Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8180462 | Heat dissipation for a lead assembly A method, system, and apparatus are provided for using an electrode for delivering an electrical signal to a first tissue of a patient's body. An electrode system comprises a lead and an electrode coupled to the lead. The electrode includes a stimulation portion tha... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8172759 | Methods and systems for detecting epileptic events using nonlinear analysis parameters Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus for detecting an epilepsy event in a patient using a medical device. The medical device is capable of determining an occurring epilepsy event, for example a seizure or an increased risk of a seizure. The determina... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8165693 | Safe-mode implantable medical devices A method, system, and apparatus for implementing a safe mode operation of an implantable medical system using impedance adjustment(s) are provided. A first impedance is provided to a lead. An indication of a possibility of a coupled energy is received. Based upon sa... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8150524 | Selective neurostimulation for treating epilepsy A method and device for treating epilepsy are disclosed which provide for electrical, chemical or magnetic stimulation of certain areas of the brain to modulate neuronal activity of areas associated with symptoms of epilepsy. Deep brain stimulation is combined with ... | 04/03/2012 |
| 8140159 | Safe-mode operation of an implantable medical device A method, system, and apparatus for implementing a safe mode operation of an implantable medical system using impedance adjustment(s) are provided. A first impedance is provided to a lead. An indication of a possibility of a coupled energy is received. Based upon sa... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8086310 | Power supply monitoring for an implantable 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 and for determining an impedance experienced by a lead associated with the implantable device. An active charge d... | 12/27/2011 |
| 7996088 | Vagus nerve stimulation by electrical signals for controlling cerebellar tremor A neurostimulator system for alleviating cerebellar tremor associated with multiple sclerosis, for instance, comprises a programmable electrical pulse generator. The programmable electrical pulse generator is programmed to generate electrical signals with the follow... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7996079 | Input response override for an implantable medical device A method and apparatus for providing an override of an operational mode of an implantable medical device. An override input to enter an override mode is received. A determination as to whether a magnetic input has been received is made. A predetermined response to t... | 08/09/2011 |
| 7974707 | Electrode assembly with fibers for a medical device An apparatus and system are provided for employing an electrode for delivering an electrical signal to a portion of a tissue of a patient's body. The electrode includes a first surface to electrically couple to the portion of an outer layer of the tissue. The electr... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7974701 | Dosing limitation for an implantable medical device A method for limiting patient-initiated electrical signal therapy to a cranial nerve of a patient is provided. An electrical signal therapy limit is selected from the group consisting of; a maximum number of patient-initiated signals, a maximum dose of electrical si... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7974697 | Medical imaging feedback for an implantable medical device A method, system, and apparatus are provided for performing an adaptive stimulation process using medical imaging feedback data for affecting an operation of an implantable medical device. The first stimulation signal is applied to a neural structure for modulation ... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7974688 | Trained and adaptive response in a neurostimulator A method sensing at least two physiological parameters and, for each of the at least two physiological parameters, generating a first series of signals representative of the physiological parameter sensed over a first time period, storing each of said first series o... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7962214 | Non-surgical device and methods for trans-esophageal vagus nerve stimulation 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 o... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7957796 | Using physiological sensor data with an implantable medical device A method, system, and apparatus for providing an electrical neurostimulation therapy to a neural structure of a patient's body using an implantable medical device (IMD). A first electrical signal is provided using the implantable medical device. A first electrical s... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7904175 | 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 memb... | 03/08/2011 |
| 7901613 | Vacuum mandrel for use in fabricating an implantable electrode A vacuum mandrel for use in fabricating an implantable electrode comprises a hollow body member and a first groove provided radially on an outer surface of the hollow body member. The first groove is adapted to receive an implantable electrode and retain the electro... | 03/08/2011 |
| 7899540 | Noninvasively adjustable gastric band A method and apparatus for treatment of an eating disorder includes electrically stimulating the vagus nerve of the lower esophagus, cardia, esophageal/cardia junction, cardia/fundus junction or upper stomach so as to induce afferent action potentials on the vagus n... | 03/01/2011 |
| 7869884 | 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 memb... | 01/11/2011 |
| 7869867 | Implantable neurostimulator with refractory stimulation In some embodiments, a method comprises providing an electrical signal to a nerve to evoke an action potential. The nerve thereby enters a refractory period in which the nerve is in a refractory state. The method further comprises, during the refractory period, prov... | 01/11/2011 |
| 7856273 | Autonomic nerve stimulation to treat a gastrointestinal disorder A method and apparatus for stimulating a portion of a vagus nerve of a patient to treat a gastrointestinal disorder is provided. At least one electrode is coupled to at least one portion of a vagus nerve of the patient. The portion of the a vagus nerve may include a... | 12/21/2010 |
