Implantable medical device having means for stimulating tissue contractions with adjustable stimulation intensity and a method for the operation of such a device
First Claim
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1. A medical device implantable into the body of a living being, comprising:
- means for electrically stimulating tissue contractions with an adjustable stimulation intensity, said means adapted for electrical connection to contractible tissue;
first detector means electrically coupled to said means for electrically stimulating tissue contractions for detecting stimulated tissue contractions by obtaining a signal corresponding to impedance of the tissue and comparing amplitude of the signal with a predetermined threshold value corresponding to a tissue contraction; and
setting means in communication with the detector means for, at successive points in time, automatically determining and setting a present stimulation intensity to a value that is sufficient to stimulate a tissue contraction, said determining being based on detections by the detector means.
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Abstract
Implantable medical device comprising a device for stimulating tissue contractions with adjustable stimulation intensity, whereby the stimulation intensity is set such that a stimulated event is detected after stimulation with a detector device. The detector device detects stimulated tissue contractions in a signal corresponding to the chronological curve of the electrical impedance of the tissue to be stimulated.
84 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A medical device implantable into the body of a living being, comprising:
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means for electrically stimulating tissue contractions with an adjustable stimulation intensity, said means adapted for electrical connection to contractible tissue; first detector means electrically coupled to said means for electrically stimulating tissue contractions for detecting stimulated tissue contractions by obtaining a signal corresponding to impedance of the tissue and comparing amplitude of the signal with a predetermined threshold value corresponding to a tissue contraction; and setting means in communication with the detector means for, at successive points in time, automatically determining and setting a present stimulation intensity to a value that is sufficient to stimulate a tissue contraction, said determining being based on detections by the detector means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of operating a medical device implantable into the body of a living being comprising the steps of:
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electrically stimulating tissue contractions with an adjustable stimulation intensity; detecting tissue contractions by obtaining a signal corresponding to impedance of the stimulated tissue and comparing amplitude of the signal with a predetermined threshold value corresponding to a tissue contraction and characterizing those amplitudes greater than the predetermined threshold value as detections of tissue contractions; and automatically, at successive points of time, determining and setting a present stimulation intensity to a value sufficient to stimulate tissue contractions, said determining being based on the detections of tissue contractions. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of operating a medical device implantable into the body of a living being comprising the steps of:
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electrically stimulating tissue contractions with an adjustable stimulation intensity; detecting tissue contractions by obtaining a signal corresponding to impedance of the tissue; comparing amplitude of the signal with a predetermined threshold value; automatically, at successive points of time, determining and setting a present stimulation intensity to a value sufficient to stimulate tissue contractions, said determining being based on the detections of tissue contractions; determining, during every automatic determining and setting of the present stimulation intensity, a present minimum value of the stimulation intensity, which present minimum value forms a basis for the determining and setting of the present stimulation intensity wherein the present stimulation intensity is set to a value higher by a safety margin than the present minimum value; and setting the present stimulation intensity to a value that is higher by the safety margin, plus an additional safety margin, than the present minimum value, if the present minimum value is higher than the present minimum value that was determined during a preceding determining and setting of the present stimulation intensity. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method of operating a medical device implantable into the body of a living being comprising the steps of:
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electrically stimulating tissue contractions with an adjustable stimulation intensity; detecting tissue contractions by obtaining a signal corresponding to impedance of the tissue; comparing amplitude of the signal with a predetermined threshold value; automatically, at successive points of time, determining and setting a present stimulation intensity to a value sufficient to stimulate tissue contractions, said determining being based on the detections of tissue contractions; and determining, during every automatic determining and setting of the present stimulation intensity, a present minimum value of the stimulation intensity, which present minimum value forms a basis for the determining and setting of the present stimulation intensity wherein when a determination of the present minimum value is to be undertaken, a stimulation with a stimulation intensity that is equal to the present minimum value that was determined during a preceding determining and setting of the present stimulation intensity is delivered and, if a tissue contraction is not detected, the stimulation intensity is gradually increased until a stimulated tissue contraction is detected after every stimulation, and the present minimum value is set to be equal to the last stimulation intensity used.
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16. A method of operating a medical device implantable into the body of a living being comprising the steps of:
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electrically stimulating tissue contractions with an adjustable stimulation intensity; detecting tissue contractions by obtaining a signal corresponding to impedance of the tissue; comparing amplitude of the signal with a predetermined threshold value; automatically, at successive points of time, determining and setting a present stimulation intensity to a value sufficient to stimulate tissue contractions, said determining being based on the detections of tissue contractions; and determining, during every automatic determining and setting of the present stimulation intensity, a present minimum value of the stimulation intensity, which present minimum value forms a basis for the determining and setting of the present stimulation intensity wherein when a determination of the present minimum value is to be undertaken, a stimulation with a stimulation intensity that is equal to the present minimum value that was determined at a preceding determining and setting of the present stimulation intensity is delivered and if a tissue contraction is detected, the stimulation intensity is reduced by a predefined amount and if a tissue contraction is detected with the reduced stimulation intensity, the present minimum value is set to be equal to the reduced stimulation intensity, otherwise, the present minimum value is set to be equal to the present minimum value that was determined at the preceding determining and setting of the present stimulation intensity.
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Specification