Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application inventions 10/08

20080262557 - Obesity management system: A system, apparatus and method for obesity management through remote monitoring and feedback are described. In one embodiment of the present invention, periodic measurements of parameters affecting the obesity of a user are transmitted to a server through a user interactive communication device. Based on the information of the user,... Agent: Health Hero Network, Inc.

20080262558 - Patient characteristic based adaptive anti-tachy pacing programming: A system including at least one implantable sensor circuit adapted to produce an electrical sensor signal related to one or more physiologic cardiovascular events of a subject, a therapy circuit configured to provide anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) therapy, and a controller. The controller includes a tachyarrhythmia detection circuit and an efficacy... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20080262559 - Method and apparatus for adjusting the sensing threshold of a cardiac rhythm management device: A method and apparatus for automatically adjusting the sensing threshold of cardiac rhythm management devices. The invention is particularly suited for implementation in devices such as implantable cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter/defibrillators. A method and apparatus are provided in which a noise level and signal level for a sensing channel... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080262560 - Method and apparatus for determining a replacement time of an electric battery: In a method and apparatus for determining the replacement time of an electric battery in an implantable medical device, the battery being a hybrid battery with a combination of at least two electrode materials, one of which having better properties for high current pulsing and the other of which being... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20080262561 - Programmer for cardiac implantable medical devices, having an accelerated test mode of the parameters: A programmer for cardiac implantable medical devices, including an accelerated test mode of the operating parameters. The programmer includes a user interface (10) that is used to define the tests to be performed on the implant and display the results thereof. These tests includes: ventricular and atrial sensing sensitivity, ventricular... Agent: Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLPIPProsecution Department

20080262562 - Energy harvester for an implant device: This invention relates to the use of an electromagnetic generator and a pressure bladder located within a biological body in such a position to take advantage of the pressure fluctuations found within that body to produce electrical power. The invention uses these pressure fluctuations to displace the moving parts of... Agent: Carstens & Cahoon, LLP

20080262563 - Implantable medical device: In an implantable medical device and a method for assembly thereof, a hermetically sealed housing encloses electronic circuitry and has a housing fastener part that is formed of metal and that protrudes from the housing. A per-fabricated header, for receiving conducting leads and for connecting the conducting leads to the... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20080262564 - Lead retention assembly: A lead retention assembly includes first, second and third retention members. The first retention member defines a first opening configured to receive a lead body. The second retention member is longitudinally spaced apart from the first retention member and defines a second opening configured to receive the lead body. The... Agent: Campbell Nelson Whipps, LLC

20080262565 - Integrated system and method for treating disease using cognitive-training and brain stimulation and computerized magnetic photo-electric stimulator (cmpes): An integrated system and method for treatment of various diseases, including psychiatric, mental and brain disorders, which preferably combines personalized non-invasive neuronal brain stimulation together with appropriate personalized cognitive training, and which iteratively fine-tunes this treatment by monitoring specific cognitive and brain functions in response to the treatment. A novel... Agent: Dr. Jonathan Bentwich Apt. 1a

20080262566 - Methods and systems of treating medication overuse headache: Methods and systems of treating a patient with medication overuse headache include providing a stimulator, configuring one or more stimulation parameters to treat medication overuse headache, programming the stimulator with the one or more stimulation parameters, generating a stimulus configured to treat the medication overuse headache with the stimulator in... Agent: Advantedge Law Group , LLC

20080262567 - Implanted energy source: Apparatus is described for use with (a) a muscle of a subject's body and (b) an implanted functional device in the subject's body. An electrode is coupled to the muscle. A stimulator causes the muscle to undergo movement by driving a current into the muscle, via the electrode. An energy... Agent: Hoffman, Wasson & Gitler, P.C.

20080262568 - Visual prosthesis: A visual prosthesis apparatus and a method for limiting power consumption in a visual prosthesis apparatus. The visual prosthesis apparatus comprises a camera for capturing a video image, a video processing unit associated with the camera, the video processing unit configured to convert the video image to stimulation patterns, and... Agent: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.

20080262569 - Visual prosthesis: A method for stimulating a subject's retina. The method comprising selecting at least a first and a second electrode each configured to apply current to a subject's retina, determining impedance for the at least first electrode and second electrode, and applying current to the subject's retina through the at least... Agent: Tomas Lendvai, Ph.d. Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.

20080262570 - Visual prosthesis: A retinal stimulation system. The retinal stimulation system comprises an electronics package; and at least a first and a second electrode, each associated with the electronics package and configured to apply current to a subject's retina; wherein current to be applied by the first electrode and the second electrode is... Agent: Tomas Lendvai, Ph.d. Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.

20080262571 - Visual prosthesis: A method to provide visual current feedback of a retinal stimulation system. The method comprising: providing a retinal stimulation system configured to stimulate neural tissue in a subject's eye, the retinal stimulation system comprising: an electronics package; and at least a first and a second electrode, each associated with the... Agent: Tomas Lendvai, Ph.d. Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.

20080262573 - Dynamic telemetry link selection for an implantable device: Communications with an implantable device are conducted using a physical telemetry link dynamically selected from multiple physical telemetry links based on selected criteria including, for example, bandwidth, security, data throughput, channel availability and reliability.... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080262572 - Therapeutic unit and therapeutic system supporting a follow-up examination: Therapeutic system with implantable therapeutic unit (ITU) comprising control unit (CU), memory, telemetry unit connected (in)directly to CU for wireless bidirectional transmission of data to/from external device (ED) and detection unit for detecting physiological patient data or operational data. CU triggers outgoing data transmission (DT) from ITU to ED based... Agent: Dalina Law Group, P.C.

