Electrical stimulation of neural activity in the neural innervation of the spleen that is associated with neurovascular bundles provides a useful way to treat acute medical conditions, such as trauma, hemorrhaging and shock.

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.

An apparatus includes a housing configured to be positioned within an ear canal of a recipient, at least one transducer, and at least one communication circuit. The at least one transducer is configured to respond to sound within the ear canal by generating output signals indicative of the sound. The at least one communication circuit has at least one resonance frequency and is configured to receive the output signals from the at least one transducer and to modulate the at least one resonance frequency in response to the output signals from the at least one transducer.

An adapter to add optical stimulation to a stimulation system includes an adapter body and a connector disposed on the distal end of the adapter body. The connector includes a connector body defining a port and a connector lumen; connector contacts disposed in the connector body and arranged along the connector lumen; and a light source disposed in the connector body. The adapter also includes terminals disposed along the proximal end of the adapter body and conductors extending along the adapter body and electrically coupling the connector contacts and the light source to the terminals. The adapter may be used with an optical stylet that fits into a stimulation lead which is, in turn, coupled to the connector of the adapter. Alternatively, the adapter can include a fiber optic coupled to the light source and configured to extend into the stimulation lead.

The present invention is a cortical visual prosthesis. The cortical visual prosthesis includes an implanted portion and an external portion. The implanted portion includes an implanted coil, electronics package, and a plurality of electrodes adapted to stimulate neural tissue. The implanted coil transfers power and data to the electronics package and the electronics package drives the electrodes. The external portion includes a video processor and a pair of glasses adapted to be supported by a user's nose and ears. The glasses include a support adapted to hold an external coil in close proximity to the implanted coil when implanted; the external coil supplies power and data to the implanted coil.

Methods of enhancing homeostatic capacity in a subject are provided. Aspects of the methods include increasing the amplitude of an input resultant response of a homeostatic system component of the subject in a manner sufficient to enhance homeostatic capacity of the subject. Also provided are devices configured for use in practicing the methods. Aspects of the invention further include methods of treating a subject for a condition via enhancement of homeostatic capacity. The methods and devices described herein find use in a variety of applications.

A system and method are disclosed for causing or enhancing the perception of color in a blind or visually impaired person. The system may comprise: an electromagnetic stimulation device associated with the blind or visually impaired person; and a visualization device for receiving an image and detecting a color of an object in the image, wherein the electromagnetic stimulation device is configured to stimulate the blind or visually impaired person based on a parameter of electromagnetic stimulation that varies based on the color detected by the visualization device. The method may comprise: varying a parameter of electromagnetic stimulation of an electromagnetic stimulation device, associated with an eye of the blind or visually impaired person, based on which color is detected by a visualization device that is used in conjunction with the electromagnetic stimulation device; and stimulating the eye with the electromagnetic stimulation device according to the parameter of electromagnetic stimulation.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for managing communications in a remote therapy system. A method includes initiating a remote therapy session by establishing communications between a patient device and an implantable medical device implanted in a patient, and establishing communications between the patient device and a clinician device, determining, using the patient device, a distance between the patient and the patient device, comparing, using the patient device, the determined distance to a threshold distance, and managing the communications between the patient device and the implantable medical device based on the comparison.

A system is provided herein for stimulating an anatomical element of a patient. For example, the system may include a device (e.g., an implantable pulse generator) and an electrode device electrically coupled to the device. In some examples, the device may be configured to generate a current that is to be applied to the anatomical element via the electrode device to stimulate the anatomical element as part of a therapy aimed at achieving or supporting glycemic control in the patient. Additionally, the current may be applied to the anatomical element based on a machine learning algorithm that uses inputs gathered for determining one or more characteristics for the current. Accordingly, the machine learning algorithm may be configured to determine the one or more characteristics for the current specific to the patient (e.g., to provide personalized therapy settings for the patient).

Systems and methods for mechanically blocking a nerve are provided. The system may comprise a blocking device configured to selectively compress the nerve. The system may also comprise a feedback mechanism configured to measure a response correlating to whether the nerve is blocked. When the blocking device compresses the nerve, a response from the feedback mechanism is received that correlates to the nerve being blocked or unblocked after a period of time.