Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.

Greatbatch Ltd.

Wilson Greatbatch Technologies, Inc.

Robert S Harguth

Keith R Maile

William J Linder

Ron A Balczewski

Gregory Scott Munson

Michael Wesley Paris

Bin Mi

Binh C Tran

Nick A Youker

Michael J Root

Bart A Carey

Tom Iverson

Benjamin R Fruland

Kurt Ware

Kristine M Larsen-Kelly

Paul J Huelskamp

David J Yonce

Abhi Chavan

Cheng Zhang

The present subject matter includes an implantable medical device with a capture feature at or near the proximal end. In some cases, the capture feature includes a hold that is configured to facilitate a releasable connection with a delivery device that is used to deliver the implantable medical device to a target implant site.

Implantable medical device with proximal capture feature

An acoustic energy delivery system for delivering acoustic energy to an implantable medical device ('IMD'). The system includes an IMD having a power source and an energy delivery device. The energy delivery device includes a controller and an array of ultrasonic elements electrically coupled to the controller and configured to deliver acoustic energy to the IMD. Methods of delivering acoustic energy to an IMD are also disclosed.

Multi-element acoustic recharging system

Systems and methods for wireless signal transfers between ultrasound-enabled medical devices are disclosed. An illustrative system includes a source device equipped with multiple transducer elements configured to transmit an acoustic wave, a target device including an acoustic transducer for receiving the acoustic wave from the source device, and a controller configured to determine adjustments to one or more transmission parameters of the source device for increasing the signal coherence of the acoustic wave at the target device.

Systems and methods for controlling wireless signal transfers between ultrasound-enabled medical devices

A battery management circuit provides an implantable medical device with power management that allows safe and efficient use of a rechargeable battery. Various ways of monitoring the energy level of the rechargeable battery and controlling the battery recharging process for user convenience and safety are provided.

Implantable medical device powered by rechargeable battery

A cardiac rhythm management device in which the relative depolarization times at sensing/pacing electrode sites during a cardiac contraction are determined by a bipolar sensing technique. The information gained thereby can be used to select which of the available electrodes should be used for optimal resynchronization pacing.

Method and apparatus for determining relative depolarization at multiple cardiac sensing sites

A method of forming a surface mount transformer. The method comprises winding insulated wire around a magnetic core to form at least one secondary transformer coil, winding insulated wire around the magnetic core to form at least one primary transformer coil, attaching wire ends of the at least one primary coil to at least first and second vias of a printed circuit board (PCB), attaching wire ends of the at least one secondary coil to at least third and fourth vias of the PCB, affixing the coils and the magnetic core to the first side of the PCB, and attaching the coil wire ends flush to a surface of the vias on the second side of the PCB.

Flyback transformer wire attach method to printed circuit board

Miniature defibrillators and cardioverters detect abnormal heart rhythms and automatically apply electrical therapy to restore normal heart function. Critical components in these devices are aluminum electrolytic capacitors, which store and deliver one or more life-saving bursts of electric charge to a heart of a patient. This type of capacitor requires regular 'reform' to preserve its charging efficiency over time. Because reform expends valuable battery life, manufacturers developed wet-tantalum capacitors, which are generally understood not to require reform. Yet, the present inventors discovered through extensive study that wet-tantalum capacitors exhibit progressively worse charging efficiency over time. Accordingly, to address this problem, the inventors devised unique reform techniques for wet-tantalum capacitors. One exemplary technique entails charging wet-tantalum capacitors to a voltage equal to about 90% of their rated voltage and maintaining this voltage for about five minutes before discharging them.

Reforming wet-tantalum capacitors in implantable defibrillators and other medical devices

Miniature defibrillators and cardioverters detect abnormal heart rhythms and automatically apply electrical therapy to restore normal heart function. Critical to this function, aluminum-electrolytic capacitors store and deliver life-saving bursts of electric charge to the heart. This type of capacitor requires regular 'reform' to preserve its charging efficiency over time. Because reform expends valuable battery energy, manufacturers developed wet-tantalum capacitors, which are generally understood not to require reform. Yet, the present inventors discovered through extensive study that wet-tantalum capacitors exhibit progressively worse charging efficiency over time. Accordingly, to address this problem, the inventors devised unique reform techniques for wet-tantalum capacitors. One exemplary technique entails charging wet-tantalum capacitors to a voltage equal to about 90% of their rated voltage and allowing the charge to dissipate through system leakage for a period of time, before discharging through a non-therapeutic load.

Reforming wet-tantalum capacitors in implantable medical devices

An apparatus and method for delivering defibrillation shock therapy employing a multi-terminal pulse output circuit. In such a circuit, at least three electrode lead terminals are switchably connected to the positive and negative terminals of an energy storage capacitor. By serially switching selected electrode lead terminals to the capacitor terminals, a variety of shock pulse waveforms may be generated.

Method and apparatus for cardiac shock therapy

Miniature defibrillators and cardioverters detect abnormal heart rhythms and automatically apply electrical therapy to restore normal heart function. Critical components in these devices are aluminum electrolytic capacitors, which store and deliver one or more life-saving bursts of electric charge to a heart of a patient. This type of capacitor requires regular &ldquo;reform&rdquo; to preserve its charging efficiency over time. Because reform expends valuable battery life, manufacturers developed wet-tantalum capacitors, which are generally understood not to require reform. Yet, the present inventors discovered through extensive study that wet-tantalum capacitors exhibit progressively worse charging efficiency over time. Accordingly, to address this problem, the inventors devised unique reform techniques for wet-tantalum capacitors. One exemplary technique entails charging wet-tantalum capacitors to a voltage equal to about 90% of their rated voltage and maintaining this voltage for about five minutes before discharging them.

Growing community of inventors

Ham Lake, MN, United States of America

Robert S Harguth