20080262576 - Method, system, and apparatus for somatic treatment: Embodiments of somatic cell treatment are described generally herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.... Agent: Richman And Associates

20080262575 - Portable device: A portable electronic device comprises illuminating unit (300) configured to illuminate extrapupillarily the skin covering a user's eye cavity with optical radiation, thus resulting in diffuse propagation of optical radiation energy to an optically sensitive tissue of the user's eye, and adapting unit (500, 510, 520, 530, 550, 560) for... Agent: Young & Thompson

20080262574 - Use of low intensity light therapy for the treatment of various medical conditions: The invention relates to the use of low intensity light therapy for the treatment of various medical conditions, either alone, or in combination with a second procedure.... Agent: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP Floor 30, Suite 3000

20080262577 - Method and apparatus for treatment of solid material including hard tissue: An apparatus for treatment of dental tissue has a first laser source optically connected to a first channel and the same first laser source optically connected to a second channel. The second laser source is optically connected to the first channel. That second laser source is designed to be pumped... Agent: Houston Eliseeva

20080262578 - Electrodes using two-phase heat transfer and multi-variate algorithms for improved temperature monitoring and control: A tissue hyperthermia system and method improves temperature monitoring and control along an energy emitter such as an RF electrode. A two-phase heat transfer system includes a material within an enclosed vessel that is thermally coupled to the electrode. Energizing the electrode to an operating condition emits energy into tissue... Agent: John P. O'banion O'banion & Ritchey LLP

20080262579 - Exercise method and apparatus which provides therapeutic modalities and reflexology: An exercise apparatus includes a thermal system which carries a support structure. The support structure includes an exercise mat. A conduit extends through the exercise mat and has acupressure structures connected to opposed ends. The acupressure structures provide acupressure to a person exercising on the mat. The thermal system flows... Agent: Greg L. Martinez

20080262580 - Heating implantable device to treat a condition: An implantable medical device includes a housing and electronics disposed in the housing. The device also includes a heating element disposed in proximity to the housing and operably coupled to the electronics. The electronics are configured to control heating of the heating element to heat tissue in proximity to the... Agent: Campbell Nelson Whipps, LLC

20080262581 - Current density detection and control system and method for an electrokinetic delivery of medicaments: An apparatus to monitor current density in the application of medicament to a treatment site of a mammalian user of a electrokinetic device including: an applicator cartridge including an active electrode, a matrix carrying a medicament or a medicament and an electrically conductive carrier; a device including an electrical power... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20080262582 - Implantable medical electrical lead and connector assembly: An implantable system that includes a lead and an implantable signal generator wherein the plurality of electrical contacts and the plurality of insulating regions on the lead, and the plurality of electrical connectors and the plurality of electrical insulators in the connector block are configured so that each of the... Agent: Campbell Nelson Whipps, LLC

20080262583 - Method for treating intervertebral disc: A device is described that may be positioned at a location in an intervertebral disc for diagnosis or treatment of the disc. Treatment may include, for example, applying energy or removing material, and may decrease intradiscal pressure. Radiofrequency energy may be applied. A percutaneous method of repairing a fissure in... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C. Smith & Nephew, Inc.

20080262584 - Methods and apparatus for fabricating leads with conductors and related flexible lead configurations: MRI/RF compatible leads include at least one conductor, a respective conductor having at least one segment with a multi-layer stacked coil configuration. The lead can be configured so that the lead heats local tissue less than about 10 degrees Celsius (typically about 5 degrees Celsius or less) or does not... Agent: Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec

20080262585 - Implantable medical electrical lead and connector assembly: An implantable medical system that includes an implantable electrical lead having a lead body having a connector portion wherein at least the connector portion of the lead body has an axial cross section that is substantially non-circular; and a connector block that is configured to be operably coupled to the... Agent: Campbell Nelson Whipps, LLC

20080262586 - Implantable lead for septal placement of pacing electrodes: A pacing lead having a lead body configured into a pre-formed J-shape. The lead includes a pacing electrode coupled to an intermediate portion of the lead body and located distally from a bottom of the pre-formed J-shape. The lead is adapted to be placed within a heart in a J-shaped... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080262587 - Extendable and retractable lead having a snap-fit terminal connector: A lead having an extendable and retractable fixation mechanism has a rotating terminal pin at the terminal end which rotates the fixation mechanism at the distal end. As the terminal pin is rotated, the fixation mechanism is extended or retracted from the distal end of the lead. A threaded collar... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080262588 - Lead assembly and methods including a push tube: A lead assembly includes an elongate body having a conductor electrically coupled with an electrode coupled to the elongate body. The lead assembly includes a push tube extending along at least a portion of the elongate body. A distal tip is coupled to the elongate body substantially adjacent to the... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080262557 - Obesity management system: A system, apparatus and method for obesity management through remote monitoring and feedback are described. In one embodiment of the present invention, periodic measurements of parameters affecting the obesity of a user are transmitted to a server through a user interactive communication device. Based on the information of the user,... Agent: Health Hero Network, Inc.

