a neurological disease state. A signal processing assembly is in communication with the one or...

20060224193 - Delivery of crt therapy during at/af termination: In some embodiments, a method for operating a cardiac rhythm management device may include one or more of the following steps: (a) sensing atrial depolarizations through an implanted atrial electrode, (b) administering a sequential CRT pacing therapy in a sequential CRT pacing mode to a left and right ventricle of...

20060224194 - Implantable cardioverter defibrillator with automatically adaptable sensing configuration: An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) automatically determines whether to use electrogram (EGM) signals sensed by a true bipolar electrode pair or those sensed by an integrated bipolar electrode pair. EGM signals from both the true bipolar pair and the integrated bipolar pair are simultaneously sensed and compared to determine which...

20060224195 - Method and apparatus to terminate ventricular tachycardia via pacing: An implantable device for terminating ventricular tachycardia is disclosed. The device includes a processor configured to determine a first antitachycardia pulse routine of N pulses. In the routine the first N−1 pulses are separated by a first cycle length and the Nth pulse is separated by a second cycle length...

20060224198 - Electrogram morphology-based crt optimization: A method and system are described for determining an optimum atrioventricular delay (AVD) interval and/or ventriculo-ventricular delay (VVD) intervals for delivering ventricular resynchronization pacing in an atrial tracking or atrial sequential pacing mode. Evoked response electrograms recorded at different AVD and VVD intervals are used to determine the extent of...

20060224197 - Method of optimizing mechanical heart rate during delivery of coupled or paired pacing: A method of operating a cardiac pacing device that optimizes the mechanical heart rate using coordinated potentiation therapy while maximizing the opportunity for intrinsic AV conduction to occur. The method may include adjusting the timing of extra stimulus intervals during coupled or paired pacing to promote AV conduction and to...

20060224196 - System and method for improving pacing parameters using acute hemodynamic feedback during device implant: The efficacy of cardiac resynchronization therapy applied to a patient's heart by an implantable device are improved by obtaining acute hemodynamic feedback during implantation of a pacing device. A first and a second transducer are temporarily placed proximate to a portion of the patient's heart during device implant, and a...

20060224200 - Implantable medical device including self-bootstrapped therapy pulse output circuit switches: An implantable medical device (IMD) includes one or more semiconductor switches and one or more switch driver circuits. The semiconductor switches, in response to one or more switch-on and switch-off commands that each have a voltage magnitude, switch between a conductive state and a non-conductive state, respectively, to thereby selectively...

20060224199 - System for waveform stimulation compensating electrode polarization: Upon delivery of a pacing pulse to a heart by an electrode of an implantable medical device (IMD), a deleterious pace polarization artifact is generally created at the electrode-tissue interface and subsequently stored by the electrode. Such polarization artifact is generally minimized through the use of passive recharge circuitry. Such...

20060224201 - System and method for using atrial pacing to enhance function of stunned atrial myocardium following conversion to normal sinus rhythm: An implantable medical device (IMD) includes a therapy circuit for delivering atrial pacing and a control circuit for detecting a return to sinus rhythm, determining the duration of atrial arrhythmia preceding the return to sinus rhythm, and controlling the therapy circuit to deliver transient atrial pacing based on the duration....

20060224202 - System to treat av-conducted ventricular tachyarrhythmia: Various aspects of the present subject matter provide devices and methods to treat AV-conducted ventricular tachyarrhythmia (AVCVT). According to various embodiments of the method, an AVCVT is sensed, an IVC-LA fat pad is stimulated when the AVCVT is sensed to block AV conduction, and bradycardia support pacing is provided while...

20060224203 - Method and apparatus for evaluating ventricular performance during isovolumic contraction: A method of evaluating ventricular performance of a heart employing sensors to measure a ventricular dimension signal and deriving indices of ventricular performance therefrom. Premature Shortening (PS) and Isovolumic Lengthening (IL) comprise two indices of ventricular performance determined from analysis of the left ventricular dimension signal during the transition from...

20060224204 - System and method for controlling implantable medical device parameters in response to atrial pressure attributes: In an implantable medical device disclosed herein, a real-time left atrial pressure (“LAP”) signal obtained from a patient's heart is used as a feedback control mechanism to adjust one or more device parameters. In accordance with one example embodiment of the invention, the device identifies specific characteristics and attributes of...

20060224205 - System and method for remote pacing threshold assessment: A cardiac rhythm management system includes an implantable medical device capable of delivering cardiac therapy and sensing an EGM. The implantable medical device undergoes threshold testing and transmits testing data to a computer via a remote monitor....

20060224208 - Medical electronics electrical implantable medical devices: An implantable medical device includes an impulse generator having a header and a contact assembly which includes at least one molded plastic housing having two halves joined together with the halves defining a bore therethrough. A canted coil spring is disposed within the housing halves along a bore circumference and...

20060224206 - Optional telemetry antenna for implantable medical devices: An implantable medical device (“IMD”) configured in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention generally includes a housing, a connector header block coupled to the housing, and an optional telemetry antenna coupled to the header block. The optional antenna assembly is suitably configured to support the intended IMD application...

