7419results about How to "Improve the quality of life" patented technology

Provided is an analyte monitoring device having a housing, the device comprising: a plurality of needles, each having a tip, a retracted position, a position wherein the tip is extended from the housing a distance adapted to pierce skin; an electrically or spring powered needle pushing apparatus movable to separately engage each of the needles to move each from the retracted position to the extended position; an energy source located within the housing; a plurality of analysis sites comprising an analysis preparation, each adapted to receive liquid from the needles to wet the analysis preparation; one or more light sources adapted to direct light at the analysis sites; one or more light detectors adapted to receive light from the analysis sites; and a processor.

According to one aspect, a stimulation system is provided for electrically stimulating a predetermined site to treat a neurological condition. The system includes an electrical stimulation lead adapted for implantation in communication with a predetermined site, wherein the site is brain tissue site. The stimulation lead includes one or more stimulation electrodes adapted to be positioned in the predetermined site. The system also includes a stimulation source that generates the stimulation pulses for transmission to the one or more stimulation electrodes of the stimulation lead to deliver the stimulation pulses to the predetermined site to treat a neurological disorder or condition.

The present invention involves methods and systems for using electrical stimulation to treat neurological disorders. More particularly, the method comprises surgically implanting an electrical stimulation lead that is in communication with spinal nervous tissue associated with a first, second, or third cervical vertebral segment to result in spinal nervous tissue stimulation, thus treating a wide variety of neurological disorders.

A system to increase compliance with patient monitoring protocols for patients with chronic disease. The system uses a wireless telecommunication device as the hub of the system. The hub is configured to increase patient compliance with a monitoring protocol by being integrated with a mobile device, such as a cellular phone or PDA, that the patient normally carries or wears. The hub is further configured to increase compliance by displaying games that incorporate monitored conditions and providing rewards to the patient when he complies with the monitoring protocol. The hub receives physiological data about the patient from a medical sensor then collates the sensed data with certain data input by the patient. The reading is transmitted to a server that uses a software application to automatically examine and interpret the data. Alerts are sent to the health care provider only when the reading is outside specified parameters. The health care provider may contact the patient about the outlying event via the network.

According to one embodiment, a system for neurological stimulation of peripheral nerve fibers to treat low back pain is provided. The system includes stimulation electrodes adapted to be implanted in tissue proximate a network of peripheral nerve fibers located in and innervating a painful region of the low back area and to deliver electrical stimulation pulses to the network of peripheral nerve fibers located in and innervating the painful region of the low back area. The system also includes a stimulation source adapted for implantation into the person's body and operable to generate electrical stimulation pulses for transmission to the electrodes for delivery to the network of peripheral nerve fibers located in and innervating the painful region of the low back area to relieve pain in the painful region of the low back area.

The present invention relates to a minimally invasive method of performing annuloplasty. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for performing annuloplasty includes creating a first plication in the tissue near a mitral valve of a heart, using at least a first plication element, and creating a second plication in the tissue near the mitral valve such that the second plication is substantially coupled to the first plication.

A radio frequency identification (RFID) device, locator, wired and / or wireless communicator system comprising one or more than one antennas for receiving Radio Frequency (RF) signals from one or more RFID and or location determining and / or communication transmitters. The system has one or more receivers and demodulators for reception and demodulation of signals to baseband signals. A processor circuit processes the baseband signals and provides them to a cross-correlator circuit for cross-correlating the processed baseband signals and for generation of cross-correlated baseband signals. One or more modulators modulate the baseband signals and provide them to one or more transmitters. circuitry.

Improved assemblies, systems, and methods provide an implantable pulse generator for prosthetic or therapeutic stimulation of muscles, nerves, or central nervous system tissue, or any combination. The implantable pulse generator is sized and configured to be implanted subcutaneous a tissue region. The implantable pulse generator includes an electrically conductive case of a laser welded titanium material. Control circuitry is located within the case, the control circuitry including a rechargeable power source, a receive coil for receiving an RF magnetic field to recharge the power source, and a microcontroller for control of the implantable pulse generator. Improved assemblies, systems, and methods also provide a stimulation system for prosthetic or therapeutic stimulation of muscles, nerves, or central nervous system tissue, or any combination. The stimulation system provides at least one electrically conductive surface, a lead connected to the electrically conductive surface, and an implantable pulse generator electrically connected to the lead.

