Combined Cardioverting/defibrillating And Pacing Patents (Class 607/4)
  • Publication number: 20120290024
    Abstract: A transvenous renal nerve modulation system comprises: a blood pressure monitoring device to be implanted in a patient to monitor the patient's blood pressure; one or more transvenous renal nerve modulation leads to be implanted in one or more renal blood vessels of the patient; a pulse generator coupled to the transvenous renal nerve modulation leads to deliver electrical pulses to the one or more transvenous renal nerve modulation leads for modulating renal nerves of the patient; and a control unit coupled to the blood pressure monitoring device and the pulse generator to control delivery of the electrical pulses by the pulse generator based on the patient's blood pressure from the blood pressure monitoring device. The pulse generator delivers high frequency pulses of greater than about 10 Hz to the transvenous renal nerve modulation leads if the patient's blood pressure is greater than a high blood pressure threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Yongxing ZHANG, Cary HATA
  • Publication number: 20120289845
    Abstract: A method includes retrieving electrogram (EGM) data for N cardiac cycles from a memory of an implantable medical device. N is an integer greater than 1. The method further include categorizing each of the N cardiac cycles into one of a plurality of categories based on a morphology of the N cardiac cycles and performing comparisons between pairs of the N cardiac cycles. Each of the comparisons between two cardiac cycles includes detecting a mismatch between the two cardiac cycles when the two cardiac cycles are in different categories, and detecting a match between the two cardiac cycles when the two cardiac cycles are in the same category. Additionally, the method includes classifying the rhythm of the N cardiac cycles based on a number of detected matches and detected mismatches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Subham Ghosh, Jeffrey M. Gillberg
  • Patent number: 8311620
    Abstract: The invention provides a cardiac rhythm management system which includes a tachyarrhythmia detection and classification circuit programmed to detect and classify a tachyarrhythmia, a biologic therapy delivery device configured to deliver or regulate an expression cassette suitable for terminating or preventing atrial fibrillation (AF), and a control circuit coupled to the tachyarrhythmia detection and classification circuit and the biologic therapy delivery device. Also provided is an implantable medical device for use in a body having a cardiovascular system, which includes an implantable device body including at least a cardiovascular portion configured to be in the cardiovascular system, and an expression cassette incorporated into the cardiovascular portion of the implantable device body, the expression cassette selected to express a gene product that terminates or prevents AF. Further provided are methods which employ particular expression cassettes to prevent, inhibit or treat AF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Jihong Qu, Haris J. Sih, Mark Schwartz, Prashant Sinha
  • Patent number: 8306615
    Abstract: An implantable cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device delivers a chronic therapy while detecting an ischemic state. When the ischemic state indicates the occurrence of an ischemic event, the implantable CRM device delivers a post-ischemia therapy. The post-ischemia therapy and the chronic therapy are adjusted using feedback control with the ischemic state and parameters indicative of the effectiveness of the post-ischemic therapy and the effectiveness of the chronic therapy as inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Marina V. Brockway, Joseph M. Pastore, Yi Zhang, Carlos Ricci, Allan C. Shuros, Rodney W. Salo
  • Patent number: 8303579
    Abstract: The surgical operation system includes a treatment section for treating a living tissue of a treatment target; an ultrasound generation section for providing ultrasound to the treatment section; an ultrasound drive power supply section for supplying ultrasound drive power to generate ultrasound to the ultrasound generation section; a high-frequency power supply section for supplying high-frequency power to the treatment section; an impedance detection section for detecting the impedance of the ultrasound provided to the living tissue and the impedance of the high-frequency power supplied to the living tissue; and a control section for controlling the ultrasound energy amount and the amount of high-frequency power or a crest factor value thereof in response to the detected impedance values of ultrasound and high-frequency wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventor: Norikiyo Shibata
  • Patent number: 8306616
    Abstract: A method of modifying the force of contraction of at least a portion of a heart chamber, including providing a subject having a heart, comprising at least a portion having an activation, and applying a non-excitatory electric field having a given duration, at a delay after the activation, to the portion, which causes the force of contraction to be increased by a least 5%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Impulse Dynamics, N.V.
