CONFIGURATION OF PACING OUTPUT CHANNELS

• US 20090149905A1
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lyden, Michael J., Stessman, Nicholas J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3706 Pacemaker parameters stimulation threshold A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/371 Capture, i.e. successful stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3712 Auto-capture, i.e. automatic adjustment of the stimulation threshold
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3716 with reduction of residual polarisation effects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply

Abstract

During auto-threshold, autocapture, or other evoked response sensing, post-pace artifact is reduced by using a smaller coupling capacitor value than what is used when not in such an evoked response sensing configuration. This can be accomplished by borrowing another capacitor for use as the coupling capacitor. The borrowed capacitor can be a backup pacing capacitor from the same or a different pacing channel. The borrowed capacitor can also be a coupling capacitor from a different pacing channel.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an implantable medical device, comprising;

a first electrostimulation voltage generator, configured to generate a first electrostimulation voltage;

a first capacitor, coupled to the first electrostimulation voltage generator, and configured to be capable of storing the first electrostimulation voltage;

a second capacitor, wherein a capacitance of the second capacitor is configurable between different at least first and second capacitance values;

a processor, comprising an evoked-response sensing mode, the processor configured to place the second capacitor in series with the first capacitor during delivery of the first electrostimulation voltage to an electrostimulation target, such that a the first capacitance value is used during the delivery when in an evoked-response sensing mode and the second capacitance value is used during the delivery when not in an evoked-response sensing mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the evoked-response sensing mode comprises at least one of an autocapture mode or an autothreshold mode, and wherein the processor is configured to re-configure the second capacitor from the second capacitance value to the first capacitance value when the evoked-response sensing mode is enabled, wherein the second capacitance value exceeds the first capacitance value.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to re-configure the second capacitor value from the second capacitance value to the first capacitance value by placing capacitors in series to provide the first capacitance value of the second capacitor.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to re-configure the second capacitor from the second capacitance value to the first capacitance value by substituting a different capacitor when the evoked-response sensing mode is enabled.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to re-configure the second capacitor value from the second capacitance value to the first capacitance value by substituting a same-channel back-up pacing supply capacitor from the same pacing channel when the evoked-response sensing mode is enabled.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to re-configure the second capacitor from the second capacitance value to the first capacitance value by borrowing a different capacitor from a different pacing channel when the evoked-response sensing mode is enabled.

7. A method comprising:

generating a first electrostimulation voltage;

storing the first electrostimulation voltage on a first capacitor;

delivering the first electrostimulation voltage from the first capacitor to an electrostimulation target through a second capacitor in series with the first capacitor;

enabling an evoked-response sensing mode; and

decreasing a capacitance value of the second capacitor during the delivering in response to enabling the evoked-response sensing mode.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein decreasing the capacitance value of the second capacitor comprises using a back-up pacing capacitor during the evoked-response sensing mode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein using a back-up pacing capacitor during the evoked-response sensing mode comprises borrowing a back-up pacing supply capacitor from another pacing channel during the evoked response sensing mode.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein decreasing the capacitance value of the second capacitor comprises using a series combination of capacitors for the second capacitor during the evoked-response sensing mode.

11. An apparatus comprising:

an implantable medical device, comprising;

a first electrostimulation energy delivery channel, comprising;

a first electrostimulation voltage generator, configured to generate a first electrostimulation voltage;

a first capacitor, coupled to the first electrostimulation voltage generator, and configured to be capable of storing the first electrostimulation voltage; and

a first switching circuit, coupled to the first capacitor, configured to facilitate delivery of the first electrostimulation voltage from the first capacitor to a target;

a second electrostimulation energy delivery channel, comprising;

a second electrostimulation voltage generator, configured to generate a second electrostimulation voltage;

a second capacitor, coupled to the second electrostimulation voltage generator, and configured to be capable of storing the second electrostimulation voltage; and

a second switching circuit, coupled to the second capacitor, configured to facilitate delivery of the second electrostimulation voltage from the second capacitor to a target; and

a processor, configured to control configuration of the second capacitor to be in series with the first capacitor during delivery of the first electrostimulation voltage from the first capacitor to the target.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to control configuration of the second capacitor to be in series with the first capacitor, during delivery of the first electrostimulation voltage from the first capacitor to the target, in response to a disabling of an evoked response sensing mode.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to control a substantial discharging of the second capacitor after the delivery of the first electrostimulation voltage.

14. The apparatus of claim 11:

wherein a capacitance of the second capacitor is configurable between different at least first and second capacitance values; and

wherein the processor comprises an evoked-response sensing mode, the processor configured to place the second capacitor in series with the first capacitor during delivery of the first electrostimulation voltage to an electrostimulation target, such that the first capacitance value is used during the delivery when in an evoked-response sensing mode and the second capacitance value is used during the delivery when not in an evoked-response sensing mode.

15. A method comprising:

generating a first electrostimulation voltage and storing the first electrostimulation voltage in a first capacitor disposed in a first electrostimulation energy delivery channel; and

borrowing a second capacitor from a second electrostimulation energy delivery channel, during delivery of the first electrostimulation voltage to a target, for assisting the delivery of the first electrostimulation voltage to the target.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising:

configuring the second capacitor to be in series with the first capacitor during delivery of the first electrostimulation voltage from the first capacitor to the target.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising substantially discharging the second capacitor after the delivery of the first electrostimulation voltage from the first capacitor to the target.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein borrowing the second capacitor includes borrowing the second capacitor when an auto-threshold mode is disabled.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising:

using a backup pacing capacitor to operate as a coupling capacitor when an evoked response sensing mode is disabled.

20. The method of claim 15, comprising:

using a backup pacing capacitor to operate as a coupling capacitor when an autothreshold mode is disabled.