An illustrative proximity detection system directs a first electrode of an electrode lead to apply a first pulse and directs a second electrode of the electrode lead to apply a second pulse concurrently with the first pulse so as to form a dipole that generates a field. The first and second electrodes are each configured as stimulating electrodes that apply stimulation to the cochlear tissue when the electrode lead is located at a resting position subsequent to a surgical insertion of the electrode lead into a cochlea of a patient. After the pulses are applied, and based on an energy magnitude of the field that is detected to reflect from cochlear tissue located within the field, the proximity detection system determines a proximity of the electrode lead to the cochlear tissue. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Stimulation of neural activity in a nerve supplying the spleen, wherein the nerve is adjacent to the splenic artery at a position where the splenic artery is not in direct contact with the pancreas, can modulate pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules levels, thereby reducing inflammation and providing ways of treating disorders, such as disorders associated with inflammation. The invention provides improved ways of reducing inflammation with minimized off-target effects, in particular surgical trauma.

The invention relates to a stimulation device for electrotherapy, in particular a defibrillator device and/or external pacemaker device, comprising at least two contact electrodes, which can be applied to the body of a patient at suitable stimulation positions and by means of which current pulses can be applied to the body of the patient, the first of the at least two contact electrodes acting as a charging electrode having positive polarity, and the second of the at least two contact electrodes acting as a discharging electrode having negative polarity with respect to an emitted current pulse, and with a current pulse generator, which is or can be connected to the contact electrodes by means of line connections. The invention further relates to a method for determining the polarity of contact electrodes applied to the body of a patient.

Techniques to help improve efficiency or effectiveness of treating a disorder such as RLS or PLMD, such as by issuing neural electrostimulations to a particular patient, while varying one or more amplitude parameters (e.g., at least one of electrostimulation current amplitude, electrostimulation voltage amplitude, or electrostimulation pulsewidth duration). A corresponding patient-subjective or patient-objective response can be observed. A characteristic electrostimulation intensity relationship can be generated, for example, based on the determined respective at least one of RLS or PLMD response indication threshold amplitude parameters and the plurality of corresponding neural electrostimulation durations. Once this characteristic electrostimulation intensity relationship has been generated, it can then be used to control issuing subsequent neural electrostimulations to the particular patient according to (1) at least one goal and (2) a variable operating point based upon the generated characteristic electrostimulation intensity relationship.

A method and system for providing stimulation to a user, the method including: transitioning a stimulation device from a baseline state to a first impedance monitoring state; during the first impedance monitoring state, guiding, an adjustment of a position of the stimulation device at a head region of the user to satisfy a first impedance criterion; upon satisfaction of the first impedance criterion, transitioning the stimulation device from the first impedance monitoring state to a stimulation regime that comprises a second monitoring state having a second criterion; upon detection of failure to satisfy the second criterion, transitioning the stimulation device from the stimulation regime to the first impedance monitoring state; and upon detecting that a third impedance criterion of the first impedance monitoring state is satisfied, transitioning the stimulation device from the first impedance monitoring state to the stimulation regime.

An exemplary sound processor within a cochlear implant system directs a cochlear implant to concurrently apply first and second pulses by way of first and second electrodes disposed on an electrode lead configured to be inserted into a cochlea of a patient. The first and second pulses have substantially equal magnitudes and opposite phases such that the application of the first and second pulses forms a dipole that generates a field. The sound processor further directs the cochlear implant to detect, by way of a third electrode disposed on the electrode lead, an energy magnitude of the field that reflects from cochlear tissue located within the field. Based on a difference between the detected energy magnitude of the field and a baseline energy magnitude of the field, the sound processor determines a proximity of the electrode lead to the cochlear tissue. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

A system for cosmetically treating a patient's skin or body with one or more EMS coils and/or RF electrodes mounted on a planar holder; a hydrogel containing gel pad, the gel pad being positionable between the holder and the skin tissue; wherein the gel pad being of a material that is biocompatible and conducts RF and/or EMS energy when EMS energy is applied from the one or more EMS coils; a programmable controller to activate the one or more EMS coils; the programmable controller, after the planar holder is applied to the skin tissue, being configured to activate one or more of the plurality of EMS coils to provide treatment in the form of stimulation to the skin tissue.

A stimulation engine configured to identify a fault condition in an implantable lead, including a regulator configured to deliver an electrical pulse between at least two electrodes of the implantable stimulation lead, and a sensing module configured to detect at least an initial voltage and a subsequent voltage between the at least two electrodes at different times during delivery of the electrical pulse, and compare at least the subsequent voltage to a defined threshold value representing an expected voltage at the same time during the electrical pulse to determine the presence of a fault condition.

Methods and systems are described for detecting if a stimulation lead implanted in a patient's brain has moved. Lead movement occurring between a first time and a second time may be determined by comparing features extracted from evoked potentials recorded at the two times. The disclosed methods and systems are particularly useful for determining if a stimulation lead has moved between the time it was implanted in the patient's brain and the time that stimulation parameters are being optimized. Lead movement during implantation, during parameter optimization, and during or between other lead optimization processes may be determined as well.

Methods and systems are described for detecting if a stimulation lead implanted in a patient's brain has moved. Lead movement occurring between a first time and a second time may be determined by comparing features extracted from evoked potentials recorded at the two times. The disclosed methods and systems are particularly useful for determining if a stimulation lead has moved between the time it was implanted in the patient's brain and the time that stimulation parameters are being optimized. Lead movement during implantation, during parameter optimization, and during or between other lead optimization processes may be determined as well.