A capacitor bank for use in a medical device is provided. Through selective control over the individual capacitors employed in the bank, a low ESR can be achieved without adversely impacting other properties of the resulting medical device. More particularly, at least one capacitor in the bank may contain a solid electrolytic capacitor element that includes an anode and a solid electrolyte overlying the anode. The anode includes an anodically oxidized, sintered porous pellet and the solid electrolyte includes a plurality of conductive polymer particles.

A system to deliver therapeutic energy to a patient, the system including a storage capacitor configured to store and release the therapeutic energy, a boost converter circuit coupled to the storage capacitor, and a current flow control circuit coupled to the boost converter circuit and including a plurality of control circuits configured to control a current output from the current flow control circuit in a therapeutic biphasic voltage waveform upon release of the therapeutic energy from the storage capacitor, wherein the therapeutic biphasic voltage waveform includes a ramped increase in voltage from approximately zero volts to a desired therapeutic voltage level over a time interval greater than 1 millisecond and less than a time associated with a phase switch.

A medical device that includes a power source, a therapy delivery interface, therapy electrodes, electrocardiogram (ECG) sensing electrodes to sense ECG signal of a heart of a patient, a sensor interface to receive and digitize the ECG signal, and a processor. The processor is configured to analyze the ECG signal to determine a cardiac rhythm and a transform value representing a magnitude of a frequency component of the cardiac rhythm, analyze the cardiac rhythm and the transform value to detect a shockable cardiac arrhythmia by classifying the cardiac rhythm as a noise rhythm or a shockable cardiac arrhythmia rhythm based on the transform value, and causing the processor to detect the cardiac arrhythmia if classifying the cardiac rhythm as a shockable cardiac arrhythmia rhythm, initiate a treatment alarm sequence, adjust the shock delivery parameter for a defibrillation shock, and provide the defibrillation shock via the therapy electrodes.

Methods and systems are provided that comprise: sensing cardiac events of a heart; utilizing one or more processors to perform: declaring a ventricular fibrillation (VF) episode based on the cardiac events charging a single charge storage capacitor; delivering a multi-phase VF therapy that includes phase I and phase II therapies, wherein: a) during the phase I therapy, a combination of two or more medium voltage (MV) shocks are delivered entirely from the single charge storage capacitor; and b) during the phase II therapy, a low voltage pulse train is delivered at least partially from the single charge storage capacitor. Methods and systems are provided that comprise delivering first and second pulses of at least a first biphasic shock, wherein a parallel-series reconfiguration circuit connects and configures the capacitors of the capacitor bank in a parallel configuration to deliver a parallel biphasic shock; connecting the capacitors of the capacitor bank in a series configuration; and delivering first and second pulses of a second biphasic shock while the capacitors are connected in series to deliver a series biphasic shock.

A handheld defibrillation device is disclosed, operated by a single battery cell, and configured to deliver a defibrillation pulse to a subject via defibrillation pads. The defibrillator comprises an energy storage unit comprising a plurality of capacitive elements, a plurality of charger units, each charger unit being electrically connected to the battery cell for electrically charging a respective one of the capacitive elements, and a pulse delivery unit configured and arranged to discharge the electrical charges of the capacitive elements through the defibrillation pads. The charging units and the pulse delivery unit, and various other parts of the defibrillator are specially designed to permit compactly packaging the defibrillator inside a handheld pocketsize housing.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) devices may include a high voltage capacitor (HV Cap) configured to store energy required to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient; batteries configured to charge the HV Cap; a DC/DC converter circuit including a high voltage transformer, a FET switch with associated driver, and a rectifying diode; an H-bridge circuit configured to transform energy released from the HV Cap into a bi-phasic pulse; and a memory and microprocessor configured to operate the AED device. In particular, the HV Cap, the DC/DC converter circuit, the H-bridge circuit, the one or more batteries, and the memory and the microprocessor may contained in a pocket-sized housing, the AED device may be configured to continuously monitor and adjust the rate at which the batteries charge the HV Cap, and the AED device may include a variable frequency relaxation oscillator circuit configured to acquire a patients Z-body measurement.

A method and a device for defibrillation. When a shock is generated, energy is transmitted from the low-voltage range to a high-voltage range, at least one current surge being generated in the low-voltage range, stepped up to the high-voltage range and guided to electrodes. An energy supply, power electronics and an energy storage device are used in the low-voltage range.

The disclosure describes various aspects of an automated external defibrillator (AED) system, including shock generating electronics, a battery configured for providing power to the shock generating electronics, power management circuitry configured for managing the shock generating electronics and the battery, at least one environmental sensor configured for monitoring environmental conditions in which the AED system is placed, and a controller configured for controlling the power management circuitry and the at least one environmental sensor. The at least one environmental sensor includes a temperature sensor configured for providing a temperature measurement, and the controller is further configured for adjusting operations of the power management circuitry in accordance with the temperature measurement provided by the temperature sensor. The disclosure further describes associated methods of using the AED system.

The present invention relates to a step-up converter with a plurality of levels, in particular for use in an implantable medical device, comprising a transformer (11) comprising a single primary winding and a single secondary winding; a primary circuit (6) comprising the single primary winding; and a secondary circuit (7) comprising the single secondary winding and a plurality of step-up levels, each of the step-up levels comprising a first diode (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f) and a second diode (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f) and a first capacitor (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f) and a second capacitor (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f), wherein the first capacitors (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f) of the plurality of step-up levels are connected in series or in parallel with one another. The present invention also relates to an implantable medical device comprising the step-up converter with a plurality of levels mentioned above, and a method for using the step-up converter with a plurality of levels or the implantable device mentioned above.

A device for defibrillation and monitoring, a monitoring component, and a component for defibrillation and monitoring, are disclosed. The device for defibrillation and monitoring includes a host and a monitoring apparatus, which are assembled and disassembled through a detachably connection. The host is capable of independently performing defibrillation operations and display defibrillation information at least. Therefore, when it is necessary to go out for defibrillation operation alone, only the host is carried to medical assistance facilities. This monitoring apparatus can independently implement monitoring functions. When it is necessary to go out for implementing separate monitoring operations, just the monitoring apparatus is carried to the medical assistance facilities. Therefore, the user flexibly selects the devices they carry according to their requirements, improving the convenience of use. Meanwhile, the monitoring apparatus has a first storage member to store monitoring accessories, thereby avoiding disorderly placement of monitoring accessories.