DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS TO EVALUATE CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION

• US 20100030055A1
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CVDEVICES, LLC
• Original Assignee: CVDEVICES, LLC
• Inventors: Kassab, Ghassan S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,238,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/374
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter

Abstract

Devices and methods are disclosed which relate to the detection of cardiovascular efficiency and risk of disease. The rate of volumetric change of the heart can be determined by measuring the parallel conductance across electrodes attached to the heart. Measurements from a lumen would consider the total conductance. The rate of volumetric or lumen cross-section area change can then be compared to an average model to determine the health of a patient.

Claims

1. A device for determining the index of a heart and/or vessel function, the device comprising:

an impedance catheter comprising a patch, the patch comprising a first excitation electrode, a second excitation electrode, a first detection electrode, and a second detection electrode; and

a parallel conductance reader in connection with the catheter, the parallel conductance reader operable to detect parallel conductance from the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode;

whereby an assessment of the index of a heart and/or vessel function may be determined based upon the conductance detected from the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the parallel conductance reader comprises a data acquisition and processing system, the data acquisition and processing system comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium operably connected to the processor, the storage medium capable of receiving and storing parallel conductance data; and

a program stored upon the storage medium, the program operable by the processor upon the parallel conductance data to compare the parallel conductance data to a rate of volumetric change of a heart and/or vessel.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor compares the parallel conductance data from parallel conductance acquired from the epicardial surface of a heart.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor compares the parallel conductance data from parallel conductance acquired from the lumen surface of a heart.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the patch is positioned upon the epicardial surface of a heart, and wherein the parallel conductance reader is operable to detect parallel conductance from the epicardial surface of the heart.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the patch is positioned upon the lumen surface of a heart, and wherein the parallel conductance reader is operable to detect parallel conductance from the lumen surface of the heart.

16. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to evaluate the maximum rate of volumetric change of the heart.

19. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor compares the parallel conductance data from parallel conductance acquired from the outer surface of a vessel.

20. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor compares the parallel conductance data from parallel conductance acquired from the lumen surface of a vessel.

23. The device of claim 7, wherein the patch is positioned upon the epicardial surface of a vessel, and wherein the parallel conductance reader is operable to detect parallel conductance from the epicardial surface of the vessel.

24. The device of claim 7, wherein the patch is positioned upon the lumen surface of a vessel, and wherein the parallel conductance reader is operable to detect parallel conductance from the lumen surface of the vessel.

26. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is operable to evaluate the maximum rate of lumen cross-sectional area change of a vessel.

28. The device of claim 1, further comprising a current source, the current source operable to provide a supply of electrical current to the first excitation electrode and the second excitation electrode to facilitate the detection of parallel conductance from the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein the first excitation electrode, the second excitation electrode, the first detection electrode, and the second detection electrode each comprise a wire, and wherein each wire is insulated from the other wires.

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21. (canceled)

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25. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. A system for determining the index of a heart and/or vessel function, the system comprising:

an impedance catheter assembly, the impedance catheter assembly comprising a catheter, the catheter comprising a patch, wherein the patch comprises a first excitation electrode, a second excitation electrode, a first detection electrode, and a second detection electrode; and

a conductance reader in connection with the catheter assembly, the conductance reader operable to detect conductance from the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode;

whereby an assessment of the index of a heart and/or vessel function may be determined based upon the conductance detected from the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode.

40. The system of claim 32, wherein the parallel conductance reader comprises a data acquisition and processing system, the data acquisition and processing system comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium operably connected to the processor, the storage medium capable of receiving and storing parallel conductance data; and

a program stored upon the storage medium, the program operable by the processor upon the parallel conductance data to compare the parallel conductance data to a rate of volumetric change of a heart and/or vessel.

33-39. -39. (canceled)

41-67. -67. (canceled)

68. A program having a plurality of program steps to be executed on a computer having a processor and a storage medium to analyze parallel conductance data, the program operable to:

receive parallel conductance data from a parallel conductance reader;

analyze the parallel conductance data to determine the index of heart and/or vessel function; and

evaluate the maximum rate of volumetric change of the heart and/or vessel.

69. (canceled)

70. (canceled)

71. A method of determining an index of heart function, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing an impedance catheter into a pericardial space on the surface of a heart, wherein the impedance catheter comprises a patch, the patch comprising a first excitation electrode, a second excitation electrode, a first detection electrode, and a second detection electrode;

measuring a parallel conductance during a cardiac cycle by obtaining parallel conductance from the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode; and

generating an efficiency model of the heart from the parallel conductance.

74. The method of claim 71, wherein the step of generating an efficiency model further comprises the step of comparing the parallel conductance to a rate of volumetric change of the heart.

75. The method of claim 71, wherein the step of measuring a parallel conductance comprises multiple parallel conductance measurements to determine the volume of the heart.

76. The method of claim 71, wherein the step of measuring a parallel conductance comprises the use of a parallel conductance reader operably coupled to the impedance catheter.

77. The method of claim 71, wherein the step of generating an efficiency model further comprises the step of evaluating the maximum rate of volumetric change of the heart.

72. (canceled)

73. (canceled)

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85. A method of determining an index of heart function, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing an impedance catheter into a lumen of a heart, the impedance catheter comprising a patch, the patch comprising a first excitation electrode, a second excitation electrode, a first detection electrode, and a second detection electrode;

measuring a parallel conductance during a cardiac cycle by obtaining parallel conductance from the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode; and

generating an efficiency model of the heart from the parallel conductance.

88. The method of claim 85, wherein the step of generating an efficiency model further comprises the step of comparing the parallel conductance to a rate of volumetric change of the heart.

89. The method of claim 85, wherein the step of measuring a parallel conductance comprises multiple parallel conductance measurements to determine the volume of the heart.

90. The method of claim 85, wherein the step of measuring a parallel conductance comprises the use of a parallel conductance reader operably coupled to the impedance catheter.

91. The method of claim 85, wherein the step of generating an efficiency model further comprises the step of evaluating the maximum rate of volumetric change of the heart.

86. (canceled)

87. (canceled)

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99. A method of determining an index of vessel function, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing an impedance catheter into a lumen of a vessel, wherein the impedance catheter comprises a patch, the patch comprising a first excitation electrode, a second excitation electrode, a first detection electrode, and a second detection electrode;

measuring a parallel conductance during a cardiac cycle by obtaining parallel conductance from the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode; and

generating an efficiency model of the vessel from the parallel conductance.

102. The method of claim 99, wherein the step of generating an efficiency model further comprises the step of comparing the parallel conductance to a rate of volumetric change of the vessel.

103. The method of claim 99, wherein the step of measuring a parallel conductance comprises a single parallel conductance measurement.

104. The method of claim 99, wherein the step of measuring a parallel conductance comprises the use of a parallel conductance reader operably coupled to the impedance catheter.

105. The method of claim 99, wherein the step of generating an efficiency model further comprises the step of evaluating the maximum rate of volumetric change of the vessel.

100. (canceled)

101. (canceled)

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