Cardiac rhythm management device with neural sensor

• US 20060106428A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Moffitt, Julia, Kramer, Andrew P., Libbus, Imad
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/23
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36117 for treating hypertension
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Various aspects of the present subject matter relate to a device. In various embodiments, the device comprises at least one port adapted to connect at least one lead, a CRM functions module connected to the port and adapted to provide at least one CRM function using the lead, a neural function module, and a controller connected to the CRM functions module and the neural function module. The at least one CRM function includes a function to provide an electrical signal to the lead to capture cardiac tissue. The neural function module includes a signal processing module connected to the port and adapted to receive and process a nerve traffic signal from the lead into a signal indicative of the nerve traffic. The controller is adapted to implement a CRM therapy based on the signal indicative of the nerve traffic. Other aspects are provided herein.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

at least one port adapted to connect at least one lead;

a CRM functions module connected to the port and adapted to provide at least one CRM function using the lead, the at least one CRM function including a function to provide an electrical signal to the lead to capture cardiac tissue;

a neural function module, including a signal processing module connected to the port and adapted to receive and process a nerve traffic signal from the lead into a signal indicative of the nerve traffic; and

a controller connected to the CRM functions module and the neural function module, the controller being adapted to implement a CRM therapy based on the signal indicative of the nerve traffic.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal indicative of the nerve traffic includes a signal indicative of a nerve traffic pattern.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal indicative of the nerve traffic includes a signal indicative of nerve traffic intensity.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal indicative of the nerve traffic includes a signal indicative of a nerve traffic pattern and nerve traffic intensity.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein signal processing module is adapted to implement a noise reduction algorithm to identify features of the nerve traffic signal.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the noise reduction algorithm includes a wavelet transformation.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the noise reduction algorithm identifies a pattern and an intensity of the nerve traffic signal.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal processing module includes an amplifier and a filter adapted to process and monitor nerve traffic.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the amplifier includes an amplifier with a gain of approximately 1,000 to approximately 99,000.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the filter includes a bandpass filter to pass frequencies in a range from approximately 30 Hz to approximately 3,000 Hz.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal indicative of nerve traffic includes a signal indicative of nerve traffic from a chemoreceptor that is indicative of a blood gas concentration.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal indicative of nerve traffic includes a signal indicative of nerve traffic from at least one afferent nerve that is indicative of a blood gas concentration.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal indicative of nerve traffic includes a signal indicative of nerve traffic from a baroreceptor that is indicative of blood pressure.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the signal indicative of nerve traffic includes a signal indicative of nerve traffic from at least one afferent nerve that is indicative of blood pressure.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to adjust a CRM therapy parameter and monitor an effect on the signal indicative of nerve traffic, and to implement the CRM therapy based on the effect in the signal indicative of nerve traffic.

16. A system, comprising:

means for sensing a nerve traffic signal;

means for identifying at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal; and

means for applying CRM therapy based on the at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for identifying at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal includes means for implementing a noise reduction algorithm to identify the at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the noise reduction algorithm includes a wavelet transformation.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for sensing a nerve traffic signal includes means for sensing a nerve traffic signal from a chemoreceptor, the nerve traffic signal being indicative of a blood gas concentration.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for sensing a nerve traffic signal includes means for sensing a nerve traffic signal from at least one afferent nerve with nerve traffic indicative of a blood gas concentration.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for sensing a nerve traffic signal includes means for sensing a nerve traffic signal from a baroreceptor, the nerve traffic signal being indicative of a blood pressure.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for sensing a nerve traffic signal includes means for sensing a nerve traffic signal from at least one afferent nerve with nerve traffic indicative of a blood pressure.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for sensing a nerve traffic signal includes an intravascular lead.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for sensing a nerve traffic signal includes a nerve cuff.

25. A method, comprising:

sensing a nerve traffic signal;

identifying at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal; and

applying CRM therapy based on the at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein identifying at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal includes implementing a noise reduction algorithm to identify the at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein implementing a noise reduction algorithm to identify the at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal includes implementing a noise reduction algorithm to identify a nerve traffic pattern.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein implementing a noise reduction algorithm to identify the at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal includes implementing a noise reduction algorithm to identify a nerve traffic intensity.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the noise reduction algorithm includes a wavelet transformation.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein sensing a nerve traffic signal includes sensing a nerve traffic signal using at least a first lead, and applying CRM therapy based on the at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal includes applying neural stimulation using at least the first lead.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein sensing a nerve traffic signal includes sensing a nerve traffic signal using at least a first lead, and applying neural CRM therapy based on the at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal includes applying neural stimulation using at least a second lead.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one feature includes a nerve traffic pattern.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one feature includes a nerve traffic intensity.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein sensing a nerve traffic signal includes amplifying the nerve traffic signal to provide a gain within a range of approximately 1,000 to 99,000.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein sensing a nerve traffic signal includes filtering the nerve traffic signal to pass frequencies in a range from approximately 30 Hz to approximately 3,000 Hz.