Electrical Muscle Controller

• US 20080065164A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Impulse Dynamics NV
• Original Assignee: Impulse Dynamics NV
• Inventors: Yuval, Mika, Ben-Haim, Shlomo, Darvish, Nissim, Fenster, Maier
• Granted Patent: US 8,301,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00247 Making holes in the wall of the heart, e.g. laser Myocardial revascularization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0243 for immobilizing local areas of the heart, e.g. while it beats trocars attached to inner organs or inner body tissue A61B2017/3488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00392 Transmyocardial revascularisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/029 Measuring or recording blood output from the heart, e.g. minute volume A61B8/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6856 with a distal loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6858 with a distal basket, e.g. expandable basket
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6859 with multiple distal splines
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0166 Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/32 alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/326 : for promoting growth of cells, e.g. bone cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 : specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3621 : for treating or preventing abnormally high heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 : for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/365 : controlled by a physiological parameter, e.g. heart potential evoked response A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36514 : controlled by a physiological quantity other than heart potential, e.g. blood pressure controlled by two or more physical parameters A61N1/36585
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36557 : controlled by chemical substances in blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36564 : controlled by blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/368 : comprising more than one electrode co-operating with different heart regions A61N1/3622, A61N1/3627 take precedence

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%.

Claims

1. Heart control apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

circuitry for generating a non-exciting voltage to control heart rate; and

elongate electrodes positioned to deliver the non-exciting voltage generated by the circuitry at or near a sino-atrial (SA) node of a heart.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry generates a non-excitatory electric field with a timing relative to an activation of the heart or of a portion thereof, and of a magnitude, shape, duty, cycle, phase, frequency, and duration which is unable to generate a propagating action potential.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-exciting voltage increases heart rate.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-exciting voltage decreases heart rate.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-exciting voltage is provided as an AC non-excitatory electric field.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, comprising an envelope module adapted to impart to the non-excitatory electric field a temporal envelope selected from exponential temporal envelope, sinusoidal temporal envelope, square temporal envelope, triangular temporal envelope, ramped temporal envelope, sawtooth temporal envelope, and biphasic temporal envelope.

7. Apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a sensor adapted to sense an activation of a portion of the heart, and field application circuitry adapted to apply said field to the electrodes as a response to activation sensed by said sensor.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising logic circuitry to calculate the application parameters of the electric field from the activation sensed by the sensor.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongate electrodes are characterized by a length of at least 1 cm.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the electrodes are characterized by a length of at least 2 cm.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the electrodes are characterized by a length of at least 4 cm.

12. A method of modifying heart rate of a heart, the method comprising:

providing a subject having a heart with an active natural pacemaker region; and

applying a non-excitatory electric field to the region.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the active natural pacemaker region comprises a sino-atrial (SA) node.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the non-excitatory electric field increases heart rate.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein the non-excitatory electric field decreases heart rate.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein the non-excitatory electric field extends a duration of an action potential of the region.

17. A method according to claim 12, comprising extending a refractory period of a significant portion of a right atrium of the heart.

18. Heart control apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

interference circuitry adapted to generate an interference signal which interferes with an inherent cardiac feedback; and

electrodes positioned to deliver the interference signal at or near a sino-atrial (SA) node of a heart.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the interference signal comprises a a non-exciting voltage.

20. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the interference signal comprises a a non-excitatory electric field.

21. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the interference signal increases heart rate.

22. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the interference signal decreases heart rate.

23. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the interference signal extends a duration of an action potential of the region.

24. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the interference signal extends a refractory period of a significant portion of a right atrium of the heart.