    Inventors: Shlomo Ben-Haim, Nissim Darvish, Maier Fenster, Mike Yuval
  • Patent number: 8306617
    Abstract: A method of modifying the force of contraction of at least a portion of a heart chamber, including providing a subject having a heart, comprising at least a portion having an activation, and applying a non-excitatory electric field having a given duration, at a delay after the activation, to the portion, which causes the force of contraction to be increased by a least 5%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Impulse Dynamics N.V.
    Inventors: Shiomo Ben-Haim, Nissim Darvish, Maier Fenster, Mike Yuval
  • Patent number: 8306614
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring a patient's heart rate sense first cardiac events in a heart chamber using a first cardiac electrode pair and sense second cardiac events in the heart chamber using a second cardiac electrode pair. The method includes estimating a first heart rate using the first cardiac events, comparing the first heart rate to a heart rate threshold and estimating a second heart rate using the second cardiac events in response to the first heart rate exceeding the heart rate threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Stadler, Carissa Lynn Bellardine Black
  • Patent number: 8301248
    Abstract: A patient's ejection fraction is maximized through simultaneous sensing and stimulating across multiple electrodes. In one exemplary embodiment, a catheter or lead having multiple electrodes connected to a pulse generator is used. The pulse generator provides individual current control of the stimulus applied to each electrode, and further includes the ability to sense intrinsic and evoked depolarization through multiple electrodes. In another exemplary embodiment, a multiplicity of individual implantable microstimulators, each having its own current source and/or sensor and electrodes, cooperate in concert to provide multi-site stimulation and sensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
    Inventors: James R. Thacker, Kelly H. McClure, Todd K. Whitehurst
  • Patent number: 8301247
    Abstract: A method of modifying the force of contraction of at least a portion of a heart chamber, including providing a subject having a heart, comprising at least a portion having an activation, and applying a non-excitatory electric field having a given duration, at a delay after the activation, to the portion, which causes the force of contraction to be increased by a least 5%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Impulse Dynamics, N.V.
    Inventors: Shlomo Ben-Haim, Nissim Darvish, Maier Fenster, Mika Yuval
  • Patent number: 8301244
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises an implantable ventricular depolarization sensing circuit configured to provide a sensed ventricular depolarization signal, a timer circuit configured to provide a ventricular time interval between ventricular depolarizations, and a controller circuit communicatively coupled to the ventricular depolarization sensing circuit and the timer circuit. The controller circuit includes a ventricular tachycardia (VT) detection circuit configured to declare an episode of VT when a number of accelerated beats are detected, calculate a hysteresis VT detection threshold interval, and deem whether the episode of VT persists using the hysteresis VT detection threshold interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaeho Kim, Dan Li, Joseph M. Bocek
  • Publication number: 20120271367
    Abstract: Provided herein are implantable systems, and methods for use therewith, for characterizing a tachycardia and/or selecting treatment for a tachycardia using results of a dominant frequency analysis. One or more electrogram (EGM) signal(s) indicative of cardiac electrical activity are obtained. For at least one of the EGM signal(s) a dominant frequency (DF) analysis is performed, and the results of the DF analysis are used to characterize a tachycardia and/or to select treatment for a tachycardia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Fujian Qu, Timothy A. Fayram, Michael E. Benser, Taraneh Ghaffari Farazi, Mark Carlson
  • Publication number: 20120271369