20080262558 - Patient characteristic based adaptive anti-tachy pacing programming: A system including at least one implantable sensor circuit adapted to produce an electrical sensor signal related to one or more physiologic cardiovascular events of a subject, a therapy circuit configured to provide anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) therapy, and a controller. The controller includes a tachyarrhythmia detection circuit and an efficacy... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20080262559 - Method and apparatus for adjusting the sensing threshold of a cardiac rhythm management device: A method and apparatus for automatically adjusting the sensing threshold of cardiac rhythm management devices. The invention is particularly suited for implementation in devices such as implantable cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter/defibrillators. A method and apparatus are provided in which a noise level and signal level for a sensing channel... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080262560 - Method and apparatus for determining a replacement time of an electric battery: In a method and apparatus for determining the replacement time of an electric battery in an implantable medical device, the battery being a hybrid battery with a combination of at least two electrode materials, one of which having better properties for high current pulsing and the other of which being... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20080262561 - Programmer for cardiac implantable medical devices, having an accelerated test mode of the parameters: A programmer for cardiac implantable medical devices, including an accelerated test mode of the operating parameters. The programmer includes a user interface (10) that is used to define the tests to be performed on the implant and display the results thereof. These tests includes: ventricular and atrial sensing sensitivity, ventricular... Agent: Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLPIPProsecution Department

20080262562 - Energy harvester for an implant device: This invention relates to the use of an electromagnetic generator and a pressure bladder located within a biological body in such a position to take advantage of the pressure fluctuations found within that body to produce electrical power. The invention uses these pressure fluctuations to displace the moving parts of... Agent: Carstens & Cahoon, LLP

20080262563 - Implantable medical device: In an implantable medical device and a method for assembly thereof, a hermetically sealed housing encloses electronic circuitry and has a housing fastener part that is formed of metal and that protrudes from the housing. A per-fabricated header, for receiving conducting leads and for connecting the conducting leads to the... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20080262564 - Lead retention assembly: A lead retention assembly includes first, second and third retention members. The first retention member defines a first opening configured to receive a lead body. The second retention member is longitudinally spaced apart from the first retention member and defines a second opening configured to receive the lead body. The... Agent: Campbell Nelson Whipps, LLC

20080262565 - Integrated system and method for treating disease using cognitive-training and brain stimulation and computerized magnetic photo-electric stimulator (cmpes): An integrated system and method for treatment of various diseases, including psychiatric, mental and brain disorders, which preferably combines personalized non-invasive neuronal brain stimulation together with appropriate personalized cognitive training, and which iteratively fine-tunes this treatment by monitoring specific cognitive and brain functions in response to the treatment. A novel... Agent: Dr. Jonathan Bentwich Apt. 1a

20080262566 - Methods and systems of treating medication overuse headache: Methods and systems of treating a patient with medication overuse headache include providing a stimulator, configuring one or more stimulation parameters to treat medication overuse headache, programming the stimulator with the one or more stimulation parameters, generating a stimulus configured to treat the medication overuse headache with the stimulator in... Agent: Advantedge Law Group , LLC

20080262567 - Implanted energy source: Apparatus is described for use with (a) a muscle of a subject's body and (b) an implanted functional device in the subject's body. An electrode is coupled to the muscle. A stimulator causes the muscle to undergo movement by driving a current into the muscle, via the electrode. An energy... Agent: Hoffman, Wasson & Gitler, P.C.

20080262568 - Visual prosthesis: A visual prosthesis apparatus and a method for limiting power consumption in a visual prosthesis apparatus. The visual prosthesis apparatus comprises a camera for capturing a video image, a video processing unit associated with the camera, the video processing unit configured to convert the video image to stimulation patterns, and... Agent: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.

20080262569 - Visual prosthesis: A method for stimulating a subject's retina. The method comprising selecting at least a first and a second electrode each configured to apply current to a subject's retina, determining impedance for the at least first electrode and second electrode, and applying current to the subject's retina through the at least... Agent: Tomas Lendvai, Ph.d. Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.

20080262570 - Visual prosthesis: A retinal stimulation system. The retinal stimulation system comprises an electronics package; and at least a first and a second electrode, each associated with the electronics package and configured to apply current to a subject's retina; wherein current to be applied by the first electrode and the second electrode is... Agent: Tomas Lendvai, Ph.d. Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.

20080262571 - Visual prosthesis: A method to provide visual current feedback of a retinal stimulation system. The method comprising: providing a retinal stimulation system configured to stimulate neural tissue in a subject's eye, the retinal stimulation system comprising: an electronics package; and at least a first and a second electrode, each associated with the... Agent: Tomas Lendvai, Ph.d. Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.

20080262573 - Dynamic telemetry link selection for an implantable device: Communications with an implantable device are conducted using a physical telemetry link dynamically selected from multiple physical telemetry links based on selected criteria including, for example, bandwidth, security, data throughput, channel availability and reliability.... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080262572 - Therapeutic unit and therapeutic system supporting a follow-up examination: Therapeutic system with implantable therapeutic unit (ITU) comprising control unit (CU), memory, telemetry unit connected (in)directly to CU for wireless bidirectional transmission of data to/from external device (ED) and detection unit for detecting physiological patient data or operational data. CU triggers outgoing data transmission (DT) from ITU to ED based... Agent: Dalina Law Group, P.C.

