Electrical stimulation of body tissue using interconnected electrode assemblies

• US 20080021505A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Hastings, Roger, Edmunds, Kevin D., Willard, Martin R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0573 chacterised by means penetrating the heart tissue, e.g. helix needle or hook
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0587 Epicardial electrode systems; Endocardial electrodes piercing the pericardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3622 comprising two or more electrodes co-operating with different heart regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37518 Anchoring of the implants, e.g. fixation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

Some embodiments of a cardiac stimulation system may include a plurality of electrode assemblies that are interconnected by one or more wires while at least one of the electrode assemblies (e.g., a control electrode) wirelessly receives energy through inductive coupling with a power communication unit external to the heart (e.g., a device implanted along one or more ribs). These embodiments may provide an arrangement for efficient inductive coupling from the power communication unit to the control electrode. Also, in some circumstances, the cardiac stimulation system may eliminate the need for wired leads that extend to a location outside the heart, thereby reducing the likelihood of infection that passes along the wire and into the heart.

Claims

1. A system for electrically stimulating heart tissue, comprising:

at least one wirelessly powered control assembly that is implantable at least partially in heart tissue, the control assembly comprising an conductive coil to wirelessly receive energy from a magnetic field;

a plurality of stimulation electrode assemblies implantable at least partially into myocardial heart tissue; and

a conductive wire assembly to connect the plurality of stimulation electrode assemblies with the control assembly when the control assembly and the stimulation electrode assemblies are implanted in the heart tissue so that the stimulation electrode assemblies receive electrical energy from the control assembly and deliver electrical stimulation to the heart.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter device implantable in a location external to the pericardium, the transmitter device comprising a power source and an antenna device to generate the magnetic field.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the transmitter device comprises a housing that is shaped for implantation at a rib implantation site adjacent one or more ribs of a patient.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the wirelessly powered control assembly is implantable in the heart tissue along the heart apex proximate to the rib implantation site of the transmitter device.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the transmitter device comprises a transmitter coil to inductively couple with the conductive coil of the control assembly.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the transmitter device wirelessly transmits RF (radio frequency) to the control assembly.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the wirelessly powered control assembly comprises pulse generator circuitry to deliver electrical stimulation pulses through the conductive wire assembly to one or more of the stimulation electrode assemblies.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the conductive wire assembly comprises a dedicated wire connection for each of the stimulation electrode assemblies.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the wirelessly powered control assembly comprises control circuitry to selectively deliver the electrical stimulation pulses through the dedicated wire connections.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the stimulation electrode assemblies comprises a charge storage capacitor to deliver electrical stimulation pulses to the heart tissue.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the conductive wire assembly comprises a shared power line connection and a shared ground line connection for each of the stimulation electrode assemblies.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the wirelessly powered control assembly delivers a charging current to each of the stimulation electrode assemblies via the shared power line connection.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the wirelessly powered control assembly comprises control circuitry to selectively deliver activation signals through at least one of the shared power line connection or the shared ground line connection, the stimulation electrode assemblies being activated to deliver the electrical stimulation pulses upon receipt of a particular activation signal.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the conductive wire assembly comprises at least one wire having an outside diameter of less than about 0.010 inches.

15. A system for electrically stimulating heart tissue, comprising:

a wirelessly powered control assembly implantable in heart tissue proximate a heart apex, the control assembly comprising an conductive coil to wirelessly receive RF (radio frequency) energy from a RF magnetic field;

a plurality of stimulation electrode assemblies implantable at least partially into heart tissue, each stimulation electrode assembly comprising at least one electrode pole to contact myocardial heart tissue;

a conductive wire assembly to connect the plurality of stimulation electrode assemblies with the control assembly when the control assembly and the stimulation electrode assemblies are implanted in the heart tissue so that the stimulation electrode assemblies receive electrical energy via the conductive wire assembly and deliver electrical stimulation to the heart; and

a transmitter device implantable in implantable at an implantation site adjacent to one or more ribs and proximate the heart apex, the transmitter device comprising a power source and a RF antenna device to generate the RF magnetic field that wirelessly powers the control assembly.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising an external recharger device to periodically recharge the power source of the transmitter device.

17. A system for electrically stimulating heart tissue, the system comprising:

an implantable stimulation pulse generator component attachable to heart tissue, the stimulation pulse generator component including a receiver coil to wirelessly receive energy by inductive coupling;

multiple implantable electrode assemblies to be affixed to heart tissue; and

a conductive wire assembly that connects the implantable stimulation pulse generator component with each of the multiple implantable electrode assemblies.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a transmitter device having a transmitter coil that is inductively coupled with the implantable stimulation pulse generator component receiver coil during transmission by the transmitter device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the transmitter device is shaped for implantation between two ribs of a patient.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the transmitter device is an externally wearable device.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the implantable stimulation pulse generator component comprises one or more charge storage capacitors to provide electrical stimulation pulses.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the implantable stimulation pulse generator component selectively delivers an electrical stimulation pulse to a selected one of the multiple electrode assemblies.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the multiple electrode assemblies comprises gating circuitry that either allows or prevents a stimulation pulse received from the implantable stimulation pulse generator component to be delivered to adjacent heart tissue.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the stimulation pulse generator component is implantable adjacent to an external surface of the apex of the heart.