    Abstract: A system for the endocardial stimulation/defibrillation of the left ventricle. This system includes a generator (60) and an endocardial lead. The lead includes a lead body (26) whose distal end (30) extends into the right ventricle (14) and is provided with a mechanism to anchor (32) the distal end to the interventricular septum (20). The lead body carries on it a stimulating and/or defibrillation electrode (38) (64, 66). A microcable (42) extends into the lead body and beyond, with an intermediate portion (56) crossing from one side of the interventricular septum (20) to the other, and an active free portion (58) that emerges in the left ventricle (16). The microcable is coupled to the generator, to produce an electric field (62) between, on one hand, the stimulation electrode (38) or defibrillation electrode (64, 66) of the lead body and, on the other hand, a bare region of the active free portion (58) of microcable (42).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventor: Jean-Francois Ollivier
  • Publication number: 20120271368
    Abstract: Provided herein are implantable systems, and methods for use therewith, for characterizing a tachycardia and/or selecting treatment for a tachycardia using results of a fractionation analysis. One or more electrogram (EGM) signal(s) indicative of cardiac electrical activity are obtained. At least one of the EGM signal(s) is analyzed to determine whether the EGM signal is fractionated, and the results of the analyzing are used to characterize a tachycardia and/or to select treatment for a tachycardia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Fujian Qu, Timothy A. Fayram, Michael E. Benser, Taraneh Ghaffari Farazi, Mark Carlson
  • Publication number: 20120265263
    Abstract: A medical device includes a sensor for sensing for an MRI gradient magnetic field and a microprocessor configured to operate in a signal processing mode in which electrical signals induced by the gradient magnetic field are not counted as cardiac events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventor: Volkert A. Zeijlemaker
  • Patent number: 8285374
    Abstract: The disclosure includes methods and systems for treating ventricular arrhythmias. Embodiments include an implantable cardiac device or system including a determining module that determines a value of a parameter indicative of a rate of an intrinsic pacemaker of a heart of a patient experiencing fast ventricular arrhythmia (FVA) and a delivery module, programmed to deliver therapy for ventricular arrhythmias to a patient. Some methods include determining a value of a parameter indicative of a rate of an intrinsic pacemaker of a heart of a patient experiencing an FVA; if the value indicates the rate is about equal to or higher than a threshold, delivering a first therapy to the patient for terminating the FVA, and if the value indicates the rate is lower than the threshold, delivering a second therapy, different from the first therapy, to the patient for terminating the FVA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventor: Mohamed Hussein Hamdan
  • Patent number: 8271081
    Abstract: Techniques are described for discriminating ventricular tachycardia (VT) from supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in circumstances when the ventricular rate exceeds the atrial rate (i.e. V>A). In one example, an initial atrial rate is detected while employing adjustable atrial channel detection parameters that can affect the detection of the true atrial rate—such as a post-ventricular atrial blanking (PVAB) interval or an atrial channel sensitivity level. If the ventricular rate exceeds a VT rate zone threshold with V>A, the device does not immediately deliver high voltage shock therapy as done in other devices. Rather, the device instead selectively adjusts the atrial channel detection parameter(s) to determine if the true atrial rate is equal to the ventricular rate. If so, then such is an indication that the arrhythmia might be SVT rather than VT and various discrimination procedures are employed to distinguish SVT from VT before therapy is delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Hauck, Martin Cholette
  • Publication number: 20120231036
    Abstract: A medical device, said medical device, comprises: a first component having a non-biological material; a second component having a cloned biological material, said second component being attached to said first component, wherein said first component and said second component are operatively associated in a non-living medical device for at least one of treatment, diagnosis, cure, mitigation and prevention of disease, injury, handicap or condition in a living organism. In another aspect, a method comprises: preparing a cloned biological material from a tissue or an organ; attaching said biological material to a medical device; interfacing said biological material with the non-biological material; providing treatment, diagnosis, cure, mitigation and prevention of disease, injury, handicap or condition in a living organism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: FIRST PRINCIPLES, INC.
