Implantable cardioverter with patient communication
First Claim
1. A patient communication system for use in a cardioverter encased in a housing implanted in a patient, the cardioverter including a detector for detecting the onset of fibrillation, a discharge device operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy in the form of a defibrillating shock through the heart of the patient, and a charging device made active subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging the discharge device with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, said patient communication system comprising:
- implanted communication means for issuing a communication signal capable of detection by the patient, said communication means including a pair of implanted electrodes arranged to deliver a mild shock to the patient, at least one of said electrodes being disposed on an exterior surface of said implanted housing; and
implanted triggering means for actuating said communication means in response to a given condition of the implanted cardioverter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed in an implantable cardioverter having the capability of communicating with its wearer. In one specific embodiment, the cardioverter is an automatic, fully implantable ventricular defibrillator including an electrical stimulator to deliver a mild shock to the wearer to inform the wearer, for example, that fibrillation has been sensed. In another embodiment, communication from the implanted defibrillator to the wearer is by means of an implanted audio transducer. And in a third embodiment the implanted defibrillator communicates with the wearer by issuing a mechanical vibration. Also disclosed is a mechanism whereby the wearer is able to disenable the defibrillator, and prevent the delivery of a defibrillating pulse.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A patient communication system for use in a cardioverter encased in a housing implanted in a patient, the cardioverter including a detector for detecting the onset of fibrillation, a discharge device operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy in the form of a defibrillating shock through the heart of the patient, and a charging device made active subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging the discharge device with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, said patient communication system comprising:
implanted communication means for issuing a communication signal capable of detection by the patient, said communication means including a pair of implanted electrodes arranged to deliver a mild shock to the patient, at least one of said electrodes being disposed on an exterior surface of said implanted housing; and
implanted triggering means for actuating said communication means in response to a given condition of the implanted cardioverter.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In combination, an implantable defibrillator and an implantable patient communication system, said implantable defibrillator comprising
detector means for detecting the onset of fibrillation, discharge means operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy through the heart of a wearer in need of defibrillation, and charging means activated subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging said discharge means with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, and said patient communication system comprising implanted signal-generating means, responsive to the activation of said charging means, for producing a communication signal at a time prior to the end of said first time interval but after the activation of said charging means; - and
implanted communication means responsive to said communication signal for producing an alert capable of detection by the patient, said alert indicating that the defibrillating energy is about to be delivered. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A patient communication system for use in a cardioverter encased in a housing implanted in a patient, the cardioverter including a detector for detecting the onset of fibrillation, a discharge device operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy in the form of a defibrillating shock through the heart of the patient, and a charging device made active subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging the discharge device with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, said patient communication system comprising:
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implanted signal-generating means, responsive to the activation of said charging device, for producing a communication signal at a time prior to the end of said first time interval but after the activation of said charging device; and implanted communication means responsive to said communication signal for producing an alert capable of detection by the patient, said alert indicating that the defibrillating shock is about to be delivered. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A patient communication system for use in a cardioverter encased in a housing implanted in a patient, the cardioverter being operative, first, in a fibrillation detecting mode and, then, in a defibrillation shock delivering mode, the cardioverter including a detector for detecting the onset of fibrillation, a discharge device operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy in the form of a defibrillating shock through the heart of the patient, and a charging device made active subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging the discharge device with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, said patient communication system comprising:
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implanted signal-generating means, responsive to the detection of said fibrillation, for producing a communication signal at a time prior to the end of said first time interval but after the activation of said charging device, wherein said communication signal indicates that the cardioverter has entered said defibrillation shock delivering mode; and implanted communication means responsive to said communication signal for producing an alert capable of detection by the patient, said alert indicating that the defibrillating shock is about to be delivered.
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Specification