20080262576 - Method, system, and apparatus for somatic treatment: Embodiments of somatic cell treatment are described generally herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.... Agent: Richman And Associates

20080262575 - Portable device: A portable electronic device comprises illuminating unit (300) configured to illuminate extrapupillarily the skin covering a user's eye cavity with optical radiation, thus resulting in diffuse propagation of optical radiation energy to an optically sensitive tissue of the user's eye, and adapting unit (500, 510, 520, 530, 550, 560) for... Agent: Young & Thompson

20080262574 - Use of low intensity light therapy for the treatment of various medical conditions: The invention relates to the use of low intensity light therapy for the treatment of various medical conditions, either alone, or in combination with a second procedure.... Agent: Lahive & Cockfield, LLP Floor 30, Suite 3000

20080262577 - Method and apparatus for treatment of solid material including hard tissue: An apparatus for treatment of dental tissue has a first laser source optically connected to a first channel and the same first laser source optically connected to a second channel. The second laser source is optically connected to the first channel. That second laser source is designed to be pumped... Agent: Houston Eliseeva

20080262578 - Electrodes using two-phase heat transfer and multi-variate algorithms for improved temperature monitoring and control: A tissue hyperthermia system and method improves temperature monitoring and control along an energy emitter such as an RF electrode. A two-phase heat transfer system includes a material within an enclosed vessel that is thermally coupled to the electrode. Energizing the electrode to an operating condition emits energy into tissue... Agent: John P. O'banion O'banion & Ritchey LLP

20080262579 - Exercise method and apparatus which provides therapeutic modalities and reflexology: An exercise apparatus includes a thermal system which carries a support structure. The support structure includes an exercise mat. A conduit extends through the exercise mat and has acupressure structures connected to opposed ends. The acupressure structures provide acupressure to a person exercising on the mat. The thermal system flows... Agent: Greg L. Martinez

20080262580 - Heating implantable device to treat a condition: An implantable medical device includes a housing and electronics disposed in the housing. The device also includes a heating element disposed in proximity to the housing and operably coupled to the electronics. The electronics are configured to control heating of the heating element to heat tissue in proximity to the... Agent: Campbell Nelson Whipps, LLC

20080262581 - Current density detection and control system and method for an electrokinetic delivery of medicaments: An apparatus to monitor current density in the application of medicament to a treatment site of a mammalian user of a electrokinetic device including: an applicator cartridge including an active electrode, a matrix carrying a medicament or a medicament and an electrically conductive carrier; a device including an electrical power... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20080262582 - Implantable medical electrical lead and connector assembly: An implantable system that includes a lead and an implantable signal generator wherein the plurality of electrical contacts and the plurality of insulating regions on the lead, and the plurality of electrical connectors and the plurality of electrical insulators in the connector block are configured so that each of the... Agent: Campbell Nelson Whipps, LLC

20080262583 - Method for treating intervertebral disc: A device is described that may be positioned at a location in an intervertebral disc for diagnosis or treatment of the disc. Treatment may include, for example, applying energy or removing material, and may decrease intradiscal pressure. Radiofrequency energy may be applied. A percutaneous method of repairing a fissure in... Agent: Fish & Richardson P.C. Smith & Nephew, Inc.

20080262584 - Methods and apparatus for fabricating leads with conductors and related flexible lead configurations: MRI/RF compatible leads include at least one conductor, a respective conductor having at least one segment with a multi-layer stacked coil configuration. The lead can be configured so that the lead heats local tissue less than about 10 degrees Celsius (typically about 5 degrees Celsius or less) or does not... Agent: Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec

20080262585 - Implantable medical electrical lead and connector assembly: An implantable medical system that includes an implantable electrical lead having a lead body having a connector portion wherein at least the connector portion of the lead body has an axial cross section that is substantially non-circular; and a connector block that is configured to be operably coupled to the... Agent: Campbell Nelson Whipps, LLC

20080262586 - Implantable lead for septal placement of pacing electrodes: A pacing lead having a lead body configured into a pre-formed J-shape. The lead includes a pacing electrode coupled to an intermediate portion of the lead body and located distally from a bottom of the pre-formed J-shape. The lead is adapted to be placed within a heart in a J-shaped... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080262587 - Extendable and retractable lead having a snap-fit terminal connector: A lead having an extendable and retractable fixation mechanism has a rotating terminal pin at the terminal end which rotates the fixation mechanism at the distal end. As the terminal pin is rotated, the fixation mechanism is extended or retracted from the distal end of the lead. A threaded collar... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080262588 - Lead assembly and methods including a push tube: A lead assembly includes an elongate body having a conductor electrically coupled with an electrode coupled to the elongate body. The lead assembly includes a push tube extending along at least a portion of the elongate body. A distal tip is coupled to the elongate body substantially adjacent to the... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080255625 - System and method for providing event summary information using an encoded ecg waveform: Systems and methods for transferring medical information from a first medical monitoring device to a second device are provided. Medical information from the first medical monitoring device is encoded as an ECG waveform and the ECG waveform having the encoded medical information is provided to the second device as an... Agent: Philips Medical Systems Philips Intellectual Property & Standards

20080255627 - Implantable heart stimulation device and method: The above object is achieved in accordance with the present invention by a cardiac stimulation device for stimulating a heart having a first ventricle and a second ventricle. The device includes a first ventricle sensing circuit that is configured to communicate with a first ventricle sensing electrode suited to be... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20080255626 - Implantable medical device configured as a pedometer: This document discusses, among other things, a system including an implantable medical device. The implantable medical device includes a control circuit and a motion sensing device. The motion sensing device is coupled to the control circuit, and the motion sensing device is configured to transmit signals to the control circuit.... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20080255628 - Reverse pacing-mode switch: A device comprises a cardiac contraction sensing circuit, a timer circuit, an electrical stimulation circuit, and a controller. The timer circuit provides a time duration of an atrial-atrial interval between successive atrial contractions, a ventricular-ventricular interval between successive ventricular contractions, and an atrial-ventricular (A-V) interval between an atrial contraction and... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20080255629 - Cardiac motion characterization by strain measurement: Methods for evaluating motion of a cardiac tissue location, e.g., heart wall, are provided. In the subject methods, timing of a signal obtain from a strain gauge stably associated with the tissue location of interest is employed to evaluate movement of the cardiac tissue location. Also provided are systems, devices... Agent: Bozicevic, Field & Francis LLP (proteus Biomedical, Inc)

