Pacemaker system equipped with a flexible intercostal generator
First Claim
1. A system implantable in the intercostal space in a patient body in closed proximity to and facing position relative to the heart of a patient for generating and sensing electrical and ultrasonic energy transmitted to and from a tissue of interest within a patient body, comprising:
- a flexible tube-like shield member having an elongated low-profile curvilinear contour and adapted to conform with an arcuated contour of an intercostal space envelope of a patient'"'"'s body for being implanted in the intercostal space between a pair of adjacent ribs in substantial congruence with the intercostal space contour, said flexible shield member having thin walls defining an elongated receiving space therebetween;
a flexible generator received within said receiving space in said flexible shield member and adapted for producing stimulation energy and for sensing electrical and ultrasonic energy associated with a tissue of interest; and
a plurality of double-action electrodes operatively coupled with and embedded within said flexible generator, said plurality of double-action electrodes being configured to perform a double function, including (1) sensing of the electrical and mechanical heart activity of the heart of a patient and blood flow parameters, and (2) generating therapeutic stimulation pulses directed to the heart in response to a cardiac situation detected in correspondence to the heart activity and the blood flow parameters sensed by said double-action electrodes.
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Abstract
A pacemaker system is configured to sense electrical and mechanical activity of the heart tissue within a mammalian body and to generate a corresponding signal responsive to the sensed cardiac activity. The system includes a flexible electrical generator that contains EKG (ECG) electrodes for measuring electrical activity and ECHO piezoelectric electrodes for measuring mechanical activity of the heart and Doppler blood flow. The generator is embedded in a flexible shield, and is contoured to conform to the anatomy of the intercostal space to be embedded between the ribs of a patient and in the position overlying the heart. The system provides for pacing as well as defibrillation, responsive to the readings of the heart activities. A microprocessor analyzes a cardiac situation, based on the sensor'"'"'s readings, produces a diagnosis, and generates control signals, such as “pacing pulse” in a life-threatening situation, or “observe” in a non life-threatening situation.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system implantable in the intercostal space in a patient body in closed proximity to and facing position relative to the heart of a patient for generating and sensing electrical and ultrasonic energy transmitted to and from a tissue of interest within a patient body, comprising:
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a flexible tube-like shield member having an elongated low-profile curvilinear contour and adapted to conform with an arcuated contour of an intercostal space envelope of a patient'"'"'s body for being implanted in the intercostal space between a pair of adjacent ribs in substantial congruence with the intercostal space contour, said flexible shield member having thin walls defining an elongated receiving space therebetween; a flexible generator received within said receiving space in said flexible shield member and adapted for producing stimulation energy and for sensing electrical and ultrasonic energy associated with a tissue of interest; and a plurality of double-action electrodes operatively coupled with and embedded within said flexible generator, said plurality of double-action electrodes being configured to perform a double function, including (1) sensing of the electrical and mechanical heart activity of the heart of a patient and blood flow parameters, and (2) generating therapeutic stimulation pulses directed to the heart in response to a cardiac situation detected in correspondence to the heart activity and the blood flow parameters sensed by said double-action electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for sensing energy transmitted from and generating energy transmitted to the heart of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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forming a flexible generator, embedding said flexible generator in a flexible tube-like shield having an elongated low-profile curvilinear contour and adapted to conform to an arcuated contour of an intercostal space envelope of a patient, and attaching at least one double-action electrode to said flexible generator embedded in said flexible shield, said at least one double-action electrode being configured to sense at least one parameter associated in the heart activity and to produce a pacing signal responsive to said sensed at least one parameter; implanting said flexible generator embedded in said flexible shield in the intercostal space of the patient between a pair of adjacent ribs in substantial congruence with the intercostal space contour with said at least one parameter sensing electrode in proximity to and in facing positional relationship with the heart of the patient; operatively coupling a microprocessor to said flexible generator; sensing said at least one parameter of the heart activity with said at least one parameter sensing electrode; transmitting said sensed at least one parameter to said microprocessor for processing thereat; and generating, at said microprocessor, a control signal responsive to said sensed at least one parameter and transmitting said control signal to said flexible generator to produce a pacing signal if said sensed at least one parameter is indicative of a life-threatening heart condition. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification