Apparatus is provided for treating hyaline cartilage of a subject, the apparatus including a chondral implant, which includes a first exposed electrode surface and which is configured to be implanted in osteochondral tissue of the subject. A second exposed electrode surface is configured to be implanted in a body of the subject. Control circuitry is configured to promote regeneration of the hyaline cartilage by driving the first and the second exposed electrode surfaces to drive nutrients toward the first exposed electrode surface. Other embodiments are also described.

A biological-electrode protection module is a monolithic component including a capacitor and a voltage-limiting component integrated in a common substrate. The capacitor component is connected in the series path between the input and output terminals. The voltage-limiting component is connected between ground and a node in the series path. The voltage-limiting component has a low breakdown voltage no greater than 6 volts and may be a biphasic device operating in the punch-through mode. Moreover, the protection module is connected to or integrated with a set of biological electrodes at a distance no greater than 1 cm. The capacitor may be a 3D capacitor, and common fabrication processes may be used in forming the voltage-limiting component and the capacitor. A JFET may be integrated in the same substrate so that an electrical signal output from the monolithic protection device is already pre-amplified.

A biological-electrode protection module is a monolithic component including a capacitor and a voltage-limiting component integrated in a common substrate. The capacitor component is connected in the series path between the input and output terminals. The voltage-limiting component is connected between ground and a node in the series path. The voltage-limiting component has a low breakdown voltage no greater than 6 volts and may be a biphasic device operating in the punch-through mode. Moreover, the protection module is connected to or integrated with a set of biological electrodes at a distance no greater than 1 cm. The capacitor may be a 3D capacitor, and common fabrication processes may be used in forming the voltage-limiting component and the capacitor. A JFET may be integrated in the same substrate so that an electrical signal output from the monolithic protection device is already pre-amplified.

A wearable cardiac monitoring and treatment device for improved skin interface contact and easy assembly and disassembly includes a garment including an inner surface and an outer surface, ECG sensing electrodes, and at least one stiffener forming a section of the garment in proximity to one or more of the ECG sensing electrodes. The at least one stiffener is configured to resist rotation or pulling away of the one or more of the ECG sensing electrodes from a patient's torso. The device includes therapy electrodes, at least one separate module including a therapy delivery circuit, and a controller. The device includes compartments configured to receive the therapy electrodes and at least one separate module, and retention loops configured to route external wires extending between at least the therapy electrodes and at least one separate module, where the compartments and retention loops are disposed on the outer surface of the garment.

A wearable cardiac monitoring and treatment device for improved skin interface contact and easy assembly and disassembly includes a garment including an inner surface and an outer surface, ECG sensing electrodes, and at least one stiffener forming a section of the garment in proximity to one or more of the ECG sensing electrodes. The at least one stiffener is configured to resist rotation or pulling away of the one or more of the ECG sensing electrodes from a patient's torso. The device includes therapy electrodes, at least one separate module including a therapy delivery circuit, and a controller. The device includes compartments configured to receive the therapy electrodes and at least one separate module, and retention loops configured to route external wires extending between at least the therapy electrodes and at least one separate module, where the compartments and retention loops are disposed on the outer surface of the garment.

The types of electrode leads that are connected to an implantable medical device are determined based on electrical parameters that are measured at the electrodes that are positioned on the leads. The different types of known electrode leads have different physical electrode arrangements that impact the measured electrical parameters. Properties in the measured electrical parameters that are indicative of the physical arrangements of electrodes of known types of electrode leads are utilized to determine the types of leads that are connected to the implantable medical device.

Flexible catheters adapted to be inserted into a body to deliver high-voltage, fast (e.g., microsecond, sub-microsecond, nanosecond, picosecond, etc.) electrical energy to target tissue may include a plurality of conductive layers, that may be coaxial. These catheters and method of using them to treat tissue are configured to reduce or avoid arcing.

Flexible catheters adapted to be inserted into a body to deliver high-voltage, fast (e.g., microsecond, sub-microsecond, nanosecond, picosecond, etc.) electrical energy to target tissue may include a plurality of conductive layers, that may be coaxial. These catheters and method of using them to treat tissue are configured to reduce or avoid arcing.

The present invention changes the magnet-mode of an active implantable medical device (AIMD) such that repeated application of a clinical magnet in a predetermined and deliberate time sequence will induce the AIMD to enter into its designed magnet-mode. In one embodiment, a clinical magnet is applied close to and over the AIMD and removed a specified number of times within a specified timing sequence. In another embodiment, the clinical magnet is applied close to and over the AIMD and flipped a specified number of times within a specified timing sequence. This makes it highly unlikely that the magnet in a portable electronic device, children's toy, and the like can inadvertently and dangerously induce AIMD magnet-mode.

A resistance device (100) includes a field-effect transistor (TN) and a voltage applying circuit (1). The voltage applying circuit (1) applies a control voltage (Vgs) between the gate and source of the field-effect transistor (TN) according to a temperature (T) to control a resistance value (R) between the drain and source of the field-effect transistor (TN). The control voltage (Vgs) is a voltage obtained by adding a correction voltage (Vc) to a reference voltage (Vgs0). The correction voltage (Vc) depends on the temperature (T) and is set to be zero at a first temperature (T1).