An implantation accessory for an intracardiac capsule includes a catheter with a catheter body and a tubular protection tip disposed at a distal end of the catheter body. The tubular protection tip includes a flexible portion disposed between a base portion structured to couple the tubular protection tip to the catheter body and a cylindrical portion structured to house the intracardiac capsule.

A system includes a lead with a balloon, wherein the lead defines an inflation lumen in fluid communication with the balloon. The system further includes an implantable medical device with a housing defining a fastener opening and a lead lumen. The lead lumen is configured to receive a proximal portion of the lead. The system further includes a fastener defining a fastener lumen. The fastener is configured to engage the fastener opening and the proximal portion of the lead to retain the proximal portion within the lead lumen. The fastener lumen is in fluid communication with the lead lumen and the inflation lumen, such that a pump in fluid communication with the fastener lumen inflates the balloon when the proximal portion of the lead is within the lead lumen.

In some examples, a tether head assembly of a delivery system includes an inner retainer and an outer retainer that defines an aperture comprising a receptacle configured to receive an attachment member of a medical device, a passageway, and a groove. The inner retainer is movable within the groove between a second position in which the passageway is dimensioned to receive the attachment member and a first position in which the passageway is dimensioned to prevent passage of the attachment member. In some examples, a tether handle assembly defines a channel, a force transmitter within the channel, a slidable member partially received within a first end of the channel and a button partially received within a second end of the channel. Distally-directed force applied to the button may cause the force transmitter to apply proximally-directed force to the slidable member, moving the slidable member and an attached pull wire proximally.

A scaffold for a tube, the scaffold having a membrane and a pair of splines integrally formed with or embedded in the membrane. The splines being spaced apart from one another with the membrane spanning therebetween and with the membrane further having a pair of grooves disposed between the splines adapted to receive the splines when the membrane is folded over on itself. The scaffold may be applied internally or externally to a tube, including tubular biological structures (e.g.. arteries) to provide support thereto, and in this sense, it may be used as a stent. The scaffold is more easily deployed and retrieved than known stents,

Apparatus (100) for training oral muscle tone, the apparatus (100) includes a mouthpiece (103) having first electrode means (132a, 132b, 133a, 133b) associated with the mouthpiece (103) and second electrode means (152a, 152b) for location exterior of the mouth of the user, electrical circuitry operatively connected to the first (132a, 132b, 133a, 133b) and second (152a, 152b) electrode means, wherein the apparatus (100) is configured to provide, in use, via the first (132a, 132b, 133a, 133b) and/or second (152a, 152b) electrode means electrical stimulation to one or more oral muscles to increase resting muscle tone and/or muscle tone during sleep, the second electrode means (152a, 152b) including a first and second electrode (152a, 152b), the first and second electrodes (152a, 152b) of the second electrode means being located or locatable lateral of a midline of the face of the user.

This module comprises: a circuit for interfacing with the piezoelectric beam of an oscillating pendular unit, outputting a rectified signal comprising a sequence of pulses at a frequency equal to a multiple of the oscillation frequency of the pendular unit; a buffer capacitor charged by the successive pulses outputted by the interface circuit; and a converter regulator adapted to convert a capacitor discharge current into a stabilized power supply voltage, and controlled by a feedback control stage of the Maximum Power-Point Tracking (MPPT) type. A comparator detects the conduction of a blocking diode interposed between the interface circuit and the capacitor, in order to produce a signal representative of the current value of the duty cycle of the detected conduction and non-conduction periods. This signal is compared with a predetermined optimum duty cycle value in order to enable or disable the coupling of the capacitor to the converter regulator so as to control either the capacitor discharge towards an input of the converter regulator, or the continuation of its charging.

Devices, systems and methods for reducing migration of leads, catheters and similar devices are provided. In particular, devices, systems and methods are provided for creating a slack anchor which assists in maintaining the lead or catheter in a desired position. In some embodiments, the slack anchor is created within the epidural space. When targeting nerve anatomy within the spinal column or in the vicinity of the epidural space, anchoring within the epidural space allows the associated lead or catheter to be anchored as close to the target therapy site as desired or possible. By anchoring close to the target therapy site, the risk of movement or migration is significantly reduced or eliminated.

Anchoring mechanisms for an implantable electrical medical lead that is positioned within a substernal space are disclosed. The anchoring mechanisms fixedly-position a distal portion of the lead, that is implanted in the substernal space.

This disclosure describes an implantable medical electrical lead and an ICD system utilizing the lead. The lead includes a lead body defining a proximal end and a distal portion, wherein at least a part of the distal portion of the lead body defines an undulating configuration. The lead includes a defibrillation electrode that includes a plurality of defibrillation electrode segments disposed along the undulating configuration spaced apart from one another by a distance. The lead also includes at least one electrode disposed between adjacent sections of the plurality of defibrillation sections. The at least one electrode is configured to deliver a pacing pulse to the heart and/or sense cardiac electrical activity of the heart.

A pacing lead conversion tool and a method of using the pacing lead conversion tool to reversibly convert an extendable cardiac pacing lead into a fixed cardiac pacing lead. The pacing lead conversion tool includes a locking lumen configured to receive a pacing lead. The locking lumen includes a connector body segment to receive a connector body of the pacing lead in a first friction fit and a pin segment to receive a connector pin of the pacing lead in a second friction fit. The friction fits allow for relative rotation between a lead body of the pacing lead and the connector pin when the pacing lead conversion tool is twisted, and prevents relative rotation between the lead body and the connector pin when the cardiac pacing lead is burrowed through a target tissue. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.