An example of a system and method for protecting a patient diagnosed of cancer from cardiac injury resulting from a chemotherapy treating the cancer. A sequence of cardioprotective pacing sessions may be initiated based on timing of the chemotherapy. Cardiac pacing pulses may be delivered to the patient during each session of the cardioprotective pacing sessions according to a cardioprotective pacing mode for controlling delivery of the cardiac pacing pulses to effect cardioprotection against potential myocardial injury resulting from the chemotherapy. The cardioprotective pacing mode may specifying alternating non-pacing and pacing periods.

Implantable devices and/or sensors can be wirelessly powered by controlling and propagating electromagnetic waves in a patient's tissue. Such implantable devices/sensors can be implanted at target locations in a patient, to stimulate areas such as the heart, brain, spinal cord, or muscle tissue, and/or to sense biological, physiological, chemical attributes of the blood, tissue, and other patient parameters. The propagating electromagnetic waves can be generated with sub-wavelength structures configured to manipulate evanescent fields outside of tissue to generate the propagating waves inside the tissue. Methods of use are also described.

A delivery device for installing a medical device in a patient comprising a body portion having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a chisel shaped tip, a receptacle disposed in the distal end of the body portion for receiving a medical device for implanting in the patient, a handle disposed at the proximal end of the body portion for facilitating advancement of the proximal end of the body portion into the patient.

New methods for implanting a cardiac therapy system include implanting a lead of the system substernally anterior of the heart without attaching to the myocardium or pericardium. An illustration includes placement of an anchor beneath the sternum in the vicinity of one of the sternal angle, a location superior of the ventricles, the area bounded by the 2nd or 3rd ribs, and level with the aortic arch. A tension element or tether is attached to the anchor and a lead is introduced over the tension element or tether and secured in a desired position relative to the anchor. Other examples also include implantation, substernally, of a lead without the use of a pre-tunneling tool or sheath over the lead itself, for example by using an advancing tool for pushing the lead into position.

Described is a low voltage, pulsed electrical stimulation device for reducing inflammation in a subject, which can be useful in the treatment of concussions, traumatic brain injury, cancer, and so forth.

Described is a low voltage, pulsed electrical stimulation device for controlling expression of, for example, follistatin, a muscle formation promotion protein, by tissues. Epicardial stimulation is especially useful for heart treatment. Follistatin controlled release is also useful for treating other ailments, such as erectile dysfunction, aortic aneurysm, and failing heart valves.

High purity lithium and associated products are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a lithium metal product in which the lithium metal is obtained using a selective lithium ion conducting layer. The selective lithium ion conducting layer includes an active metal ion conducting glass or glass ceramic that conducts only lithium ions. The present lithium metal products produced using a selective lithium ion conducting layer advantageously provide for improved lithium purity when compared to commercial lithium metal. Pursuant to the present disclosure, lithium metal having a purity of at least 99.96 weight percent on a metals basis can be obtained.

The present invention generally relates to heart treatment systems. In some aspects, methods and systems are provided for facilitating communication between implanted devices. For example, an implantable cardiac rhythm management device may be configured to communicate with an implantable blood pump. The implantable cardiac rhythm management device may deliver heart stimulation rate information in addition to information associated with any detected abnormalities in heart function. In response, the pump may be configured to adjust pumping by the pump to better accommodate a patient's particular needs.

An implantable cardiac rhythm management medical device is configured to switch from a first operating mode to a second, ventricular assist device operating mode for detecting cardiac arrhythmias and controlling delivery of anti-arrhythmia therapy during the ventricular assist device operating mode. The implantable medical device may receive a command from another medical device indicating co-implantation of a ventricular assist device with the implantable medical device in a patient and switch from the first mode of operating to the second mode of operating in response to receiving the command. Switching from the first mode to the second mode may include adjusting at least one control parameter used for controlling an electrical stimulation therapy deliverable by the implantable cardiac rhythm management medical device.

A prosthetic aortic valve is configured to be delivered to a native aortic valve of a patient in a constrained delivery configuration within a delivery sheath. The prosthetic aortic valve includes a frame; a plurality of prosthetic leaflets coupled to the frame; a cathode and an anode, which are mechanically coupled to the frame; and a prosthetic-valve coil, which is coupled to the frame and is in non-wireless electrical communication with the cathode and the anode. When the prosthetic aortic valve is in an expanded fully-deployed configuration upon release from the delivery sheath, (a) a line defined between upstream-most and downstream-most points of mechanical coupling between the prosthetic-valve coil and the frame and (b) a central longitudinal axis defined by the frame form an angle of between 20 and 70 degrees. Other embodiments are also described.