    Inventor: Keith A. Raniere
  • Publication number: 20120232604
    Abstract: Various aspects of the present subject matter provide devices and methods to treat AV-conducted ventricular tachyarrhythmia (AVCVT). According to various embodiments of the method, an AVCVT is sensed, an IVC-LA fat pad is stimulated when the AVCVT is sensed to block AV conduction, and bradycardia support pacing is provided while the IVC-LA fat pad is stimulated. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Julia Moffitt, Andrew P. Kramer, Imad Libbus
  • Patent number: 8265755
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for use by implantable medical devices for controlling ventricular pacing using a multi-pole left ventricular (LV) lead. In one example, a single “V sense” test is performed to determine intrinsic interventricular conduction time delays (?n) between the RV electrode and each of the LV electrodes of the multi-pole lead. Likewise, a single “RV pace” test is performed to determine paced interventricular conduction time delays (IVCD_RLn) between the RV electrode and each of the LV electrodes. A set of “LV pace” tests is then performed to determine paced interventricular conduction time delays (IVCD_LRn) between individual LV electrodes and the RV electrode. Optimal or preferred interventricular pacing delays are determined using the intrinsic interventricular conduction delay (?n) values and a set of interventricular correction terms (?n) determined from the results of the RV pace test and the set of LV pace tests. With these techniques, overall test time can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventor: Xiaoyi Min
  • Patent number: 8260416
    Abstract: A method of modifying the force of contraction of at least a portion of a heart chamber, including providing a subject having a heart, comprising at least a portion having an activation, and applying a non-excitatory electric field having a given duration, at a delay after the activation, to the portion, which causes the force of contraction to be increased by a least 5%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Impulse Dynamics, N.V.
    Inventors: Shlomo Ben-Haim, Nissim Darvish, Maier Fenster, Mika Yuval
  • Patent number: 8260412
    Abstract: Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul G. Krause, John E. Burnes, William T. Donofrio, David J. Peichel, Gerald P. Arne, Xiaohong Zhou, James D. Reinke, Timothy Davis
  • Publication number: 20120221066
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for use with implantable medical devices for addressing encapsulation effects, particularly in the detection of cardiac decompensation events such as heart failure (HF) or cardiogenic pulmonary edema (PE.) In one example, during an acute interval following device implant, cardiac decompensation is detected using heart rate variability (HRV), ventricular evoked response (ER) or various other non-impedance-based parameters that are insensitive to component encapsulation effects. During the subsequent chronic interval, decompensation is detected using intracardiac or transthoracic impedance signals. In another example, the degree of maturation of encapsulation of implanted components is assessed using impedance frequency-response measurements or based on the frequency bandwidth of heart sounds or other physiological signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: PACESETTER, INC.
    Inventors: Stuart Rosenberg, Cecilia Qin Xi, Yelena Nabutovsky, Brian Jeffrey Wenzel, Jong Gill, William Hsu
  • Publication number: 20120215269
    Abstract: The present invention provides both methods and devices for termination of arrhythmias, such as ventricular or atrial tachyarrhythmias. The device and method involves application of alternating current (AC) for clinically significant durations at selected therapeutic frequencies through the cardiac tissue to a subject experiencing arrhythmia. Methods are also provided to minimize or eliminate pain during defibrillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Harikrishna Tandri, Ronald David Berger, Seth Weinberg, Leslie Tung, Natalia Trayanova
  • Patent number: 8249703
    Abstract: A cardiac rhythm management device which employs pacing therapy to regularize the ventricular rhythm. Such ventricular rate regularization may be employed within bradycardia pacemakers, ventricular resynchronization devices, or implantable cardioverter/defibrillators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew P. Kramer, Jeffrey E. Stahmann
  • Publication number: 20120209342