This invention provides methods for non-invasively monitoring patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and for reporting and / or warning of changes in the patients' status. The methods gather physiological data and combine the data into parameters by which the severity of CHF can be judged. Preferred parameters include periodic breathing and heart rate variability. This invention also provides systems for carrying out these methods which permit patients to engage in their normal daily activities. Preferably, physiological data analysis is performed by a portable electronic unit carried by the patients.

The invention provides methods, uses and compositions for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The invention describes methods and uses for treating rheumatoid arthritis wherein a TNFα inhibitor, such as a human TNFα antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof. Also described are methods for determining the efficacy of a TNFα inhibitor for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in a subject.

Various embodiments of a biological interface system and their related methods are disclosed. A biological interface system may include a sensor including a plurality of electrodes configured to detect multicellular signals emanating from one or more living cells of a patient and a processing unit configured to receive the multicellular signals from the sensor, to process the multicellular signals to produce processed signals, and to transmit the processed signals. The system may also include a controlled device configured to receive the processed signals from the processing unit. The processing unit may include a processing unit first portion and a processing unit second portion, where the processing unit first portion is implanted under the scalp on the skull of the patient, and the processing unit second portion is placed above the scalp of the patient at a location proximal to the processing unit first portion.

Improved assemblies, systems, and methods provide an MES processor for acquisition and processing of myoelectric signals from muscles, nerves, or central nervous system tissue, or any combination. The MES processor is sized and configured to be implanted subcutaneous a tissue region. The MES processor includes an electrically conductive case of a laser welded titanium material. Control circuitry is located within the case, the control circuitry including a rechargeable power source, a receive coil for receiving an RF magnetic field to recharge the power source, and a microcontroller for control of the MES processor. Improved assemblies, systems, and methods also provide an acquisition and processing system for sensing myoelectric signals from muscles, nerves, or central nervous system tissue, or any combination. The acquisition and processing system provides at least one electrically conductive surface, a lead connected to the electrically conductive surface, and an MES processor electrically connected to the lead.

This invention addresses environmental social and commercial uses and includes a monitoring system which is a network of on, in, out and off-board devices working together with people through software and interfaces to provide services and make accountable humanity's machines and their actions through safe secure communication. Control devices are used to provide accountability for their socio-economic and environmental impact. Along with these systems networked together, additional devices and variations needed to complete these operations nationally and world wide are also provided. Unique ways interface a network of separate devices or IC circuits to create an interactive secure control system or center that can be remotely controlled. A control device for society to fairly and accurately monitor and control the impact of equipment use on the world environment, and a nation's infrastructure while developing commercial companies to fulfill these needs and services for the equipment and the people who own and operate them for today and into the future are also provided. A set of secure devices and systems are also included to analyze society and machine interaction.

A surgical staple for use in creating an everted anastomosis of at least two anatomical structures includes a bendable staple body. At least two evening elements protrude from the staple body. Spacing elements and a penetrating element also are provided. In use, the evening elements and spacing elements are apposed, and inner layers of the anatomical structures are held together to form an evened anastomosis. The evening platforms are disposed on an outer radius of the closed staple, and the penetrating element is disposed on a different, inner radius, to ensure that the penetrating element is excluded from the lumen of the anastomosis. Embodiments of the invention substantially ensure intima-to-intima approximation completely circumferentially at the anastomotic site, with no portion of cut tissue edges, suture or staple exposed to the lumen of the anastomosis. Cut tissue edges, as well as the staple, are completely extra-lumenal. Related methods provide similar advantages.

A continent ostomy port device has a face plate defining a selectively sealable aperture which is alignable with the opening of a stoma formed in the body of a user of the device. A closure portion is adapted to permit selective and repeatable covering and uncovering of the aperture in the face plate. A catheter portion extends from one side of the face plate and extends proximally, and one end of the catheter portion is disposed interior of the user's body, within the ostomy site, when the port device is in normal use position. The catheter portion has continuous exterior and interior side walls, the latter defining a major lumen. The catheter portion is sized and shaped appropriately for non-surgical installation through a stoma to a sufficient distance that the presence of the catheter portion within the stoma provides a physical barrier which reduces the incidence of stoma prolapse, without the use of extraneous, externally applied materials or additional surgery. Retaining structure is connected to the catheter of the continent ostomy port and is non-surgically, snugly fittable into the stoma, to cause the port device to be self-retaining in a normal use position within a stoma of the user, without the need for special surgery or extraneous, external fixation materials such as tape, belts, and adhesives. The retaining structure is also usefully connected to other medical catheters.