20080255630 - Connecting apparatus and methods: Included herein, amongst other things, is a stimulation lead adapter. The stimulation lead adapter can include a stimulation lead socket configured to electrically engage and retain the proximal end of a stimulation lead. The stimulation lead adapter can also include an adapter plug configured to electrically engage a stimulation lead... Agent: Pauly, Devries Smith & Deffner, L.L.C.

20080255631 - Integrated header connector system: Connector assemblies for use with implantable medical devices having easy to assemble contacts is disclosed. The connector assemblies are generally formed by coupling a plurality of contact rings, sealing rings, and spring contact elements together with at least one holding ring to form a connector having a common bore fore... Agent: Klein, O'neill & Singh, LLP

20080255632 - Modulation of the pain circuitry to affect chronic pain: The present invention relates to methods of affecting chronic pain by applying an electrical and/or chemical signal to the target site of the pain circuitry associated with chronic pain. Such target sites include cerebral and deep brain target sites.... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20080255633 - Methods and systems for focused bipolar tissue ablation: Large tissue regions are treated using pairs of electrode arrays. The electrode arrays may be concave and disposed in tissue so that their concave portions are opposed to each other. Axial conductors may be provided extending from the arrays and toward each other in order to increase the heating of... Agent: VistaIPLaw Group LLP

20080255634 - Treatment of obesity and/or type ii diabetes by stimulation of the pituitary gland: Methods of treating obesity and/or type II diabetes include applying at least one stimulus to the pituitary gland of a patient with an implanted stimulator in accordance with one or more stimulation parameters. The at least one stimulus is configured to treat obesity and/or type II diabetes. Systems for treating... Agent: Advantedge Law Group , LLC

20080255635 - In vivo sensing devices and methods of identification thereof: An in-vivo sensing device for capturing sensed data of the gastrointestinal tract, or other body lumens or cavities of a patient, and for transmitting the sensed data to a data recorder external to the patient. The in-vivo sensing device has an identifier code associated with it. The sensed data may... Agent: Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer, LLP

20080255636 - System and method for sharing a common communication channel between multiple systems of implantable medical devices: A system and method that facilitates multiple systems of communicating devices, i.e., a master device and one or more implantable slave devices, to coexist on a common, e.g., RF, communication channel having a limited temporal bandwidth while maintaining the required update rate between each master device and its associated slave... Agent: Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research

20080255637 - Thermotherapy system based on redox potential: A method for treating a disease by returning the body to a natural condition. The method adjusts a parameter of a thermotherapy for treating or preventing the disease, disability, or condition of a patient and comprises (A) a step of measuring the redox potential (or pH value) of the patient... Agent: Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P.

20080255638 - Laser therapy apparatus with controlled optical coherence: A laser therapy method and apparatus is disclosed. The optical coherence property of the therapy laser is actively controlled to provide optimum therapy results for difference types of biological tissue and body parts.... Agent: Frank F. Tian

20080255639 - Method and device for treating tissue using a coagulated beam path: The invention disclosed herein is directed to methods and devices for treating tissue having an overlying portion and an underlying portion by using a first fractional optical energy treatment to coagulate a plurality of zones in the overlying portion, thereby reducing the optical scattering of the overlying portion, and directing... Agent: Reliant / Fenwick C/o Fenwick & West, LLP

20080255640 - Portable phototherapy device: Disclosed herein is a portable device suited to treating psoriasis and other skin diseases in patients. The device can be carried like a suitcase from one location to another and can be used to treat various body parts, such as the hands, feet, face, and chest. The device includes a... Agent: Baker Botts L.L.P.

20080255641 - Device and method for temperature management of heating pad systems: According to some embodiments, an apparatus for warming a patient on a thermal pad includes a heating element to heat a surface of the thermal pad. A power unit is operable to provide power to the heating element. Respective ones of a plurality of sensors are coupled to detect temperature... Agent: Seed Intellectual Property Law Group PLLC

20080255642 - Methods and systems for thermally-induced renal neuromodulation: Methods and system are provided for thermally-induced renal neuromodulation. Thermally-induced renal neuromodulation may be achieved via direct and/or via indirect application of thermal energy to heat or cool neural fibers that contribute to renal function, or of vascular structures that feed or perfuse the neural fibers. In some embodiments, parameters... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP Patent-sea

20080255643 - Compositions and methods relating to prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia: The present invention relates to a method for protecting a human patient or a mammalian animal to be subjected to chemotherapy treatment of a tumor not residing in the scalp of the patient or the skin of the animal against chemotherapy-induced alopecia, comprising administering to the scalp of the patient... Agent: Saliwanchik Lloyd & Saliwanchik A Professional Association