| 7840280 | Cranial nerve stimulation to treat a vocal cord disorder Disclosed is a method of treating a patient having a vocal cord disorder, comprising coupling at least one electrode to at least one cranial nerve of the patient, wherein the cranial nerve is selected from the group consisting of a vagus nerve, a trigeminal nerve, a... | 11/23/2010 |
| 7835796 | Weight loss method and device A method and apparatus for treatment of an eating disorder includes electrically, mechanically and/or pharmaceutically/chemically stimulating a of the vagus nerve of the lower esophagus, cardia, esophageal/cardia junction, cardia/fundus junction or upper stomach so ... | 11/16/2010 |
| 7818069 | Ribbon electrode We disclose an electrode assembly comprising a ribbon electrode having a first surface and a second surface; a plurality of bosses disposed on the second surface of the ribbon electrode, wherein each boss has a third surface substantially not in contact with the sec... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7801601 | Controlling neuromodulation using stimulus modalities A method, apparatus, and system for affecting neuromodulation based upon an evoking signal applied to a patient's body. An internal and/or external evoking and/or therapeutic signal is applied to a first target portion of a patient's body. Data relating to a physiol... | 09/21/2010 |
| 7769455 | Power supply monitoring for an implantable 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 wh... | 08/03/2010 |
| 7751891 | Power supply monitoring for an implantable 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 and for determining an impedance experienced by a lead associated with the implantable device. An active charge d... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7729760 | Patient management system for providing parameter data for an implantable medical device A method, system, graphical user interface, and apparatus are provided for performing a patient management function providing parameter data for delivering a therapeutic signal. A first electrical signal comprising a first therapy parameter is applied to a portion o... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7711426 | 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 ... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7711419 | Neurostimulator with reduced size A method, system, and an apparatus for providing a therapy neurostimulation signal. The apparatus includes a sealed housing being of a total volume of less than about 14.5 cc and a power supply contained within the sealed housing. The power supply includes a charge ... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7706875 | Modulation of drug effects by vagus nerve stimulation A method of treating a patient undergoing pharmacotherapy with a selected drug for treatment of a medical disorder is provided which comprises: (a) administering the selected drug to said patient at a first time point, to treat the medical disorder; and (b) applying... | 04/27/2010 |
| 7706874 | Stimulating cranial nerve to treat disorders associated with the thyroid gland A method, system, and an apparatus for stimulating a cranial nerve of a patient to treat a disorder, such as a metabolic or an endocrine disorder associated with the thyroid gland with an implantable medical device are provided. The method comprises coupling an elec... | 04/27/2010 |
| 7657310 | Treatment of reproductive endocrine disorders by vagus nerve stimulation I disclose a method of treating a reproductive endocrine disorder in a patient, including coupling at least one electrode to at least one portion of a cranial nerve of the patient; and applying an electrical signal to said cranial nerve using said electrode to treat... | 02/02/2010 |
| 7643881 | Neurostimulation with activation based on changes in body temperature Methods and devices for detecting and/or predicting onset of an undesirable physiological event or neural state, such as an epileptic seizure, facilitate rapid intervention with a treatment therapy such as neurostimulation or drug therapy. The methods and devices in... | 01/05/2010 |
| 7620455 | Cranial nerve stimulation to treat eating disorders Methods and systems of treating a patient having an eating disorder involving coupling at least one electrode to at least one cranial nerve of the patient, implanting a sensory stimulation device in the patient, applying a sensory stimulus to the patient using the s... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7567840 | Lead condition assessment for an implantable medical device A method, system, and apparatus for performing a lead condition assessment and/or a lead orientation determination associated with an implantable medical device (IMD). A first impedance is determined. The first impedance relates to the impedance relative to a first ... | 07/28/2009 |
| 7561918 | Autocapture in a neurostimulator A method (and associated apparatus) of providing electrical neurostimulation therapy to a patient using an implanted neurostimulator comprises (a) delivering an electrical stimulation to a nerve and (b) determining whether a predetermined condition has occurred as a... | 07/14/2009 |
| 7555344 | Selective neurostimulation for treating epilepsy A method and device for treating epilepsy are disclosed which provide for electrical, chemical or magnetic stimulation of certain areas of the brain to modulate neuronal activity of areas associated with symptoms of epilepsy. Deep brain stimulation is combined with ... | 06/30/2009 |
| 7532935 | Selective neurostimulation for treating mood disorders A method and device for treating a mood and/or anxiety disorder are disclosed which comprise electrical, chemical or magnetic stimulation of certain areas of the brain to modulate neuronal activity of areas associated with symptoms of mood disorders. In certain embo... | 05/12/2009 |
| 7499752 | Selective nerve stimulation for the treatment of eating disorders A method and apparatus for treating persons suffering from an eating disorder includes direct or indirect stimulation of selected areas of the brain associated with a symptom of the eating disorder. The stimulation regimen is programmable to enable physician optimiz... | 03/03/2009 |
| 7489561 | Implantable medical device with reconfigurable non-volatile program A device comprises a stimulus generator comprising an instruction processor. The stimulus generator is configured to deliver stimuli to a biological tissue. The device also comprises a non-volatile memory for storing instructions directly executable by the instructi... | 02/10/2009 |