    Abstract: An implantable medical device includes an acoustic transducer for intra-body communication with another medical device via an acoustic couple. The acoustic transducer includes one or more piezoelectric transducers. In one embodiment, an implantable medical device housing contains a cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device and an acoustic communication circuit. The acoustic transducer is electrically connected to the acoustic communication circuit to function as an acoustic coupler and physically fastened to a wall of the implantable housing, directly or via a supporting structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Von Arx, Scott T. Mazar, Abhi Chavan
  • Patent number: 8239019
    Abstract: An implantable electrostimulation device having at least three input channels, (each forming a sensing channel), which are each connected to at least one electrode or to one terminal for an electrode, using which at least three different electrical potentials accompanying an excitation of cardiac tissue (myocardium) in a heart may be detected. Uses a signal processing unit which is connected to the input channels and is implemented to analyze the time curve of the potentials detected via the three sensing channels as three input signals in chronological relation to a periodically repeating trigger signal, which triggers a time window, and which is also implemented to detect predefined signal features for each of the three input signals within the time window triggered by the trigger signal, store them, and compare them to corresponding signal features of preceding time windows or of another input channel within the same time window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Biotronik CRM Patent AG
    Inventors: Thomas Dörr, Andreas Kucher, Jens Philipp, Ingo Weiss
  • Patent number: 8239011
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises an implantable impedance sensing circuit configured to sense an atrial impedance signal when coupled to a plurality of implantable electrodes, and an impedance signal analyzer circuit configured to detect a sudden change in a characteristic of the sensed atrial impedance signal that indicates atrial tachyarrhythmia. The impedance signal analyzer circuit classifies the atrial tachyarrhythmia indication as ST when the detected sudden change satisfies an ST threshold value of the characteristic, classifies the atrial tachyarrhythmia indication as AT when the detected sudden change satisfies an AT threshold value of the characteristic that is different from the ST threshold value, classifies the atrial tachyarrhythmia indication as AF when the detected sudden change satisfies an AF threshold value of the characteristic that is different from the ST and AT amplitude threshold values, and provides a classification of the tachyarrhythmia to a user or process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventor: Dan Li
  • Publication number: 20120197323
    Abstract: An implantable or ambulatory medical device can include a cardiac signal sensing circuit configured to provide a sensed cardiac depolarization signal of a heart of a subject, a respiration sensing circuit configured to provide a signal representative of respiration of the subject, and a control circuit communicatively coupled to the cardiac signal sensing circuit and the respiration circuit. The control circuit includes a tachyarrhythmia detection circuit configured to determine heart rate using the depolarization signal, determine a respiration parameter of the subject using the respiration signal, calculate a ratio using the determined heart rate and the determined respiration parameter, generate an indication of tachyarrhythmia when the calculated ratio satisfies a specified detection ratio threshold value, and provide the indication of tachyarrhythmia to a user or process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Efdal Elferri, Randall L. McPherson, Donald L. Hopper, Gary T. Seim, James O. Gilkerson, Dan Li, David L. Perschbacher
  • Publication number: 20120197324
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a medical device, such as a defibrillator, for use with an accessory capable of collecting a parameter of a patient. The medical device is capable of at least performing a basic functionality, an advanced functionality, and of defibrillating the patient. The medical device includes an energy storage module within a housing for storing an electrical charge that is to be delivered to the patient for the defibrillating. The medical device includes a processor structured to determine whether a data set received from the accessory confirms or not a preset authentication criterion about the accessory. Although when the accessory is coupled to the housing the medical device is capable of the defibrillating and the basic functionality, the medical device is capable of the advanced functionality only when the accessory is coupled to the housing and it is determined that the preset authentication criterion is confirmed. Embodiments also include methods of operation and a programmed solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: PHYSIO-CONTROL, INC.