Multimode, multi-function, multiple modulator-demodulator (modem) system containing a fingerprint sensor, detection, identification, authentication, and processing device for one or multiple fingerprint information to activate one or multiple modulators for signal transmission and generation of authentication information signals. A location information receiver and a processor device for processing and combining the location information and fingerprint information activated signals with one or more additional user generated signals. Processed, combined signals are provided for filtering and / or spread spectrum encoding and / or cross-correlating and connection to one or more modulators and transmitters.

A method of self treating a disease, such as diabetes, includes collecting in one or more databases data representing values of parameters that related to the self treatment. The data is processed to provide a plurality of alternate choices between two or more actions that may be taken and a corresponding value for each action is calculated. A computerized system may be employed to perform the above method and the system may include a computer readable medium for executing the method.

The present invention relates to the medical field, in particular relates to the practice of percutaneous vertebroplasty where a pair of syringes in the distal extreme of a lengthened hydraulic device, are united by a camera of intermediate connection of larger diameter (pressure exerting body) or modified inverted syringe tube with a bolster, a hydraulic connecting tube of flexible material that transmits the pressure of the smaller diameter manual or impulsion syringe in the proximal extreme of the device toward the intermediate cylindrical larger diameter camera (pressure exerting body), this camera is in an inverted position with regard to the first syringe (fluid control), this intermediate camera has a moving piston longitudinal to the axis of the cylinder that is controlled with the first syringe (manual) and in cooperation with the atmospheric pressure. The injecting syringe loaded with bone cement is coupled with the bolster of the body of pressure, and to the needle that drives the cement toward the interior of the bone. The intermediate camera (pressure exerting body) together with the hydraulic tube and the manual syringe form a hydraulic press system (F / A=f / a) that allows to increase in a potential way the pressure exerted in the first syringe and to make the injection of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) at an approximate distance of 1.0 m to 1.5 m.

The invention provides methods, uses and compositions for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. The invention describes methods and uses for treating psoriatic arthritis, wherein a TNFα inhibitor, such as a human TNFα antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof, is used to psoriatic arthritis in a subject. Also described are methods for determining the efficacy of a TNFα inhibitor for treatment of psoriatic arthritis in a subject.

Emergency Location Transceivers (ELT) and communication transceivers (transmitters and receivers) for reception and demodulation of location finder signals, Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite signals and non GPS satellite location finder and other location finder signals. The received location finder signals are demodulated to location finder baseband signals. Baseband signal processors for processing single or a plurality of input signals for providing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) baseband signals, filtered signals, cross-correlated shaped in-phase and quadrature-phase baseband signals and spread spectrum signals. Signal modulators for modulating the processed signals and for providing the modulated signals to the signal transmitter for transmission of the modulated signals. Emergency receiver systems for reception, demodulation and processing of the modulated transmitted signals. Certain emergency receiver embodiments, such as receivers of calls made to emergency call number 911 contain two or more receive antennas for reception and processing of the transmitted modulated signal. In certain embodiments emergency receiver systems have two or more receive antennas operated in a diversity mode, for reception and processing of the transmitted modulated signal.

Air based emergency monitor, multimode communication, control and position finder system with a receiver having multiple inputs for reception and demodulation of position finder signals to position finder baseband signals. One or more cameras or microphones or data signal generation devices, storage devices, and processors for recording or storing and processing of signals obtained from one or more cameras or microphones or data signal generation devices. A processor for processing input signals and for providing cross-correlated shaped in-phase and quadrature-phase baseband signals. Transceivers for multimode GSM, spread spectrum, CDMA, OFDM, TDMA and other signals. A receiver and demodulator for reception of modulated position finder radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted by a Global Positioning System (GPS) transmitter and a receiver and demodulator for reception of modulated position finder radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted by other than a GPS transmitter for providing the demodulated and receiver processed signal to an emergency unit. An air based position finding, signal monitor, control and emergency multimode communication system for use in one or more units located in or on airplanes, or helicopters, or unmanned vehicles (UV) or balloons or rockets, or missiles, or space shuttles or birds or other air based items with a multimode bit rate agile (BRA) and modulation demodulation (modem) format selectable (MFS) signal modulator.

