Angeion Corporation

St. Croix Medical, Inc.

Other

Audioscience, Inc.

Creative Toy Corporation

Angemed, Inc.

Angelon Corporation

Theodore P Adams

Mark W Kroll

Charles G Supino

Kenneth M Anderson

Kai K Kroll

Bruce A Brillhart

Dennis A Brumwell

Joseph S Perttu

Donald J Bushek

Charles U Smith

Lawrence Kane

Scott T Latterell

Scott C Meyerson

Wendell L King

James E Brewer

Karl J Kroll

Randall S Nelson

Gene M Berghoff

An improved dual battery power system uses two separate battery power sources for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, each having optimized characteristics for monitoring functions and for output energy delivery functions, respectively. The monitoring functions are supplied electrical power by a first battery source, such as a conventional pacemaker power source in the form of a lithium iodide battery which is optimized for long life at very low current levels. The output energy delivery functions are supplied by a separate second battery source, such as a pair of lithium vanadium pentoxide batteries, which is optimized for high current drain capability and low self-discharge for long shelf life. The first battery source provides electrical power only to the monitoring functions of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator, and the second battery source provides all of the electrical power for the output energy delivery functions.

Dual battery power system for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator with voltage booster

The invention discloses a programmable implantable hearing aid including built-in electronics being in wireless communications with a hand-held programmer. The programmer transmits digital code signals of the type including RF, infrared and ultrasonic, based on selected parameter settings. A receiver accepts the signals for transmission to an input transducer in the middle ear. The input transducer collects the middle ear's response to the signals and transmits it to a circuit in the implanted hearing aid. The circuit searches for specific programming patterns and decodes the signals to effectuate the desired adjustment in the hearing aid. The conditioned signals are then transferred to an output transducer to operate the device at the adjusted signal level and condition. The invention enables both a patient and doctor to make unlimited number of adjustments in the implanted hearing aid without invasive surgery.

Method and apparatus for a programmable implantable hearing aid

A system and method for reducing the perceived pain by a patient occurring during cardioversion/defibrillation countershocks to the heart. The system comprises an electrode subsystem for positioning at least one electrode in contact with a patient, a pain reducing stimulation subsystem for providing pain reducing electromagnetic stimulation to the electrode subsystem, a cardioversion/defibrillation countershock subsystem so that delivery of pain reducing stimulation to the patient begins prior to a cardioversion/defibrillation countershock.

Neuro-stimulation to control pain during cardioversion defibrillation

A method and apparatus transduces between mechanical and electrical signals within a middle ear to improve hearing. An electromechanical transducer film, preferably polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), is carried by a mount secured to the middle ear. The film is constrained by the mount, or by the mount and an auditory element. The invention includes substantially straight, bow-shaped, hoop-shaped, and bi-element transducer film embodiments. The film transduces between mechanical vibrations of an auditory element, such as the malleus or stapes, and electrical signals for use with an electronics unit of a partial middle ear implantable (P-MEI) or total middle ear implantable (T-MEI) hearing aid.

Piezoelectric film transducer for cochlear prosthetic

An electromechanical transducer for an implantable hearing aid, such as a partial middle ear implantable (P-MEI) or total middle ear implantable (T-MEI) hearing aid system. The invention comprises at least one piezoelectric element proportioned for mechanically coupling to a middle ear only through an auditory element in the middle ear, such as the tympanic membrane, malleus, incus, stapes, or in the inner ear, such as the oval window, round window, vestibule, or semicircular canals. The invention need not be secured to a temporal bone. Inertial masses and a carrier are optionally provided to assist in sensing or producing mechanical vibrations. The carrier is optionally hermetically sealed. Superpositioned individual frequency responses optimize an overall frequency bandwidth.

Middle ear transducer

A method and apparatus for improving a frequency response of a piezoelectric input or output transducer in an implantable hearing system. Multiple input or multiple output transducers obtain optimized mechanical-to-electrical or electrical-to-mechanical frequency response. Output mechanical coupling is directly to the inner ear, or through an ossicular element such as the malleus, stapes, or incus. Input mechanical vibrations are obtained from an auditory element such as the tympanic membrane, malleus, or incus. Substantially nonidentical frequency responses are obtained such as using transducers of different dimensions, different number of transducer elements, different material properties, different mounting techniques, or different auditory elements for coupling.