20080255644 - Sorption-based adhesive contact cooling apparatus and method: A sorption-based, adhesive contact apparatus and method for contact cooling a patient via conductive thermal exchange are described. The apparatus includes a pad, having a fluid containing layer and adhesive contact surface, and a sorption-based device, fluidly interconnectable to the fluid containing layer, for vaporizing fluid contained in the fluid... Agent: Marsh, Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP

20080255645 - Patch for facilitating blood circulation: A patch for facilitating blood circulation, including a warmer, a powder-containing bag and a base sheet. The warmer includes iron powder for generating heat oxidized by oxygen in the air and an oxidization regulatory agent enclosed in a flat, air permeable bag. The outer shape of the bag is larger... Agent: Burr & Brown

20080255646 - Non-rectilinear lead and a system for deep electrical neurostimulation including such a lead: A lead for deep brain electrical stimulation, to be inserted into liquid cavities, such as ventricles, or cysternae or subarachnoidal spaces, the lead comprising: a tubular body of biocompatible material having a side wall defining a lumen, said tubular body being suitable for being inserted over at least a fraction... Agent: Clark & Brody

20080255647 - Implantable addressable segmented electrodes: Implantable addressable segmented electrode devices, as well as methods for making and using the same, are provided. The subject devices include segmented electrode structures made up of an integrated circuit electrically coupled to two or more electrodes, where each electrode can be individually activated. Also provided are implantable devices and... Agent: Bozicevic, Field & Francis LLP (proteus Biomedical, Inc)

20080255648 - Accessory for muscle maintenance and/or muscle development: The invention concerns an accessory (2) designed to be positioned around a user's body so as to retain a plurality of electrode modules (19), arranged to be connected to at least one electric power generator for localized muscle maintenance and/or muscle development, characterized in that it is equipped with linking... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20080255649 - Electrode module for muscle maintenance and/or muscle development: The invention concerns an electrode module (1) for muscle maintenance and/or muscle development designed to be retained in position by means of an accessory. The invention is characterized in that it comprises a housing delimited by an outer wall (2) attached to an inner wall (9) made of a deformable... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20080249581 - Pain free defibrillation threshold estimation: This document discusses, among other things, a system and method for painlessly calculating an estimated defibrillation threshold, such as by using an implantable medical device and a controller. The estimated defibrillation threshold can be calculated using a delivered first energy to a first thoracic location, an electric field detected at... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20080249582 - Self-adjusting optimal waveforms: An exemplary method includes detecting fibrillation, measuring impedance of a defibrillation circuit that includes myocardial tissue, determining one or more defibrillation shock parameters based at least in part on the impedance, delivering a defibrillation shock using the one or more defibrillation shock parameters and, if the shock was unsuccessful, adjusting... Agent: Pacesetter, Inc.

20080249583 - Therapy control based on the rate of change of intracardiac impedance: A system comprising a medical device that includes an impedance measurement circuit adapted to be coupled to implantable electrodes to obtain an intracardiac impedance signal between electrodes, a therapy circuit operable to deliver a therapy to a subject, and a controller circuit coupled to the impedance measurement circuit and the... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg, Woessner & Kluth, P.A.

20080249584 - Method and device for cardiosympathetic inhibition: Described herein are methods and devices that utilize electrical neural stimulation for inhibiting cardiosympathetic activity in order to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death. In one embodiment, one or more stimulating electrodes are disposed near the left stellate ganglion. An implantable pulse generator delivers neural stimulation to the electrodes... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20080249585 - Implantable medical device and method for lv coronary sinus lead implant site optimization: A device is connected to electrode leads which performs intracardiac impedance measurements, conducts a transient pacing protocol, analyses the impedance measurements, and generates an LV lead position quality factor. The transient pacing protocol includes a repeated change (“transitions”) between ventricular intrinsic rhythm and biventricular paced rhythm and may also include... Agent: Intellectual Property Department Dewitt Ross & Stevens S.c.

20080249586 - Cardiopulmonary functional status assessment via metabolic response detection by implantable cardiac device: An implantable cardiac device is configured and programmed to assess a patient's cardiopulmonary function by evaluating the patient's minute ventilation response. Such evaluation may be performed by computing a minute ventilation response slope, defined as the ratio of an incremental change in minute ventilation to an incremental change in measured... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080249587 - Microcurrent stimulus apparatus: Disclosed therein are a coupling boss and a method for fabricating a coupling boss, that a collar part is formed through a collar drawing process using a metal plate material, and then, a body part of the coupling boss is firmly combined to a substrate plate through processes of deep... Agent: Hyun Jong Park Tuchman & Park LLC

20080249588 - Electrode array: The present invention is an electrode array for neural stimulation. In particular, the present invention provides electrode shapes and electrode coating advantageous in maximizing the charge dissipation without harming neural tissue. Neurotophic factors are used to further improve electrode performance.... Agent: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.

20080249589 - Method and apparatus for obtaining and registering an electrical cochlear response (\"ecr\"): This invention relates to a method and apparatus for obtaining and registering the Electrical Cochlear Response (“ECR”). Particularly, the ECR refers to the electrical activity of the auditory nerve and the intracochlear residual tissue located in the neighborhood of an intracochlear stimulation electrode, when an external sound is presented to... Agent: The Eclipse Group LLP

20080249590 - Generating and communicating web content from within an implantable medical device: Methods, systems, and computer program products for generating and communicating web content from within an implantable medical device are provided. A method includes collecting data from a memory and/or subsystem of an implantable medical device. Upon collecting the data, the data is converted into web content having a web readable... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg, Woessner & Kluth, P.A.

