An oral care implement herein may be embodied as an oral device for placement in the oral cavity. The device may include an insert configured for placement in the oral cavity in contact with a wearer's teeth and an activating member configured for placement in the oral cavity and selectively attachable to the insert.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for nerve conduction block. The systems and methods can utilize at least one renewable electrode. The methods can include delivering a first direct current with a first polarity to an electrode proximate nervous tissue sufficient to block conduction in the nervous tissue. Delivering the first direct current can place the nervous tissue in a hypersuppressed state at least partially preventing conduction of the nervous tissue after cessation of delivering of the first direct current. The nervous tissue can be maintained in the hypersuppressed state for a desired period, such as at least about 1 minute.

A distal electrode of an electrode assembly, for example, employed by an implantable medical electrical lead device, extends distally from a distal terminal end of a sleeve of the assembly; and the sleeve, which defines a longitudinal axis of the assembly, includes a plurality of channels that provide fluid communication between a steroid eluting component, which is seated in an external groove of the sleeve, and an area distal to the distal terminal end of the sleeve. Floors of some or all of the sleeve channels may angle toward the longitudinal axis of the assembly, being closer to the axis at the distal terminal end of the sleeve. The assembly may further include a proximal electrode secured to a proximal end of the sleeve, wherein the proximal electrode may be mounted around an outer surface of the sleeve or coupled to the sleeve by means of a coupling component.

An electrical brain treatment system includes a parenchymal electrode, configured to be implanted in direct physical contact with brain parenchyma or meninges of the brain of a subject identified as at risk of or suffering from a disease; and a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) electrode, configured to be implanted in a CSF-filled space selected from a ventricular system and a subarachnoid space. Control circuitry is electrically coupled to the parenchymal electrode and the CSF electrode, and is configured to clear a substance from the brain parenchyma into the CSF-filled space of the brain by applying direct current between the parenchymal electrode and the CSF electrode as a series of pulses, with an average amplitude of between 0.25 and 0.5 mA, an average pulse width of between 0.5 and 2 ms, and an average frequency of between 1 and 5 Hz. Other embodiments are also described.

A method for increasing permeability of a cellular layer of epithelial cells includes contacting the cellular layer with a nanostructured surface including a plurality of first nanostructures arranged thereon and projecting outward therefrom. A fractal dimension of the plurality of nanostructures is greater than 1. The permeability of the cellular layer by a compound is increased as compared to the permeability of the cellular layer prior to contact with the surface.

The present invention is directed to a wearable system wherein elements of the system, including various sensors adapted to detect biometric and other data and/or to deliver drugs, are positioned proximal to, on the ear or in the ear canal of a person. In embodiments of the invention, elements of the system are positioned on the ear or in the ear canal for extended periods of time. For example, an element of the system may be positioned on the tympanic membrane of a user and left there overnight, for multiple days, months, or years. Because of the position and longevity of the system elements in the ear canal, the present invention has many advantages over prior wearable biometric and drug delivery devices.

An electrical discharge irrigation device includes a power source to produce power of a first voltage, a circuit coupled to the power source to convert the power of the first voltage to power of a second voltage where the second voltage is higher than the first voltage, a trigger to activate the circuit, an igniter coupled to the circuit to produce a spike, an electrical charge storage component coupled to the igniter the electrical charge storage component becoming conductive and storing an electrical charge after receiving the spike, and an output tip. The output tip includes an electrode and insulating material as an outer layer.

An oral care implement herein may be embodied as an oral device for placement in the oral cavity. The device may include an insert configured for placement in the oral cavity in contact with a wearer's teeth and an activating member configured for placement in the oral cavity and selectively attachable to the insert.

Methods and devices that provide enhanced delivery of a composition to a body region of a patient utilizing radiofrequency energy include directing a first electrode and a second electrode coupled to a radiofrequency energy source to a location proximate to the body region. Radiofrequency energy is provided in modulated pulses from the radiofrequency energy source to the body region from at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode to provide a delivery condition configured to enhance delivery of the composition. The composition is delivered proximate to the body region using a composition delivery element. Devices for enhance composition delivery are also disclosed.

This document provides devices and methods for the treatment of heart conditions, hypertension, and other medical disorders. For example, this document provides devices and methods for treating atrial fibrillation by performing thoracic vein ablation procedures, including pulmonary vein myocardium ablation. In some embodiments, the ablation is performed in coordination with the delivery a pharmacological agent that can abate the formation of tissue stenosis or neointimal hyperplasia caused by the ablation.