Implantable hearing system having multiple transducers

A capacitor-discharge implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) has a relatively smaller mass of less than about 120 grams. The smaller mass of the ICD is achieved by selecting and arranging the internal components of the ICD to deliver a maximum defibrillation countershock optimized in terms of a minimum physiologically effective current (I.sub.pe), rather than a minimum defibrillation threshold energy (DFT). As a result of the optimization in terms of a minimum effective current I.sub.pe, there is a significant decrease in the maximum electrical charge energy (E.sub.c) that must be stored by the capacitor of the ICD to less than about 30 Joules, even though a higher safety margin is provided for by the device. Due to this decrease in the maximum E.sub.c, as well as corollary decreases in the effective capacitance value required for the capacitor and the net energy storage required of the battery, the overall displacement volume of the ICD is reduced to the point where subcutaneous implantation of the device in the pectoral region of human patients is practical. The size of the capacitor is reduced because the effective capacitance required can be less than about 125 .mu.F. By optimizing both the charging time and the countershock duration for the smaller maximum E.sub.c, the size of the battery is reduced because the total energy storage capacity can be less than about 1.0 Amp-hours. In the preferred embodiment, the charging time for each defibrillation countershock is reduced to less than about 10 seconds and the pulse duration of the countershock is reduced to less than about 6 milliseconds.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillator having a smaller mass

An implantable cardioverter defibrillator optimized for prophylactic use. An improved power system uses multiple, single use, short duration, battery cells for countershocks.

ICD power source using multiple single use batteries

Implantable middle-ear hearing assist system using piezoelectric

A method and apparatus for generating biphasic waveforms for an implantable defibrillator uses two disparate capacitor systems. A first phase of the biphasic waveform is generated from the charge stored in a first capacitor system, and a second phase of less energy than the first phase is generated from the charge stored in a second capacitor system. By using a second capacitor system for the second phase of the biphasic waveform that stores less energy than the first capacitor system, the overall size and power requirements of the implantable device can be reduced. In a preferred embodiment, the disparate capacitor systems have different effective capacitances, with the second capacitor system preferably having a higher effective capacitance, but a lower charging voltage, than the first capacitor system.

Apparatus for generating biphasic waveforms in an implantable

A capacitor-discharge implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) has a relatively smaller energy storage capacity of less than about 1.0 Amp-hours. The smaller energy storage capacity of the ICD is achieved by selecting and arranging the internal components of the ICD to deliver a maximum defibrillation countershock optimized in terms of a minimum physiologically effective current (I.sub.pe) rather than a minimum defibrillation threshold energy (DFT). As a result of the optimization in terms of a minimum effective current I.sub.pe, there is a significant decrease in the maximum electrical charge energy (E.sub.c) that must be stored by the capacitor of the ICD to less than about 30 Joules, even though a higher safety margin is provided for by the device. Due to this decrease in the maximum E.sub.c, as well as corollary decreases in the effective capacitance value required for the capacitor and the net energy storage required of the battery, the overall displacement volume of the ICD is reduced to the point where subcutaneous implantation of the device in the pectoral region of human patients is practical. The size of the capacitor is reduced because the effective capacitance required can be less than about 125 .mu.F. By optimizing both the charging time and the countershock duration for the smaller maximum E.sub.c, the size of the battery is reduced because the total energy storage capacity can be less than about 1.0 Amp-hours. In the preferred embodiment, the charging time for each defibrillation countershock is reduced to less than about 10 seconds and the pulse duration of the countershock is reduced to less than about 6 milliseconds.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillator having a smaller energy storage

A system and method for reducing the perceived pain by a patient occurring during cardioversion/defibrillation countershocks to the heart. The system comprises an electrode subsystem for positioning at least one electrode in contact with a patient, a pain reducing stimulation subsystem for providing pain reducing electromagnetic stimulation to the electrode subsystem, a cardioversion/defibrillation countershock subsystem for treatment of cardiac fibrillation, and a control subsystem. The control subsystem provides synchronization of the pain reducing stimulation subsystem with the cardioversion/defibrillation countershock subsystem so that delivery of pain reducing stimulation to the patient begins prior to a cardioversion/defibrillation countershock.

A method and apparatus transduces between mechanical and electrical signals within a middle ear to improve hearing. An electromechanical transducer film, preferably polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), is carried by a mount secured to the middle ear. The film is constrained by the mount, or by the mount and an auditory element. The apparatus includes substantially straight, bow-shaped, hoop-shaped, and bi-element transducer film embodiments. The film transduces between mechanical vibrations of an auditory element, such as the malleus or stapes, and electrical signals for use with an electronics unit of a partial middle ear implantable (P-MEI) or total middle ear implantable (T-MEI) hearing aid.

Piezoelectric film transducer

An implantable defibrillator derives a rectangular current waveform from a capacitor discharge by using a current limiter. This pulse-shaping method is equally applicable to single-path and multiple-path situations. A rectangular pulse delivers a maximum of energy for a given peak-field value with a particular electrode combination and pulse duration. Peak field is a measure of the tissue-damage potentiality of a particular discharge.

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Edina, MN, United States of America

Theodore P Adams