20080249591 - Controllers for implantable medical devices, and associated methods: Controllers for implantable medical devices, and associated methods are disclosed. A device in accordance with one embodiment includes a hand-held housing, an image display device carried by the housing, and an input device carried by the housing. In particular embodiments, one portion of the housing can be rotatable relative to... Agent: Perkins Coie LLP Patent-sea

20080249592 - Resiliently conformable applicator structure: A fluid filled applicator conformed to position a source of electromagnetic radiation adjacent a portion of human anatomy to interpose a fluid of known characteristics between the source and the adjacent tissue includes in its first form a generally resilient envelope rendered conformable to the body surface to which it... Agent: I. Michael Bak-boychuk Attorney At Law

20080249593 - Negative/positive pressure, thermal energy therapy device: A negative/positive pressure, thermal energy therapy device is described in this application. The present invention uses a conventional negative pressure, thermal energy device and/or an alternative embodiment thereof and adds a significant modification. The modification is that positive pressure, not just ambient pressure, is at least occasionally applied to the... Agent: Kevin D. Mccarthy

20080249594 - Device for applying a transcutaneous stimulus or for transcutaneous measuring of a parameter: The invention relates to an apparatus for transcutaneous application of a stimulus or for transcutaneous measurement of a parameter on or from the skin surface of a vertebrate, in particular a human. The invention provides, in order to make the nerve stimulation in particular efficient, ergonomically favourable and easily manipulable... Agent: Lucas & Mercanti, LLP

20080249595 - Electrophysiology catheter with improved tip electrode: An EP catheter includes a tip electrode having a core primarily comprised of copper with an outer layer of a biocompatible metal disposed thereon exhibits appropriate electrical and thermal conduction characteristics while being cost-effective to produce. Alternatively, an inner layer of a biocompatible metal is disposed on the inside of... Agent: Philip S. Johnson Johnson & Johnson

20080249596 - Myocardial lead with fixation mechanism: The present invention is a myocardial lead attachment system for securing a distal end of a cardiac lead within a myocardium of a patient's heart and anchoring against an epicardium of the patient's heart. The system includes an anchor configured to advance in a first orientation and anchor against an... Agent: Faegre & Benson, LLP 32469

20080243195 - Mapping guidelet: The medical lead delivery device more easily and quickly delivers a lead to or through the coronary vein of a patient's heart. The medical lead delivery device includes an elongated body, a controller, a first and second spring, and a sleeve. The elongated body includes a proximal end and a... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20080243198 - Method for inhibiting platelet interaction with biomaterial surfaces: A method for passivating a biomaterial surface includes modifying proteinaceous material disposed at the biomaterial surface. The passivation may be effectuated by exposing the biomaterial surface to therapeutic electrical energy in the presence of blood or plasma.... Agent: Haugen Law Firm Pllp

20080243197 - Therapeutic applicator system for applying light, sound and/or magnetism: This invention includes embodiments which combined the application or simultaneous application of magnetism, light waves and sound for a therapeutic effect, all through one applicator. The controller may be programmed or configured to provide relative timing of the application of the magnetism, light waves and sound relative to one another... Agent: Wells St. John P.s.

20080243196 - Unidirectional neural stimulation systems, devices and methods: An embodiment relates to a method for delivering a unidirectional afferent nerve stimulation treatment. A test neural stimulation is delivered, and a physiologic response to the test neural stimulation is monitored. At least one neural stimulation parameter for the test neural stimulation is adjusted if the test neural stimulation does... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20080243199 - Electrical stimulus allergy treatment method: A method of reducing the symptoms of allergy including exposing the patient to the allergenic substance in containers and applying an electrical stimulus device to acupuncture meridian points on the patient's body to clear blockages in the flow of life-energy of the patient. The electrical signal acts as a carrier... Agent: Harris Beach PLLC

20080243200 - Methods and apparatus for enhancing specificity of arrhythmia detection using far-field sensing and intracardiac sensing of cardiac activity: Improved implantable medical devices (IMDS) and more particularly, a subcutaneous multiple electrode sensing and recording system for acquiring far- and near-field electrocardiographic (ECG) data and waveform tracings. The far-field ECG data and/or waveform tracings is used to confirm or refute sensing and detection performed by the near-field (e.g., epicardial and/or... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20080243201 - Pacer with combined defibrillator tailored for bradycardia patients: A combination pacer/defibrillator is tailored for bradycardia patients. In one example, its shock-delivery specificity exceeds its sensitivity to shockable ventricular tachyarrhythmias. In another example, its specificity exceeds 95%, or 99%, or even 99.5%. Sensitivity is programmed to a high desired sensitivity value, but only if it can be done without... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner/bsc-crm

20080243202 - Estimating acute response to cardiac resynchronization therapy: Systolic timing intervals are measured in response to delivering pacing energy to a pacing site of a patient's heart. An estimate of a patient's acute response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) for the pacing site is determined using the measured systolic timing intervals. The estimate is compared to a threshold.... Agent: Hollingsworth & Funk, LLC

20080243203 - Intracardiac polarization signal stabilization: Polarization signals, which represent voltages measured at a pacemaker electrode, are not constant and may drift. Polarization signal drift, which often precedes undesirable pace polarization artifacts, is more significant when the pacemaker is inhibited from providing an electrical stimulation to the patient's heart. The present invention provides an implantable system... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20080243204 - Variational parameter neurostimulation paradigm for treatment of neurologic disease: The present invention concerns a neural stimulation device, and methods for its use, in which one or more stimulation parameters can be automatically and randomly adjusted such that any particular combination of stimulation parameters is not repeated for a given duration of time, thereby limiting habituation to the neural stimulus.... Agent: Saliwanchik Lloyd & Saliwanchik A Professional Association