    Inventor: Richard C. Nova
  • Publication number: 20120190958
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for treating a heart of a patient may make use of structures which limit a size of a chamber of the heart, such as by deploying a tensile member to bring a wall of the heart toward (optionally into contact with) a septum of the heart. The implant may include an electrode or other structure for applying pacing signals to one or both ventricles of the heart, for defibrillating the heart, for sensing beating of the heart or the like. A wireless telemetry and control system may allowing the implant to treat congestive heart failure, monitor the results of the treatment, and apply appropriate electrical stimulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: BioVentrix (a CHF Technologies' Company)
    Inventors: Lon S. Annest, Arthur A. Bertolero, David K. Swanson
  • Publication number: 20120191150
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to an implantable cardiac system, including a housing, electronic circuitry for controlling one or more of power management, processing unit, information memory and management circuit, sensing and simulation output. The system also includes diagnosis and treatment software for diagnosing health issues, diagnosing mechanical issues, determining therapy output and manage patient health indicators over time, a power supply system including at least one rechargeable battery, a recharging system, an alarm (or alert) system to inform patient of energy level and integrity of system, communication circuitry, one or more electrodes for delivering therapeutic signal to a heart and one or more electrodes for from delivering electrocardiogram signal from the heart to the electronic circuitry. The power supplies can include rechargeable batteries. The housing can include a plurality of physically distinct structures that can be implanted in different locations in patient's body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventor: Nader Kameli
  • Patent number: 8229554
    Abstract: One embodiment includes an apparatus that includes an implantable device housing, a capacitor disposed in the implantable device housing, the capacitor including a dielectric comprising CaCu3Ti4O12 and BaTiO3, the dielectric insulating an anode from a cathode and pulse control electronics disposed in the implantable device housing and connected to the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory J. Sherwood
  • Patent number: 8229556
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide for sensing, within a patient and during an event of tachycardia, a signal indicative of a mechanical response of the patient's heart to the tachycardia. Regularity of the signal relative to a threshold established for the patient is determined. A state of patient hemodynamics during the tachycardia event is determined based at least in part on the regularity of the signal. One or more anti-tachycardia therapies to treat the tachycardia may be selected based at least in part on the determined state of patient hemodynamics. The selected one or more anti-tachycardia therapies may be delivered to treat the tachycardia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventor: Dan Li
  • Patent number: 8224442
    Abstract: A resuscitation device for automatic compression of victim's chest using a compression belt which exerts force evenly over the entire thoracic cavity. The belt is constricted and relaxed through a motorized spool assembly which repeatedly tightens the belt and relaxes the belt to provide repeated and rapid chest compression. An assembly includes various resuscitation devices including chest compression devices, defibrillation devices, and airway management devices, along with communications devices and senses with initiate communications with emergency medical personnel automatically upon use of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: ZOLL Circulation, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven R. Bystrom, Darren R. Sherman, Kenneth H. Mollenauer
  • Publication number: 20120179216
    Abstract: Various aspects relate to a device which, in various embodiments, comprises a header, a neural stimulator, a detector and a controller. The header includes at least one port to connect to at least one lead, and includes first and second channels for use to provide neural stimulation to first and second neural stimulation sites for a heart. The controller is connected to the detector and the neural stimulator to selectively deliver a therapy based on the feedback signal. A first therapy signal is delivered to the first neural stimulation site to selectively control contractility and a second therapy signal is delivered to the second neural stimulation site to selectively control one of a sinus rate and an AV conduction. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Julia Moffitt, Imad Libbus
  • Patent number: 8219192
    Abstract: A transcutaneous cardiac stimulation system delivers pacing pulses according to a cardioprotective pacing protocol. The pacing pulses are delivered through body-surface electrodes attached onto a patient. The cardioprotective pacing protocol specifies pacing parameters selected to augment cardiac stress on the patient's myocardium to a level effecting cardioprotection against ischemic and reperfusion injuries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Allan C. Shuros, Eric A. Mokelke