20060224207 - Optional telemetry antenna for implantable medical devices: An implantable medical device (“IMD”) configured in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention generally includes a housing, a connector header block coupled to the housing, and an optional telemetry antenna coupled to the header block. The optional antenna assembly is suitably configured to support the intended IMD application...

20060224209 - Method and system to control respiration by means of simulated neuro-electrical coded signals: A method to control respiration generally comprising generating and transmitting at least a first simulated neuro-electrical coded signal to the body that is recognizable by the respiratory system as a modulation signal....

20060224210 - Apparatus for diagnosing musclar pain and method of using same: Apparatus and method for diagnosing a source of muscular pain, wherein the apparatus includes a housing, an electrical signal generator mounted within the housing, and a pair of electrodes, one of which is mounted on one end of the housing and the other of which is mounted on an opposite...

20060224211 - Method of treating obstructive sleep apnea using electrical nerve stimulation: A method for treating a medical condition, such as obstructive sleep apnea, includes the step of stimulating a nerve, particularly the hypoglossal nerve, using at least one of the following techniques: (a) continuous low-level electrical stimulation; (b) electrical stimulation synchronized with a physical process, such as inspiration, without feedback from...

20060224212 - Neural electrode array: A neural electrode array includes an electrode support member, a conductor and at least one anchor structure. The electrode support member is substantially rigid and non-conductive and defines a plurality of spaced-apart holes passing therethrough. An electrically conductive contact is disposed adjacently to each hole. The conductor uniquely connects each...

20060224213 - Prioritization of communications from medical devices: Device data is generated at each medical device in a system including a plurality of medical devices. Priority information is dynamically assigned to the device data at each medical device based on the character of the device data. The device data and the priority information are transmitted from each medical...

20060224215 - Digital electromagnetic pulse generator: Method and apparatus are provided for therapeutic administration to body parts digitally generated electromagnetic fields with trapezoidal, square, triangular and sawtoothed and other complex temporal field waveforms that are microcontroller controlled for a range of amplitude, frequency, and dc offsets; the apparatus providing programmed sequences of radiation waveforms. Multiple electromagnetic...

20060224214 - Piezoelectrically stimulated article: Method and self-contained articles for applying to a surface of a human body an electrical potential generated by a piezoelectric element actuated by a motion of a human body....

20060224216 - System and method for controlling neurological disorders with spatially separated detection and therapy locations: A system and method for controlling epilepsy and other neurological disorders by providing electrical stimulation to a patient's brain in response to detected neurological conditions. An implantable device includes a stimulation subsystem coupled to a stimulation electrode to provide responsive electrical brain stimulation in response to an event detected via...

20060224217 - Phototherapy device: A phototherapy device includes a light source for emitting light of a suitable wavelength and a programmable controller connectable to the light source for controlling the power supplied to the light source. A programming key is associated with the programmable controller for programming the programmable controller to control the power...

20060224218 - Scanning treatment laser with sweep beam spot and universal carriage: This invention is a scanning laser device with a universal carriage that holds any type of optical element. The carriage rotates about an axis that is substantially co-axial to the incident laser beam, thereby causing the laser energy passing through the optical element to sweep through a 360° circle. The...

20060224219 - Method of using neural stimulation during nucleoplasty procedures: The present disclosure relates to methods of performing nucleoplasty including the step of providing an elongated thermal or electromagnetic probe having a proximal end, a distal end and having a guidable region adjacent the distal end thereof. The method further includes the steps of introducing the guidable region of the...

20060224220 - Device and method for treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease: A lower esophageal sphincter tightening device for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease which includes an insertion device, an energy source, and an energy transmitting device. The insertion device, by insertion through a body opening, positions the energy transmitting device in the proximity of the lower esophageal sphincter. The energy source generates...

20060224221 - Reflective heat patch: A heat patch and method for providing therapy to a body. The heat patch includes a reflective layer and a heat source that is attached to the reflective layer. The reflective layer reflects infrared energy emitted by the body back into the body while the heat source applies heat to...

20060224222 - Apparatus and methods for detecting migration of neurostimulation leads: Apparatus and methods for detecting lead migration through the use of measured artifactual data about the tissue in the vicinity of the lead....

20060224223 - Method and apparatus for monitoring disc pressure during heat treatment of an intervertebral disc: A probe system and method for treating an intervertebral disc of a patient are disclose. A probe has a cannula having an open end defined at a distal end and adapted to couple to a power source. A stylet fits into the cannula so that a distal end of the...

20060224225 - Implantable intravascular device for defibrillation and/or pacing: The present application describes an intravascular implantable pacing and/or defibrillation system. The described system includes a pulse generator that is implantable within a blood vessel and proportioned to blood flow through the blood vessel, and at least one lead attachable to the pulse generator. During implantation, the pulse generator is...

20060224224 - Trans-septal/trans-myocardial ventricular pacing lead: An medical electrical lead in embodiments of the teachings may include one or more of the following features: (a) a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end, (b) a conductor traversing from the proximal end to the distal end, (c) an electrode disposed at the distal end...