20080243210 - Biased acoustic switch for implantable medical device: Devices, systems, and methods for selectively activating medical devices are disclosed. A medical device in accordance with an illustrative embodiment includes an energy storage device, an acoustic transducer configured to convert an acoustic signal into an electrical signal, a signal detector configured to generate a trigger signal when the electrical... Agent: Faegre & Benson, LLP 32469

20080243205 - Differential entropy based data compression for waveforms: Waveforms are digitally sampled and compressed for storage in memory. The compression of the data includes generating a truncated entropy encoding map and using the values within the map to obtain good compression. An encoder further sub-selects values to be encoded and values to remain unencoded to provide an overall... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20080243206 - Differential entropy based data compression for waveforms: Waveforms are digitally sampled and compressed for storage in memory. The compression of the data includes generating a truncated entropy encoding map and using the values within the map to obtain good compression. An encoder further sub-selects values to be encoded and values to remain unencoded to provide an overall... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20080243209 - Differential entropy based encoding of data with variable length probabilistic codes: Waveforms are digitally sampled and compressed for storage in memory. The compression of the data includes generating a truncated entropy encoding map and using the values within the map to obtain good compression. An encoder further sub-selects values to be encoded and values to remain unencoded to provide an overall... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20080243208 - System and method for annotating and compressing waveform data: Waveforms are digitally sampled and compressed for storage in memory. The compression of the data includes generating a truncated entropy encoding map and using the values within the map to obtain good compression. An encoder further sub-selects values to be encoded and values to remain unencoded to provide an overall... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20080243207 - System and method for smoothing sampled digital signals: Waveforms are digitally sampled and compressed for storage in memory. The compression of the data includes generating a truncated entropy encoding map and using the values within the map to obtain good compression. An encoder further sub-selects values to be encoded and values to remain unencoded to provide an overall... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20080243211 - User selectable masking sounds for medical instruments: A medical instrument includes a sound card or an internal capability for generating sounds from a digital music or sound file. The medical instrument is one which generates unwanted noise and is constantly in the presence of a patient or an operator, and may be in a home, a clinic,... Agent: Baxter Healthcare Corporation

20080243212 - Systems and methods for thermal neuroinhibition: Disclosed herein, among other things, is system for thermal neuroinhibition. According to an embodiment, the system includes at least one implantable fluid-filled conduit adapted to be placed adjacent to a neural target. The system also includes an implantable housing including a power source, a heat pump deriving power from the... Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.

20080243213 - Curative treatment system, curative treatment device, and treatment method for living tissue using energy: A treatment system that applies energy to a living tissue includes first and second holding members, an operating section, an energy source, and a plurality of energy applying portions that apply energy supplied from the energy source. Each of the first and second holding members has a holding surface to... Agent: Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen

20080243214 - High resolution electrophysiology catheter: An electrophysiology medical probes, which may be incorporated into a system and used to perform an electrophysiology procedure, is provided. The medical probe comprises an elongated member (e.g., a flexible elongated member), and a metallic electrode mounted to the distal end of the elongated member. In one embodiment, the metallic... Agent: Michael J. Bolan VistaIPLaw Group LLP

20080243217 - Cardiac stimulation apparatus: Cardiac stimulation apparatus (10) such as a lead comprising one or more electrodes (17, 19 and 21) for electrical contact with heart or other tissue. An adhesive substance is provided for adhesively attaching the electrodes in position in relation to the heart or other tissue to provide a non-traumatic fixing... Agent: Merchant & Gould PC

20080243215 - Controller for a medical lead delivery device: The medical lead delivery device more easily and quickly delivers a lead to or through the coronary vein of a patient's heart. The medical lead delivery device includes an elongated body, a controller, a first and second spring, and a sleeve. The elongated body includes a proximal end and a... Agent: Medtronic, Inc.

20080243219 - Minimally invasive systems for locating an optimal location for deep brain stimulation: Systems for locating an optimal site within a brain of a patient for deep brain stimulation include a main cannula having an internal lumen, a guiding cannula having a bent distal end portion configured to pass through the lumen of the main cannula and guide a microelectrode into the brain,... Agent: VistaIPLaw Group LLP

20080243218 - Mri and rf compatible leads and related methods of operating and fabricating leads: RF/MRI compatible leads include at least one conductor that turns back on itself at least twice in a lengthwise direction, and can turn back on itself at least twice at multiple locations along its length. The at least one electrical lead can be configured so that the lead heats local... Agent: Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec

20080243216 - System and method for percutaneous delivery of electrical stimulation to a target body tissue: An apparatus includes a percutaneous connection port configured to convey an electrical signal between an electrical device disposed outside of a body and an electrical member disposed within the body. The percutaneous connection port has a distal portion and a proximal portion. The proximal portion includes a surface configured to... Agent: Cooley Godward Kronish LLP Attn: Patent Group

20080243220 - Lead anchor for implantable stimulation devices: Disclosed is a lead anchor comprising a body made of an elastomeric material and defining a first opening and a second opening through which a lead can pass, one or more fasteners disposed within the body, with the ends of the fasteners protruding from the body, wherein the ends are... Agent: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corp. C/o Darby & Darby P.C.