SELECTIVELY ENABLING A PASSIVE RECHARGE CYCLE FOR AN IMPLANTABLE CARDIAC STIMULATION DEVICE

• US 20120283795A1
• Filed: 05/05/2011
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Stancer, Christopher C., St. Martin, James J., Hudziak, Michael, Bratten, Tara L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,339,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/11
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/086 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] compatible leads
• 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 1/36585 controlled by two or more physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3688 configured for switching the pacing mode, e.g. from AAI to DDD
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3718 Monitoring of or protection against external electromagnetic fields or currents

Abstract

Techniques are described for selectively enabling and disabling a pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode for an implantable medical device (IMD) depending on whether the IMD is operating in an electromagnetic interference (EMI)-safe mode. In some examples, the IMD may enable the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode when the IMD is operating in the EMI-safe mode, and disable the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode when the IMD is not operating in the EMI-safe mode. The EMI-safe mode may be, in some examples, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-safe mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selectively enabling and disabling, with a control module within an implantable medical device (IMD), a pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode for the IMD based on whether the IMD is operating in an electromagnetic interference (EMI)-safe mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively enabling and disabling the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode for the IMD comprises:

enabling the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode when the IMD is operating in the EMI-safe mode; and

disabling the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode when the IMD is not operating in the EMI-safe mode.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

enabling lead impedance testing when the IMD is not operating in the EMI-safe mode; and

disabling lead impedance testing when the IMD is operating in the EMI-safe mode.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

enabling a demand pacing mode when the IMD is not operating in the EMI-safe mode; and

disabling the demand pacing mode when the IMD is operating in the EMI-safe mode.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, from an external device, a command that instructs the IMD to switch into the EMI-safe mode; and

switching the IMD from a normal operating mode to the EMI-safe mode in response to receiving the command.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining that the IMD is being subjected to EMI having one or more particular characteristics based on sensing information provided by one or more sensors; and

switching the IMD from a normal mode into the EMI-safe mode in response to determining that the IMD is being subjected to the EMI having the one or more particular characteristics.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the EMI-safe mode is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-safe mode.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering pacing therapy that includes a pre-stimulation passive recharge cycle when the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode is enabled; and

delivering pacing therapy that does not include a pre-stimulation passive recharge cycle when the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode is disabled.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein delivering the pacing therapy that includes the pre-stimulation passive recharge cycle comprises:

performing at least two different passive recharge cycles between consecutive pacing pulses.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein delivering the pacing therapy that includes the pre-stimulation passive recharge cycle comprises:

delivering a pacing pulse;

performing a first passive recharge cycle after delivering the pacing pulse; and

performing a second passive recharge cycle after performing the first passive recharge cycle and prior to delivery of a subsequent pacing pulse, the subsequent pacing pulse being a next sequential pacing pulse that occurs after the pacing pulse.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein delivering the pacing therapy that includes the pre-stimulation passive recharge cycle comprises:

performing a passive recharge cycle; and

unconditionally delivering a pacing pulse as a next sequential step after performing the passive recharge cycle.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein delivering the pacing therapy that does not include the pre-stimulation passive recharge cycle comprises:

delivering a first pacing pulse;

unconditionally performing a passive recharge cycle as a next sequential step after delivering the first pacing pulse; and

delivering a second pacing pulse after performing the passive recharge cycle without performing any intervening passive recharge cycles in between the passive recharge cycle and the second pacing pulse.

13. An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:

a pacing mode selection module configured to selectively enable and disable a pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode for the IMD based on whether the IMD is operating in an electromagnetic interference (EMI)-safe mode.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the pacing mode selection module is further configured to enable the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode when the IMD is operating in the EMI-safe mode, and disable the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode when the IMD is not operating in the EMI-safe mode.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the pacing mode selection module is further configured to enable lead impedance testing when the IMD is not operating in the EMI-safe mode, and disable lead impedance testing when the IMD is operating in the EMI-safe mode.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the pacing mode selection module is further configured to enable a demand pacing mode when the IMD is not operating in the EMI-safe mode, and disable the demand pacing mode when the IMD is operating in the EMI-safe mode.

17. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

an EMI-mode switching module configured to receive, from an external device, a command that instructs the IMD to switch into the EMI-safe mode, and switch the IMD from a normal operating mode to the EMI-safe mode in response to receiving the command.

18. The device of claim 14, further comprising:

an EMI-mode switching module configured to determine that the IMD is being subjected to EMI having one or more particular characteristics based on sensing information provided by one or more sensors, and switch the IMD from a normal mode into the EMI-safe mode in response to determining that the IMD is being subjected to the EMI having the one or more particular characteristics.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the EMI-safe mode is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-safe mode.

20. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

a pacing output module configured to deliver pacing therapy that includes a pre-stimulation passive recharge cycle when the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode is enabled, and deliver pacing therapy that does not include a pre-stimulation passive recharge cycle when the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode is disabled.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the pacing output module is further configured to perform at least two different passive recharge cycles between consecutive pacing pulses when the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode is enabled.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein, when the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode is enabled, the pacing output module is further configured to deliver a pacing pulse, perform a first passive recharge cycle after delivering the pacing pulse, and perform a second passive recharge cycle after performing the first passive recharge cycle and prior to delivery of a subsequent pacing pulse, the subsequent pacing pulse being a next sequential pacing pulse that occurs after the pacing pulse.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein, when the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode is enabled, the pacing output module is further configured to perform a passive recharge cycle, unconditionally deliver a pacing pulse as a next sequential step after performing the passive recharge cycle.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein, when the pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode is disabled, the pacing output module is further configured to deliver a first pacing pulse, unconditionally perform a passive recharge cycle as a next sequential step after delivering the first pacing pulse, and deliver a second pacing pulse after performing the passive recharge cycle without performing any intervening passive recharge cycles in between the passive recharge cycle and the second pacing pulse.

25. An apparatus comprising:

pacing means for delivering pacing therapy to cardiac tissue; and

means for selectively enabling and disabling a pre-stimulation passive recharge pacing mode for the pacing means based on whether the pacing means is operating in an electromagnetic interference (EMI)-safe mode.