COMMUNICATION OF THERAPY ACTIVITY OF A FIRST IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE TO ANOTHER IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20150196757A1
• Filed: 01/08/2015
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Stahmann, Jeffrey E., Linder, William J., Simms, Howard D. Jr., Maile, Keith R., Kane, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,617,873 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/363 Detecting tachycardia or bradycardia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3622 comprising two or more electrodes co-operating with different heart regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3962 in combination with another heart therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39622 Pacing therapy
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body

Abstract

Cardiac activity of the heart can be sensed using, for example, one or more leadless cardiac pacemakers (LCPs) that are implanted in a close proximity to the heart. Sensing cardiac activity by the one or more leadless cardiac pacemakers (LCPs) can help the system in determining an occurrence of cardiac arrhythmia. For treatment purposes, electrical stimulation therapy, for example anti-tachyarrhythmia pacing (ATP) therapy, can be delivered by at least one of the devices of the system. Such therapy can help treat the detected cardiac arrhythmia. In some instances, one of the leadless cardiac pacemakers can instruct one or more of the other devices to assist in providing pacing therapy. In some instances, one of the leadless cardiac pacemakers can instruct one or more of the other devices to temporarily stop providing therapy or to simply shut down while another device provides therapy.

Claims

1. A method for delivering anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to a heart of a patient, the method comprising:

delivering an anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to the heart of the patient using a first one of a plurality of implantable medical devices; and

communicating a message from the first one of the plurality of implantable medical devices to at least a second one of the plurality of implantable medical devices before and/or during delivery of the anti-tachycardia pacing therapy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first one of the plurality of implantable medical devices is a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second one of the plurality of implantable medical devices is a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP).

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second one of the plurality of implantable medical devices is a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (SICD).

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first one of the plurality of implantable medical devices is configured to deliver the anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to a ventricle of the patient'"'"'s heart.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second one of the plurality of implantable medical devices is a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP).

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second one of the plurality of implantable medical devices is configured to deliver a therapy to an atrium of the patient'"'"'s heart.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second one of the plurality of implantable medical devices is configured to deliver a therapy to the patient'"'"'s heart, and the message received from the first one of the plurality of implantable medical devices modifies the therapy that is delivered by the second one of the plurality of implantable medical devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first one of the plurality of implantable medical devices is a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP) that is configured to deliver anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to a first ventricle site, and the second one of the plurality of implantable medical devices is a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP) that is configured to deliver anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to a second ventricle site, wherein the anti-tachycardia pacing therapy that is delivered by the second one of the plurality of implantable medical devices is affected, at least in part, by the communicated message from the first one of the plurality of implantable medical devices.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second one of the plurality of implantable medical devices is configured to deliver a neural stimulation therapy to the patient.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to the heart of the patient by at least one of the plurality of implantable medical devices comprises:

delivering anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to the heart of the patient using at least two of the plurality of implantable medical devices,

wherein the at least two of the plurality of implantable medical devices are communicatively coupled.

12. A method for delivering anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to a heart of a patient, the method comprising:

sensing one or more cardiac signals;

determining to deliver an anti-tachycardia pacing therapy based, at least in part, on the one or more sensed cardiac signals;

delivering an anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to the heart of the patient using a first implantable medical device, wherein the first implantable medical device is a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP);

communicating a message from the leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP) to a second implantable medical device before and/or during delivery of the anti-tachycardia pacing therapy; and

modifying the behavior of the second implantable medical device in response to receiving the message from the first implantable medical device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensing and determining steps are performed at least in part by the first implantable medical device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second implantable medical device is a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP).

15. An implantable medical device system for delivering anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to a heart of a patient, the implantable medical device system comprising:

a first implantable medical device;

a second implantable medical device communicatively coupled with the first implantable medical device;

wherein the first implantable medical device is configured to deliver anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to the heart of the patient; and

wherein, before or during delivery of the anti-tachycardia pacing therapy, the first implantable medical device is configured to inform the second implantable medical device of the delivery of anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to the heart of the patient by the first implantable medical device.

16. The implantable medical device system of claim 15, wherein the first implantable medical device is a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP) and the second implantable medical device is a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP).

17. The implantable medical device system of claim 15, wherein the first implantable medical device is a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP) and the second implantable medical device is a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (SICD).

18. The implantable medical device system of claim 15, wherein the first implantable medical device is a leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP) and the second implantable medical device is a neural stimulation device.

19. The implantable medical device system of claim 15, wherein the second implantable medical device is configured to be inhibited in response to being informed of an delivery of anti-tachycardia pacing therapy to the heart of the patient by the first implantable medical device.

20. The implantable medical device system of claim 19, wherein, when inhibited, one or more electrodes of the second implantable medical device are rendered inactive.