One aspect provides a capacitor feedthrough assembly having an electrically conductive member dimensioned to extend at least partially through a feedthrough hole of a case of the capacitor, the conductive member having a passage therethrough.

An exemplary method includes generating, by an electroacupuncture device implanted beneath a skin surface of a patient, stimulation sessions at a duty cycle that is less than 0.05, and applying, by the electroacupuncture device in accordance with the duty cycle, the stimulation sessions to a location within the patient. A primary battery located within the electroacupuncture device and having an internal impedance greater than 5 ohms is configured to provide operating power to pulse generation circuitry within the electroacupuncture device.

This disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for enhanced dielectric properties for electrolytic capacitors to store energy in an implantable medical device. One aspect of the present subject matter includes a method for manufacturing a capacitor adapted to be disposed in an implantable device housing. An embodiment of the method includes providing a dielectric comprising aluminum oxide and doping the aluminum oxide with an oxide having a dielectric constant greater than aluminum oxide. Doping the aluminum oxide includes using sol-gel based chemistry, electrodeposition or atomic layer deposition (ALD) in various embodiments.

An exemplary method of treating obesity or dyslipidemia of a patient includes 1) generating, by an electroacupuncture device implanted beneath a skin surface of the patient, stimulation sessions at a duty cycle that is less than 0.05, and 2) applying, by the electroacupuncture device in accordance with the duty cycle, the stimulation sessions to at least one of a saphenous nerve and a peroneal nerve of the patient by way of an electrode array located within the patient at an acupoint corresponding to at least one of the saphenous nerve and the peroneal nerve.

Compliance voltage generation circuitry for a medical device is disclosed. The circuitry in one embodiment comprises a boost converter and a charge pump, either of which is capable of generating an appropriate compliance voltage from the voltage of the battery in the device. A boost signal from compliance voltage monitor-and-adjust logic circuitry is processed with a telemetry enable signal to selectively enable either the charge pump or the boost converter: if the telemetry enable signal is not active, the boost converter is used to generate the compliance voltage; if the telemetry enable signal is active, the charge pump is used. Because the charge pump circuitry does not produce a magnetic field, the charge pump will not interfere with magnetically-coupled telemetry between the implant and an external controller. By contrast, the boost converter is allowed to operate during periods of no telemetry, when magnetic interference is not a concern.

An implantable electroacupuncture device for treating a medical condition of a patient through application of electroacupuncture stimulation pulses to a target tissue location within the patient includes 1) a housing configured to be implanted beneath a skin surface of the patient, 2) pulse generation circuitry located within the housing and electrically coupled to at least two electrodes, the pulse generation circuitry being adapted to deliver stimulation sessions by way of the at least two electrodes to the target tissue location in accordance with a stimulation regimen, and 3) a primary battery contained within the housing and electrically coupled to the pulse generation circuitry, the primary battery having an internal impedance greater than 5 ohms and a capacity of less than 60 mAh, wherein the primary battery is the only battery that provides power to the pulse generation circuitry.

An exemplary method treating an erectile dysfunction condition in a patient includes 1) generating, by an electroacupuncture device implanted beneath a skin surface of the patient, stimulation sessions at a duty cycle that is less than 0.05, and 2) applying, by the electroacupuncture device in accordance with the duty cycle, the stimulation sessions to a target tissue location within the patient by way of an electrode array located within the patient at an acupoint corresponding to the target tissue location.

An exemplary method treating a chronic low back pain condition in a patient includes 1) generating, by an electroacupuncture device implanted beneath a skin surface of the patient, stimulation sessions at a duty cycle that is less than 0.05, and 2) applying, by the electroacupuncture device in accordance with the duty cycle, the stimulation sessions to a target tissue location within the patient by way of an electrode array located within the patient at an acupoint corresponding to the target tissue location.

An electroacupuncture device for treating hypertension in a patient includes 1) a housing configured to be implanted beneath a skin surface of the patient at an acupoint corresponding to a target tissue location within the patient, the acupoint comprising at least one of PC5, PC6, ST36, and ST37, 2) a central electrode of a first polarity and centrally located and substantially planar on a first surface of the housing, 3) an annular electrode of a second polarity and that surrounds the central electrode on the first surface of the housing, the annular electrode being spaced apart from the central electrode, and 4) pulse generation circuitry located within the housing and electrically coupled to the annular and central electrodes.

Compliance voltage generation circuitry for a medical device is disclosed. The circuitry in one embodiment comprises a boost converter and a charge pump, either of which is capable of generating an appropriate compliance voltage from the voltage of the battery in the device. A boost signal from compliance voltage monitor-and-adjust logic circuitry is processed with a telemetry enable signal to selectively enable either the charge pump or the boost converter: if the telemetry enable signal is not active, the boost converter is used to generate the compliance voltage; if the telemetry enable signal is active, the charge pump is used. Because the charge pump circuitry does not produce a magnetic field, the charge pump will not interfere with magnetically-coupled telemetry between the implant and an external controller. By contrast, the boost converter is allowed to operate during periods of no telemetry, when magnetic interference is not a concern.