  • Patent number: 8219186
    Abstract: A non-invasive system and method of diagnosing and predicting cardiac disease in a patient's heart is disclosed that comprises a microprocessor which contains a signal processor and a pattern recognition processor; detect the electrophysiological signals of the heart whereby the signals are processed to create a pattern that represents the patient's heart. The pattern may be further processed by repeatedly comparing it to patterns stored within the pattern recognition processor whereby certain coronary diseases such as myocardial ischemia in the patient's heart may be diagnosed. During each heartbeat, at least a million different electrical signals are collected and the results of test are displayed on a screen. The results may include the diagnosis, computer generated image of the patient's heart identifying areas of any cardiac disease that has been detected and/or a two dimensional non-linear waveform representing the electrophysiological signals of the patient's heart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventor: Guangren Chen
  • Patent number: 8214041
    Abstract: This document provides a simple and automatic method for determining an optimal AV interval and/or range of AV intervals for, in an exemplary embodiment, LV-only pacing. Such a method provides significant advantages for patients while reducing burdens related to post-implant follow-up by clinicians in that it greatly reduces the need for doing echocardiographic-based AV interval optimization procedures as well as providing a way to dynamically optimize AV intervals as the patient moves about their activities of daily living (ADL).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Berry M. Van Gelder, M. S. J. Pilmeyer, John E Burnes
  • Publication number: 20120165884
    Abstract: Provided herein are implantable systems, and methods for use therewith, for monitoring a patient's fluid accumulation level. A thoracic impedance signal for the patient is obtained. Based on the thoracic impedance signal, a duration metric indicative of a duration of drop of the thoracic impedance signal, a magnitude metric indicative of a magnitude of drop of the thoracic impedance signal, and a rate metric indicative of a rate of drop of the thoracic impedance signal is determined. The patient's fluid accumulation level is monitored based on the duration metric, the magnitude metric and the rate metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventors: Cecilia Qin Xi, Stuart Rosenberg, Jong Gill, Yelena Nabutovsky, William Hsu, Brian Jeffrey Wenzel
  • Patent number: 8204586
    Abstract: Methods for evaluating tissue motion of a tissue location, e.g., a cardiac location, via external continuous field tomography are provided. Aspects of the methods include generating at least one substantially linear continuous field gradient across the tissue location of interest, and using a resultant signal from a sensing element stably associated with the tissue location to evaluate motion of the tissue location. Also provided are systems, devices and related compositions for practicing the subject methods. The subject methods and devices find use in a variety of different applications, including cardiac resynchronization therapy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Proteus Biomedical, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Zdeblick
  • Patent number: 8204588
    Abstract: A cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, or other programmable medical device (25) includes a source unit (15) and a collection unit (20). The source unit (15) has a check data unit (40) generating at least one check datum for control data for the medical device (25), and a transmitting unit (45) transmitting the control data and the check datum to the collection unit (20). The collection unit (20) has a storage unit (65) storing the control data, a check unit (70) checking the integrity of the control data using the check datum, and a transmitting unit (75) transmitting the control data to a programmable control unit (80) of the medical device (25) only if the integrity of the control data is established by the check unit (70). The control unit (80) of the medical device (25) controls the functions of the medical device (20) on the basis of the transmitted control data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Biotronik CRM Patent AG
    Inventors: Thomas Severin, Joern Bungartz
  • Patent number: 8195281
    Abstract: An active medical device able to discriminate between tachycardias of ventricular origin and of supra-ventricular origin. Two distinct temporal components (UnipV, BipV) are obtained corresponding to two EGM signals of ventricular electrograms. The diagnosis operates in at least two-dimensional space to determine, from the variations of one temporal component as a function of the other temporal component, a 2D characteristic representative of a heart beat and, this, for a reference beat collected in Sinus Rhythm (SR) in the absence of tachycardia episodes, and for a heart beat in Tachycardia. The discrimination of the tachycardia type, VT or SVT, is then realized by a classifier operating a comparison of the two current and reference 2D characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Sorin CRM S.A.S.