An ankle joint and a subtalar joint provided in a hindfoot permit closed kinetic chain motion of the foot. The ankle and subtalar joints are preferably formed integrally with the hindfoot by respective struts of resilient material of the hindfoot. An arch in the midfoot creates frontal and sagittal plane motion capabilities. The forefoot includes at least one expansion joint hole extending therethrough between dorsal and plantar surfaces. An expansion joint extends forward from the hole to the anterior edge of the forefoot to form plural expansion struts that create improved biplanar motion capability of the forefoot. Concavities and convexities on the surface of the hindfoot, midfoot and forefoot encourage desired motions and motion directions so that the foot functions and feels like a normal foot to the amputee.

A continent ostomy port device has a face plate defining an aperture alignable with the opening of a stoma in the user's body and a closure adjacent to the aperture is adapted to permit covering and uncovering of the aperture in the face plate. A catheter extends from one side of the face plate proximally, and one end of the catheter is disposed within the ostomy site when the port device is in use. The catheter has continuous exterior and interior side walls, the latter defining a major lumen and is sized and shaped for non-surgical insertion through a stoma to a sufficient distance that the presence of the catheter within the stoma provides a barrier which reduces the incidence of prolapse, without the use of extraneous, externally applied materials or additional surgery. A removable cartridge fits snugly and slideably within the major lumen of the catheter of the device so as to prevent inadvertent escape of body waste material from the stoma when the cartridge is in place, without use of an ostomy bag, and to clean the interior side wall of the catheter as the cartridge is pressed into the major lumen. An anti-reflux valve is activated to prevent escape of body waste and deactivated for passage of fluid. Retaining structure is connected to the catheter, and is non-surgically, snugly fittable into the stoma, to cause the port device to be self-retaining in a normal use position within a stoma, without surgery or fixation materials.

A method and apparatus is described for supporting the respiration of a patient. The spontaneous respiration of a patient can be detected by sensors and during inhalation an additional amount of oxygen can be administered to the lungs via a jet gas current. If required, during exhalation a countercurrent can be administered to avoid collapse of the respiration paths. This therapy can be realized by an apparatus including a transtracheal catheter, an oxygen pump connected to an oxygen source, spontaneous respiration sensor(s) connected to a control unit for activating the oxygen pump and, if needed, a tracheal prosthesis. The tracheal prosthesis may include a connection for the catheter and the breath sensor(s). The tracheal prosthesis, if used, and the catheter can be dimensioned so the patient can freely breathe, cough, swallow and speak without restriction, and the system can be wearable to promote mobility.

Methods of implanting, applying, or adhering various drug molecules directly into or onto the surface of medical devices through gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) and / or monomer ion beam surface modification of the medical devices before or after depositing the various drug molecules onto the medical devices.

The invention provides methods and compositions for the treatment of a skin disorder associated with detrimental TNFα activity, such as psoriasis. The invention includes methods for treating a skin disorder associated with detrimental TNFα activity, such as psoriasis, in a subject who has failed or lost response to prior biologic therapy, such as prior administration of etanercept. The invention further provides methods for determining the efficacy of a human TNFα antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof, for the treatment of a skin disorder associated with detrimental TNFα activity, such as psoriasis.

The present invention relates to minimally invasive methods and apparatus for performing annuloplasty. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for performing annuloplasty includes creating a first plication in the tissue near a mitral valve of a heart, using at least a first plication element, and creating a second plication in the tissue near the mitral valve such that the second plication is substantially coupled to the first plication. In another aspect, an apparatus for performing annuloplasty includes a distal catheter portion having a sidewall defining a lumen, anchor delivery structure disposed in the lumen, and al least one anchor supported on the anchor delivery structure. The anchor delivery structure is movable from a first position wherein the anchor is disposed within the lumen, to a second position wherein the anchor is moved through an opening.

A minimally invasive method of performing annuloplasty. According to one aspect, a method for performing annuloplasty includes creating a first plication in the tissue near a mitral valve of a heart, using at least a first plication element, and creating a second plication in the tissue near the mitral valve such that the second plication is substantially coupled to the first plication.

According to one aspect, a stimulation system is provided for electrically stimulating a predetermined site to treat a neurological condition. The system includes an electrical stimulation lead adapted for implantation in communication with a predetermined site, wherein the site is brain tissue site. The stimulation lead includes one or more stimulation electrodes adapted to be positioned in the predetermined site. The system also includes a stimulation source that generates the stimulation pulses for transmission to the one or more stimulation electrodes of the stimulation lead to deliver the stimulation pulses to the predetermined site to treat a neurological disorder or condition.