Cardioverting device having single intravascular catheter electrode system and method for its use
First Claim
1. A method for cardioverting a malfunctioning heart with a single intravascular catheter carrying first and second spaced electrodes for delivering to the heart electrical energy to cardiovert the same, the method comprising the steps of:
- positioning the single intravascular catheter into association with the heart with said first electrode located within the heart chamber to be cardioverted and said second electrode located outside said heart chamber;
sensing heart activityl; and
delivering cardioverting electrical energy to the heart across said first and second electrodes when a manfunction susceptible to conversion by electrical shock is sensed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for either manually or automatically initiating the cardioversion of a malfunctioning heart. The apparatus includes a single intravascular catheter electrode system which allows for a much more compact cardioverting system capable of being completely implanted within the patient. The heart function is continuously monitored, and when the function becomes abnormal, the malfunctioning heart is shocked by a voltage of sufficient amplitude to restore the heart to normalcy. If the heart does not return to its normal functions after a given interval, then it is again shocked. Normal heart activity ensures that the shocking mechanism remains inert.
323 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for cardioverting a malfunctioning heart with a single intravascular catheter carrying first and second spaced electrodes for delivering to the heart electrical energy to cardiovert the same, the method comprising the steps of:
- positioning the single intravascular catheter into association with the heart with said first electrode located within the heart chamber to be cardioverted and said second electrode located outside said heart chamber;
sensing heart activityl; and
delivering cardioverting electrical energy to the heart across said first and second electrodes when a manfunction susceptible to conversion by electrical shock is sensed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- positioning the single intravascular catheter into association with the heart with said first electrode located within the heart chamber to be cardioverted and said second electrode located outside said heart chamber;
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11. In a system for cardioverting a malfunctioning heart, comprising storage means for storing electrical energy, sensing means for sensing heart malfunction susceptible to conversion by electrical shock, electrode means for electrically connecting the storage means to the heart, and means for initiating the discharge of the electrical energy stored by said storage means across said electrode means and into the heart upon sensing a malfunction:
- a single intravascular cardioverting catheter carrying said electrode means in the form of first and second electrodes for contacting the tissues of the heart so as to cardiovert the same upon discharge of said storage means, said first and second electrodes being spaced apart a distance of at least about two and one-half inches; and
connecting means for connecting said first and second electrodes across said storage means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- a single intravascular cardioverting catheter carrying said electrode means in the form of first and second electrodes for contacting the tissues of the heart so as to cardiovert the same upon discharge of said storage means, said first and second electrodes being spaced apart a distance of at least about two and one-half inches; and
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24. A system for cardioverting a malfunctioning heart, the system comprising:
- storage means for storing electrical energy;
a single intravascular cardioverting catheter carrying spaced first and second electrode means connected across said storage means for connecting the storage means directly to the heart and contacting the tissues of the heart for cardioverting the heart upon discharge of said storage means, said first and second electrode means being spaced apart a distance of at least 21/2 inches; and
means for switching said storage means into a discharge state, whereupon the stored energy is released and applied directly to the heart across said first and second electrode means. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
- storage means for storing electrical energy;
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29. A system for automatically cardioverting a malfunctioning heart, the system comprising:
- storage means for storing electrical energy;
a single intravascular cardioverting catheter carrying sensing means for continually sensing the function of a heart, and at least two spaced electrodes for connecting the storage means directly to the heart and for contacting the tissues of the heart so as to cardiovert the heart upon discharge of said storage means, said spaced electrodes being separated by a distance of at least approximately 21/2 inches;
discriminator means electrically in circuit with said sensing means and electrodes for discriminating between normal heart function and an arrhythmia correctable by cardioversion; and
means for automatically switching said storage means into a discharge state, in response to a sensed arrhythmia correctable by cardioversion, whereupon the stored energy is applied directly to the heart through said electrodes to cardiovert the malfunctioning heart. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
- storage means for storing electrical energy;
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36. A system for cardioverting a malfunctioning heart, the system comprising:
- an energy source for developing cardioverting electrical energy;
storage means connected to said energy source for storing said electrical energy;
a single intravascular cardioverting catheter carrying first and second spaced electrodes for connecting the storage means directly to the heart and contacting the tissues of the heart to cardiovert the same upon discharge of said storage means, said first electrode being fixed on said catheter at a first location and connected to one terminal of said storage means, said second electrode being electrically isolated from said first electrode, fixed on said catheter at a second location and connected to an opposite terminal of said storage means, said first electrode adapted to be positioned within the heart and said second electrode adapted to be positioned outside the heart; and
means for switching said storage means into a discharge state, whereby the stored energy is released from said storage means and applied directly to the heart through said first and second electrodes to cardiovert the malfunctioning heart.
- an energy source for developing cardioverting electrical energy;
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37. A system for automatically cardioverting a malfunctioning heart, the system comprising:
- an energy source for developing cardioverting electrical energy;
storage means connected to said energy source for storing said electrical energy;
a single intravascular cardioverting catheter carrying sensing means and at least first and second spaced electrodes for continually sensing the function of a heart, for connecting the storage means directly to the heart, and for contacting the tissues of the heart to cardiovert the same upon discharge of said storage means, said first of said electrodes being fixed on said catheter at a first location and connected to one terminal of said storage means, said second of said electrodes being electrically isolated from said first, fixed on said catheter at a second location and connected to an opposite terminal of said storage means, said first electrode adapted to be positioned within the heart and said second electrode adapted to be positioned outside the heart;
discriminator means electrically in circuit with said sensing means and electrodes for receiving information from said sensing means indicative of heart function, and for discriminating between normal heart function and an arrhythmia correctable by cardioversion; and
means for automatically switching said storage means into a discharge state, in response to a sensed arrhythmia correctable by cardioversion, whereupon the stored energy is applied directly to the heart through said electrodes to cardiovert the malfunctioning heart.
- an energy source for developing cardioverting electrical energy;
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38. For use in a system for cardioverting a malfunctioning heart, an energy source for developing cardioverting electrical energy, a storage means connected to the energy source for storing the electrical energy until needed, first and second spaced electrodes connected across the storage means, and means for switching the storage means into a discharge state whereby the stored energy is released and applied directly to the heart through the first and second spaced electrodes to cardiovert the malfunctioning heart, the improvement comprising:
- a single intravascular cardioverting catheter carrying the first and second spaced electrodes for connecting the storage means directly to the heart and contacting the tissues of the heart to cardiovert the same upon discharge of said storage means, said first electrode being fixed on the catheter at a first location and connected to one terminal of said storage means, and said second electrode being fixed on the catheter at a second location spaced from the first and connected to an opposite terminal of said storage means, one of said electrodes adapted to be positioned within the heart chamber to be cardioverted and the other of said electrodes adapted to be positioned outside said heart chamber.
- View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A system for cardioverting a malfunctioning heart, the system comprising:
- storage means for storing electrical energy of at least approximately 0.1 watt-seconds;
sensing means for sensing heart malfunction susceptible to cardioversion by electrical shock;
a single intravascular cardioverting catheter carrying first and second electrodes spaced apart a distance of at least about 21/2 inches;
means for connecting said first and second electrodes across said storage means; and
switching means for responding to heart malfunctions sensed by said sensing means by discharging the energy stored by said storage means across said first and second electrodes and into said malfunctioning heart. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
- storage means for storing electrical energy of at least approximately 0.1 watt-seconds;
Specification