A blog about what is new (and old) in the world of active implantable medical devices

Category Archives: History

Omikron Scientific – Israeli Pacemaker Company (1979-1985)

Posted on by Posted in Bradycardia, Cardiac Pacing, History, Museum, Omikron Scientific (1979-1985)

Omikron Scientific Model 811 Pacemaker

Omikron Scientific was a small-scale pacemaker company founded in Rehovot, Israel in 1979.  The company stopped pacemaker production in 1985.

Besides pacemakers, Omikron also produced a skin substitute called Omniderm, which was a thin, transparent, flexible membrane. It was used when a biological dressing would otherwise have been used.

Omikron’s pacemakers were all VVI and featured gradual decline Magnet Rate & Programmed Rate.  Models included the 811 (6.5 year longevity), 811L (10 year longevity), 811XL (14 year longevity), 821 (VVIM with 8 year longevity), 837, a 838 (6.5 year longevity).

Click here for Omikron’s patents.

Northstar Neuroscience’s Renova Cortical Stimulation System (1999-2009)

Posted on by Posted in Brain Stimulation, Museum, Northstar Neuroscience (1999-2009), Stroke

Northstar's Renova Implantable Stimulator for the Treatment of Stroke

Northstar was founded in 1999 as Vertis Neuroscience headquartered in Seattle, WA, and the original goal was to develop electrical stimulation for chronic back pain.  In 2003, under its new name, Northstar Neuroscience, then developed the Renova cortical stimulation system to deliver targeted electrical stimulation to the brain cortex as a treatment for stroke-related upper extremity. Continue reading→

Transneuronix Transcend IPG for Obesity Treatment

Posted on by Posted in Gastric Stimulation, Medtronic, Museum, Obesity, Transneuronix

Transneuronix Transcend Implantable Gastric Stimulator for Treatment of ObesityTransneuronix, Inc. was founded in 1995 and was based in Mount Arlington, New Jersey. It was acquired by Medtronic in 2005.

Before its acqusition by Medtronic, Transneuronix developed the Transcend, an implantable gastric stimulator device for the treatment of obesity by electrical stimulation of the stomach.  Later, Medtronic developed the Transcend II IPG. Continue reading→

Transoma’s Sleuth Implantable Wireless ECG Monitor

Posted on by Posted in Data Sciences International, ECG Monitoring, Museum, Telemetry, Transoma

Transoma's Sleuth Implantable Wireless ECG MonitorTransoma was the name that Data Sciences International of St Paul, MN adopted in 2003 when it re-fucused its animal telemetry implant business to develop an implantable wireless system to capture electrocardiogram data for diagnosing human cardiac arrhythmias, as well as to monitor the electrical activity of the heart and transmit data from the patient’s home to monitoring centers.

In 2007, Transoma received FDA’s approval for its Sleuth implantable device to wirelessly monitor a patient’s ECG for possible diagnosis of arrhythmias and prevention of syncopal episodes.  The Sleuth ECG Monitoring System included a High Definition Implantable Loop Recorder (HD-ILR), a Personal Diagnostic Manager, a Base Station and a Monitoring Center staffed 24/7. Continue reading→