    Inventors: Renzo Dal Molin, Christine Henry, Jinan El Arab, Paola Bouchet, Rémi Dubois, Gérard Dreyfus
  • Patent number: 8190254
    Abstract: A defibrillator for external application to a patient. The defibrillator includes a power storage unit for supplying a defibrillation shock. The power storage unit has a capacitor unit encompassing at least one capacitor. In order to adjust a defibrillation treatment to different patients, the defibrillator advantageously comprises several different capacitor units which have a capacity adapted to various patient impedances and are or can be coupled in a replaceable manner to the defibrillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Metrax GmbH
    Inventors: Bruno Roso, Gero v. Wagner
  • Patent number: 8190247
    Abstract: Method for detecting cardiac events, e.g., Atrial Fibrillation (AF) or termination of AF. Based on analysis of the instability observed in heart rate, caused by irregular conduction from the atrium during AF. Change in heart interval is monitored on beat-to-beat basis to recognize instability that indicates presence of AF or Atrial Flutter. A packet of a number of consecutive intervals is evaluated, whether the length of an interval is stable compared with the length of the preceding interval, or whether the length of the subsequent interval has changed. After detection of an instability, instability counter is incremented. The result of the stability test for a packet of intervals is represented by the value of the instability counter. Depending upon whether or not an AF already declared, (indicated by AF status flag), different “X-out-of-Y” criterion are applied. AF status flag set/cleared when declaring AF/termination of AF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Biotronik CRM Patent AG
    Inventors: Indra B. Nigam, Dirk Muessig
  • Patent number: 8185195
    Abstract: Different types of cardiac arrhythmia are classified based on the morphology of the arrhythmic beats. Cardiac beats associated with an arrhythmic episode are compared to a plurality of representative beat morphologies, each representative beat morphology characterizing a type of arrhythmia of the heart. An arrhythmic episode may be classified as a particular type of arrhythmia if the morphology of the arrhythmic cardiac beats matches a representative beat morphology characterizing the particular type of arrhythmia. An appropriate therapy for the particular type of arrhythmia may be selected based on the arrhythmia classification. A particular type of arrhythmia may be associated with one or more therapies used to treat the arrhythmia. The therapy used to treat the arrhythmia may comprise a therapy identified as a previously successful therapy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaeho Kim, Joseph Bocek, Eric G. Lovett
  • Publication number: 20120123488
    Abstract: The present invention, in illustrative embodiments, includes devices for analyzing cardiac signals in an implantable cardiac stimulus system. Within the analysis, a threshold may be defined related to a cardiac event rate. If the cardiac event rate does not exceed the threshold, filtering of captured cardiac signals occurs, including attenuating T-waves. If the cardiac event rate does exceed the threshold, circuitry for analog filtering or programming for digital filtering is bypassed to avoid attenuating low frequency components of the captured cardiac signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventor: Alan H. Ostroff
  • Patent number: 8180457
    Abstract: System and method for monitoring and controlling, defibrillation and pacing which allows a victim of a cardiac rhythm abnormality immediate access to a medical professional at a central station, who will remotely monitor, diagnose and treat the victim at one of a plurality of remote sites in accordance with the following steps: (1) providing a plurality of contact electrodes for a victim at a remote site for the receipt of ECG signals and for the application of electrical pulses to the victim; (2) transmitting the signals from the remote site to a central station and displaying them for review by the medical professional; (3) the medical professional selecting from a menu of defibrillation and pacing pulses, if the application thereof is appropriate; (4) transmitting the selection results to the remote site; and (5) receiving the selection results at the remote site and applying the selected pulses to the victim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Matos
  • Publication number: 20120116471
    Abstract: One aspect of this disclosure relates to a system for dynamic battery management in implantable medical devices. An embodiment of the system includes two or more devices for measuring battery capacity for an implantable medical device battery. The embodiment also includes a controller connected to the measuring devices. The controller is adapted to combine the measurements from the measuring devices using a weighted average to determine battery capacity consumed. According to various embodiments, at least one of the measuring devices includes a coulometer. At least one of the measuring devices includes a capacity-by-voltage device, according to an embodiment. The system further includes a display in communication with the controller in various embodiments. The display is adapted to provide a depiction of battery longevity in units of time remaining in the life of the implantable medical device battery, according to various embodiments. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Rajesh Krishan Gandhi, William J. Linder, Michael J. Lyden, Nicholas J. Stessman, Jonathan H. Kelly, James Kalgren
  • Patent number: 8175701
    Abstract: Various system embodiments comprise a neural stimulator, a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) event detector, a heart rate detector, an analyzer, and a controller. The neural stimulator is adapted to generate a stimulation signal adapted to stimulate an autonomic neural target. The analyzer is adapted to, in response to a PVC event signal from the PVC event detector, generate an autonomic balance indicator (ABI) as a function of pre-PVC heart rate data and post-PVC heart rate data. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Imad Libbus, Andrew P. Kramer