Electrode system for use with an implantable cardiac patient monitor

• US 5,388,578 A
• Filed: 04/06/1993
• Issued: 02/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: InControl, Inc. (Daikin Industries Ltd)
• Inventors: Yomtov, Barry M., Kreyenhagen, Paul E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHAETZLE, KENNEDY
• Application Number:
  US08/043,269
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 128/642, 128/696, 128/899
• US Class Current: 600/375
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/35 by template matching
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3702 Physiological parameters A61N1/365 takes precedence; evoked response A61N1/371

Abstract

An implantable cardiac monitor is arranged for detecting both arrhythmias and ischemia of the human heart. The monitor includes subcutaneous electrodes for establishing electrical contact with the heart and a sense amplifier coupled to each electrode for generating an electrocardiogram of a heart beat sensed at each of the electrodes. The electrocardiograms are digitized and the digital samples thereof are stored in a memory. A microprocessor processes the digital samples of the electrocardiograms and generates characterizing data indicative of the physiology of the heart. The cardiac monitor includes telemetry to permit the cardiac data to be interrogated externally of the patient for obtaining the generated cardiac data indicative of arrhythmic and ischemic episodes.

Claims

1. An electrode system for use with a fully implantable cardiac monitor of the type including electrical circuitry for monitoring the physiology of the human heart and having an enclosure for containing said electrical circuitry, said electrode system comprising:

first and second flexible insulative conduits;

first and second electrode means carried by each of said first and second conduits respectively, said first and second electrode means comprising strip electrode means including an elongated strip of flexible material including a plurality of spaced apart discrete conductive electrodes embedded therein, said electrodes having an exposed major surface, each said elongated strip of flexible material including opposing longitudinal walls and a plurality of spaced apart fixation projections projecting from said longitudinal walls, said fixation projections forming acute angles with said longitudinal walls;

conductor means extending through said first and second conduits and into said header for coupling said electrodes of said first and second electrode means to said electrical circuitry,

said conduits and said electrode means being implantable beneath the skin of a patient to dispose said electrodes in non-touching proximity to the heart for establishing electrical contact between said electrodes and the heart.