Cyberonics, Inc.

Flint Hills Scientific, LLC

Livanova Usa, Inc.

Centerpulse Biologics Inc.

Timothy L Scott

Randolph K Armstrong

Steven E Maschino

Scott A Armstrong

D Michael Inman

Ivan Osorio

Dana Michael Inman

Bryan P Byerman

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus for treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable medical device (IMD). The IMD is capable of generating a first electrical signal for treating a medical condition, for example epilepsy. The first electrical signal relates to a long term therapy during a first time period in which there is no indication that the patient's brain is in an stable state, the first electrical signal being a microburst stimulation signal. The implantable device is also capable of generating a second electrical signal for treating the medical condition. The second electrical signal relates to a short term therapy during a second time period, in response to an indication that the patient's brain is in an unstable state. The second electrical signal in one example, may be a conventional stimulation signal.

Implantable medical device for providing chronic condition therapy and acute condition therapy using vagus nerve stimulation

Disclosed are methods and systems for treating epilepsy by stimulating a main trunk of a vagus nerve, or a left vagus nerve, when the patient has had no seizure or a seizure that is not characterized by cardiac changes such as an increase in heart rate, and stimulating a cardiac branch of a vagus nerve, or a right vagus nerve, when the patient has had a seizure characterized by cardiac changes such as a heart rate increase.

Contingent cardio-protection for epilepsy patients

We disclose a method of treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable medical device including coupling at least a first electrode and a second electrode to a cranial nerve of the patient, providing a programmable electrical signal generator coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode, generating a first electrical signal with the electrical signal generator, applying the first electrical signal to the electrodes, wherein the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode, reversing the polarity of the first electrode and the second electrode, yielding a configuration wherein the first electrode is an anode and the second electrode is a cathode, generating a second electrical signal with the electrical signal generator, applying the second electrical signal to the electrodes, reversing the polarity of the first electrode and the second electrode, yielding a configuration wherein the first electrode is a cathode and the second electrode is an anode, generating a third electrical signal with the electrical signal generator, and applying the third electrical signal to the electrodes. Each of the electrical signals can independently contain one or more pulses or one or more bursts. The number of pulses need not be equal between any two of the electrical signals.

Changeable electrode polarity stimulation by an implantable medical device

A method and an apparatus for projecting an end of service (EOS) and/or an elective replacement indication (ERI) of a component in an implantable device is provided. The method comprises measuring the measured voltage of the energy storage device, and determining whether the measured voltage is less than a transition voltage. When the measured voltage is less than the transition voltage, determining a time period remaining until an end of service of the energy storage device is based upon a function of the measured voltage. When the measured voltage is greater than or equal to the transition voltage, determining a time period remaining until an end of service of the energy storage device is based upon a function of the total charge depleted. The transition voltage is a voltage associated with the transition point of non-linearity in the battery voltage depletion curve.

Power supply monitoring for an implantable device

A method and an apparatus for determining a time period remaining in a useful life of an energy storage device in an implantable medical device. The method may include measuring a voltage of the energy storage device to produce a measured voltage, and comparing the measured voltage to a transition voltage. While the measured voltage is greater than or equal to the transition voltage, the time period remaining in the energy storage device's useful life is approximated based upon a function of charge depleted. While the measured voltage is less than the transition voltage, the time period remaining in the energy storage device's useful life is approximated based upon a higher order polynomial function of the measured voltage. The transition voltage corresponds to a predetermined point on a energy storage device voltage depletion curve representing the voltage across the energy storage device over time.

We disclose a method, apparatus, and system of treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable medical device. A first electrode is coupled to a first portion of a cranial nerve of the patient. A second electrode is coupled to a second portion of the cranial nerve of the patient. A first electrical signal is provided to the first and second electrodes. The first electrical signal is provided in a first polarity configuration in which the first electrode functions as an anode and the second electrode functions as a cathode. Upon termination of the first electrical signal, the anode and cathode each comprise a first accumulated energy. A second electrical signal is provided to the first and second electrodes, in which the second electrical signal includes at least a portion of the first accumulated energy.

Method, apparatus and system for bipolar charge utilization during stimulation by an implantable medical device

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus for treating a chronic medical condition in a patient. A time of beat sequence of the patient's heart is determined. A regulatory system parameter is determined based on the time of beat sequence. The parameter is indicative of a stress level of the patient's regulatory adaptation systems. The determined regulatory system parameter is compared with a threshold regulatory system parameter value. An electrical signal is applied to a neural structure of the patient to treat the chronic medical condition if the determined regulatory system parameter exceeds the threshold regulatory system parameter value.

Use of cardiac parameters in methods and systems for treating a chronic medical condition

A method and apparatus for providing trans-esophageal electrical signal therapy to a portion of a vagus nerve of a patient to treat a medical condition. An implantable medical device comprising at least one electrode is implanted in an inner lumen of the esophagus of the patient. At least one electrode is electrically coupled to the inner lumen of the esophagus. An electrical signal from the IMD is provided to a target portion of the vagus nerve through at least a portion of the wall of the esophagus for treating the medical condition.

Non-surgical device and methods for trans-esophageal vagus nerve stimulation

Devices and methods of non-surgically providing vagus nerve therapy trans-esophageally to treat a variety of medical conditions are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, an implantable medical device comprises a support member having an outer surface. The support member is adapted to engage the inner wall of an esophagus. The IMD also comprises at least one electrode disposed on the outer surface of the support member. The at least one electrode is capable of applying a trans-esophageal electrical signal to the vagus nerve through the wall of the esophagus from the inner lumen thereof. The implantable medical device further comprises a signal generator coupled to the support member and to the at least one electrode. The signal generator causes the at least one electrode to apply an electrical signal to the vagus nerve to treat a medical condition.

Trans-esophageal vagus nerve stimulation

An improved, non-resorbable annuloplasty ring that will provide support for the valve annulus while also promoting healing and/or regeneration of the annulus tissue is disclosed. Healing and/or regeneration of valvular tissue is promoted using a growth factor mixture that has been shown to be capable of promoting growth of a wide range of tissues, including heart valve tissue, and which promotes tissue growth based upon the local tissue environment (i.e., specific cell recruitment and proliferation). Thus, an annuloplasty ring that provides an actual healing response in addition to mechanical support to a dilated heart valve annulus is provided.

Growing community of inventors

Sugar Land, TX, United States of America

Timothy L Scott