ACOUSTICALLY POWERED IMPLANTABLE STIMULATING DEVICE

• US 20130218251A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Remon Medical Technologies Ltd. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Remon Medical Technologies Ltd. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Penner, Abraham
• Application Number:
  US13/843,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218251A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/119
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/028 Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3718 Monitoring of or protection against external electromagnetic fields or currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

An implantable stimulation system comprises an implantable stimulator and a control device. The control device is configured to transmit acoustic waves to the implantable stimulator, and the implantable stimulator is configured to transform the acoustic waves into electrical current, and generate stimulation energy based on the electrical current. For example, the electrical current can be transformed into electrical energy that can be used to generate the stimulation energy. Or the electrical current can contain signals used to directly or indirectly control the generation of the stimulation energy.

Claims

1. A cardiac stimulation system, comprising:

a control device configured for transmitting a signal through body tissue; and

an implantable cardiac stimulator including a stimulation electrode configured to provide electrical stimulation energy to adjacent heart tissue, one or more acoustic transducers configured for transforming the signal into an electrical current, control circuitry for controlling an operation of the cardiac stimulator, an energy storage device, and a switch configured for receiving the electrical current and, in response, preventing energy from flowing from the energy storage device to the control circuitry, thereby deactivating the cardiac stimulator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises an acoustic signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable cardiac stimulator is a pacemaker lacking any external leads.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable cardiac stimulator further includes a reference electrode.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device is an implantable device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device is an extracorporeal device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control device is configured to be placed on the skin of a patient.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to deactivate the implantable cardiac stimulator.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable cardiac stimulator comprises a housing, and the control circuitry and the one or more acoustic transducers are carried within the housing.

10. A medical device system, comprising:

a control device configured for transmitting a signal through body tissue; and

an implantable medical device including one or more transducers configured for transforming the signal into electrical current, and a switch configured to deactivate at least a portion of the implantable medical device in response to the electrical current.

11. The medical device system of claim 10, the implantable medical device further comprising a stimulator electrode configured for electrically stimulating adjacent body tissue and a control unit operable to control the delivery of electrical stimulation energy to the stimulator electrode.

12. The medical device system of claim 11, the implantable medical device further comprising an energy storage device, wherein the switch is configured to prevent a flow of energy from the energy storage device to at least a portion of the control unit.

13. The medical device system of claim 12, wherein the switch is configured to prevent a flow of energy from the energy storage device to the stimulator electrode.

14. The medical device system of claim 10, the implantable medical device further comprising a stimulator electrode configured for electrically stimulating adjacent body tissue and an energy storage device, wherein the switch is configured to prevent a flow of energy from the energy storage device to the stimulator electrode.

15. An implantable stimulator, comprising:

one or more acoustic transducers configured for transforming an acoustic signal into an electrical signal;

at least one stimulator electrode configured for electrically stimulating tissue within the body; and

a switch configured for deactivating at least a portion of the implantable stimulator in response to the electrical signal.