A method includes receiving a bipolar signal sensed by a pair of electrodes at a location in a heart of a patient. A unipolar signal is received, which is sensed by an electrode at the location in the heart. A derivative of the received bipolar signal is computed. A derivative of the received unipolar signal is computed. A ratio is evaluated, between the derivative of the bipolar signal and the derivative of the unipolar signal at local minima of the derivative of the unipolar signal. When the ratio is smaller than a preset threshold ratio value, an occurrence of ventricular activity is indicated.

Closure devices that selectively control blood flow between the right atrium and the left atrium of a heart of a patient. The control of blood flow can be based on detected values from a pressure sensor. The closure devices can include a body configured to engage native tissue when the device is deployed across the septal wall. In a first state at least a portion of (an inner surface of) a lumen is closed, preventing blood flow through the closure device. Ina second state, the lumen is open to enable blood flow from the left atrium to the right atrium. A closure element can be selectively adjusted to control the flow of blood through the lumen. A volume of an expandable chamber can be increased or decreased to place the closure device into the first state or the second state.

A system for treating and/or monitoring a medical condition of a patient comprises: an implant configured to be inserted into a body space of the patient, such as the left atrial appendage. The implant comprises a frame or ring configured to engage tissue of the patient proximate the body space. Methods of treating and/or monitoring a medical condition of a patient are also provided.

A catheter and associated positioning system can include sensors and software to ascertain the extent of expansion of an expandable distal member of the catheter. Sensors on the distal member can be configured so that the system is able to determine a longitudinal dimension and a radial dimension of the distal-end assembly and determine extent of expansion of the distal member based on those metrics. At least the longitudinal dimension can be derived from advanced current localization (ACL) techniques utilizing an electrode at a distal end of the expandable distal member.

A medical device system may include a structure including a first elongate member, a line including a plurality of flexible members, and an actuator coupled to the line to selectively transmit force to at least the first elongate member. The structure may include a delivery configuration in which at least a portion of the structure is arranged to be percutaneously delivered to a bodily cavity. Respective portions of the flexible members may be intertwined together to form a braided portion of the line, and the line may include an unbraided portion secured at least to the first elongate member. The braided portion of the line may be located between the actuator and the first elongate member.

An apparatus for obtaining information regarding a biological structure(s) can include, for example a light guiding arrangement which can include a fiber through which an electromagnetic radiation(s) can be propagated, where the electromagnetic radiation can be provided to or from the structure. An at least partially reflective arrangement can have multiple surfaces, where the reflecting arrangement can be situated with respect to the optical arrangement such that the surfaces thereof each can receive a(s) beam of the electromagnetic radiations instantaneously, and a receiving arrangement(s) which can be configured to receive the reflected radiation from the surfaces which include speckle patterns.

Embodiments described herein relate to implantable medical devices (IMDs) and methods for use therewith. Such a method includes, during each of a plurality of message alert periods during which a communication capability of the IMD is enabled, determining whether a valid message is detected. In response to determining that no valid message was detected during a message alert period, the communication capability of the IMD is temporarily disable for a disable period. A length of the disable period may be increased in response to no valid message being detected during two consecutive message alert periods. A length of the disable period may be dependent on an operational mode of the IMD, such that the length of the disable period differs for different operational modes. The IMD may also enter a noise state, and remain in the noise state until the IMD receives a specified number of valid messages.

A catheter device for placing a sensor device comprises a shaft and a coupling device, arranged at the shaft, for coupling the catheter device to the sensor device comprising at least one bracket element. The coupling device comprises a coupling element and a locking element adjustable with respect to the coupling element, wherein the coupling element comprises at least one engagement section with which the at least one bracket element of the sensor device can be brought in engagement, wherein the locking element is designed, in a coupled position, to block the at least one bracket element at the at least one engagement section, and is adjustable with respect to the coupling element so as to release the at least one bracket element for detachment from the at least one engagement section.

Computer implemented methods and systems are provided that comprise, under control of one or more processors of a medical device, where the one or more processors are configured with specific executable instructions. The methods and systems include sensing circuitry configured to define a sensing channel to collect biological signals, memory configured to store program instructions, a processor configured to implement the program instructions to at least one of analyze the biological signals, manage storage of the biological signals or deliver a therapy, and communication circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other implantable or external device, the communication circuitry configured to transition between a sleep state, a partial awake state and a fully awake state. When in the fully awake state, the communication circuitry is configured to execute tasks and actions associated with a communications protocol startup (CPS) instruction set that includes an advertisement scanning related (ASR) instruction subset and a non-ASR instruction subset. When in the partially awake state, the communication circuitry is configured to execute, as the ASR instruction subset, transmit advertising notices over one or more channels according to a wireless communications protocol, scan the one or more channels for a connection request from an external device. When a connection request is not received, return to the sleep state, without performing actions or tasks associated with the non-ASR instruction subset of the CPA instruction set.

There is described a method of associating a pulsed signal to a corresponding reference pulse shape. The method generally has accessing reference data having a plurality of reference pulse shapes, each reference pulse shape having a sparse array of average coefficients; receiving a pulsed signal having an array of amplitude values, including generating a sparse array of instantaneous coefficients based on said pulsed signal for example using a discrete wavelet transform; calculating a plurality of first distances between said instantaneous coefficients of said sparse array and the average coefficients of each one of said reference pulse shapes, said first distances having a first minimal distance identifying a closer one of the reference pulse shapes; and upon determining that said first minimal distance is below a first distance threshold, associating said sparse array of instantaneous coefficients to the closer one of the reference pulse shapes.