Medtronic, Inc.

Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.

Medtronics, Inc.

Meadtronic, Inc

Michael J Schendel

Gary William King

Mark Turner Rise

Richard S Schallhorn

Warren L Starkebaum

Daryle Petersen

Frans L Gielen

William F McKay

Hai H Trieu

Kenneth Timothy Heruth

Susan J Drapeau

Jeffrey Mendel Gross

Mark S Lent

Josee Roy

Ruchika Singhal

Andrew J Lowenthal Walsh

Nathan Andrew Torgerson

Geoffrey Orth

Daniel C Oster

Cathleen A Bergin

Alaena Maiorano

Mostafa Toloui

Jonathan P Bogott

Victoria Tien

Anne Breithaupt

Vickie Pham

Timothy Kelley

Richard Schallorn

A prosthesis includes a tubular graft, a prosthetic valve component, an inflow stent, an outflow stent, and a plurality of body stents disposed between the inflow and outflow stents. Each stent is a sinusoidal patterned radially-expandable ring having a first set of crowns and a second set of crowns, with the first set of crowns disposed closer to an inflow end of the tubular graft than the second set of crowns. The prosthesis is configured to be resistant to backfolding and/or buckling during deployment thereof.

Prosthetic valve device resistant to backfolding and buckling

Shielded sheaths are placed over implantable medical leads and/or implantable medical lead extensions to provide shielding from electromagnetic energy and to prevent heating at the electrodes. The shielded sheaths include insulative bodies with shield layers such as conductive braided wire or conductive foil tubular structures. The shielded sheath may be implanted at the time of implanting the lead and/or lead extension. The shielded sheath may also be implanted at a later time after the lead and/or lead extension has previously been implanted. The shielded sheath may be anchored onto the lead or lead extension.

Methods of shielding implantable medical leads and implantable medical lead extensions

The invention provides methods and composition developed to be used with imaging techniques and useful for diagnosis and monitoring the pain generator(s) of axial pain with or without radiculopathy and methods for screening therapeutic compounds potentially useful for treating axial pain with or without radiculopathy. Alternatively, degenerated discs can be monitored and treated before occurrence of a pathological pain condition. Pain markers and markers of degeneration include markers of neuronal, vascular, immune and matrix elements.

Compostions and methods for diagnosis of axial pain with or without radiculopathy

Compositions and methods for diagnosis of axial pain with or without radiculopathy

Apparatus and techniques to address problems associated with lead migration, patient movement or position, histological changes, neural plasticity or disease progression. Disclosed are techniques for implanting a lead having therapy delivery elements, such as electrodes or drug delivery ports, within a vertebral or cranial bone so as to maintain these elements in a fixed position relative to a desired treatment site. The therapy delivery elements may thereafter be adjusted in situ with a position control mechanism and/or a position controller to improve the desired treatment, such as electrical stimulation and/or drug infusion to a precise target. The therapy delivery elements may be positioned laterally in any direction relative to the targeted treatment site or toward or away from the targeted treatment site. A control system maybe provided for open- or closed-loop feedback control of the position of the therapy delivery elements as well as other aspects of the treatment therapy.

Techniques for positioning therapy delivery elements within a spinal cord or brain

The invention provides kits developed to analyze ex vivo, a sample retrieved from the area of the pathological condition for diagnosis and monitoring the pain generator(s) of axial pain with or without radiculopathy and methods for screening therapeutic compounds potentially useful for treating axial pain with or without radiculopathy. Alternatively, degenerated discs can be monitored and treated before occurrence of a pathological pain condition. Pain markers and markers of degenerating disc include markers of neuronal, vascular, immune and matrix elements.

Diagnostic kits and methods for diagnosis of axial pain with or without radiculopathy

Systems and methods for coordinated delivery of a therapeutic agent and low (less than about 20 Hz) and high (greater than about 50 Hz) frequency stimulation therapy are described. The systems include a control unit for coordinating therapy delivery between an infusion device and a pulse generator, such that a therapeutic agent is administered at a predetermined time relative to application of either low frequency or high frequency stimulation. For example, the control unit may instruct the infusion device to deliver therapeutic agent at a predetermined time prior to delivery of low frequency stimulation. Systems that include more than one infusion device or an infusion pump capable of delivering more than one therapeutic agent are also described.

Regional therapies for treatment of pain

An implantable lead is provided with at least one extendable member to position therapy delivery elements, which may be electrodes or drug delivery ports, after the lead has been inserted into the body. The lead may formed as a resilient element which is contained in a retainer tube that may be removed to permit the lead to deploy. Alternatively, a non-resilient lead may be provided with a slotted retainer tube. A series of mechanical linkages for expanding and retracting the lead within the human body may be actuated with various mechanisms. A control system may be provided for closed-loop feedback control of the position of the extendable members. The invention also includes a method for expanding an implantable lead in situ.

Apparatus and method for expanding a stimulation lead body in situ

Enhanced therapies for treating pain are described. The therapies include subcutaneous stimulation of tissue in proximity to a source of pain at low frequencies (less than about 20 Hz) and high frequencies (greater than about 50 Hz). The therapies further include administering a pain treating agent at a predetermined time relative to application of the high or low frequency stimulation. Delivery of the pain treating agent via an implantable infusion system is described. Coordination of output of an infusion device and a pulse generator to provide coordinated therapy is also discussed.

Enhanced therapies for treating pain are described. The therapies include subcutaneous stimulation of tissue in proximity to a source of pain at low frequencies (less than about 20 Hz) and high frequencies (greater than about 50 Hz). The subcutaneous stimulation may be applied in proximity to a structure in the back, such as discs, facet joints, nerve roots or ganglions, sympathetic chain, ligaments, muscles, and the like. Subcutaneous stimulation at high and low frequencies applied in combination with epidural stimulation is also described.

Apparatus and techniques to address the problems associated with lead migration, patient movement or position, histological changes, neural plasticity or disease progression. Disclosed are techniques for implanting a lead having therapy delivery elements, such as electrodes or drug delivery ports, within a vertebral or cranial bone so as to maintain these elements in a fixed position relative to a desired treatment site. The therapy delivery elements may thereafter be adjusted in situ with a position control mechanism and/or a position controller to improve the desired treatment, such as_electrical stimulation and/or drug infusion to a precise target. The therapy delivery elements may be positioned laterally in any direction relative to the targeted treatment site or toward or away from the targeted treatment site. A control system maybe provided for open- or closed-loop feedback control of the position of the therapy delivery elements as well as other aspects of the treatment therapy.

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Andover, MN, United States of America

Michael J Schendel