Method and apparatus for testing compatibility of lead polarity and polarity programming of a cardiac stimulator
First Claim
1. A self-diagnostic lead polarity test system within a stimulating device that is implantable in a patient'"'"'s body, said device being adapted to operate in a bipolar mode and in a unipolar mode and said device being adapted to receive an implanted stimulating lead having at least one electrode, each of said at least one electrodes having an electrical impedance relative to the patient'"'"'s body, said system being adapted to recognize whether said electrode lead is bipolar or unipolar and being adapted to determine whether an electrode is functional, said system comprising:
- a stimulating pulse generator for generating and applying stimulating pulses of predetermined pulse width to said stimulating lead;
means operable during the generation of a stimulating pulse by said pulse generator for acquiring a measurement relating to lead impedance;
means for storing externally-generated parameter values relating to lead impedance measurements which identify whether the electrode type of the lead is unipolar or bipolar and which indicate whether each of said at least one electrodes is functional;
a controller comprising means for controlling said pulse generator to generate a stimulating pulse and to take a lead impedance measurement while operating in the bipolar mode, means for comparing the bipolar lead impedance measurement to said stored parameter values to determine polarity and functionality of the electrodes, means operable when the lead electrode type is bipolar and the bipolar lead is functional for controlling the device to operate in a bipolar mode, means operable when the lead electrode type is unipolar and the unipolar lead is functional for changing the device operating mode from bipolar to unipolar, means for timing a predetermined interval following the generation of a bipolar mode stimulating pulse, and means operative at the end of said interval for controlling said pulse generator to generate a backup stimulating pulse while operating in the unipolar mode; and
means for reporting whether the electrode type of the lead is unipolar or bipolar and whether each of said at least one electrodes is functional.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cardiac stimulation device includes a system for testing lead polarity and determining whether the programmed polarity configuration is compatible with an attached pacing and sensing lead. The lead polarity test is based on a measurement of lead impedance performed during the delivery of a pacing pulse. Since the polarity test consists of lead impedance measurements for all polarity configurations, including incompatible configurations, the system provides for backup pacing pulses in a safe configuration to assure pacing support of a patient during all cardiac cycles.
166 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A self-diagnostic lead polarity test system within a stimulating device that is implantable in a patient'"'"'s body, said device being adapted to operate in a bipolar mode and in a unipolar mode and said device being adapted to receive an implanted stimulating lead having at least one electrode, each of said at least one electrodes having an electrical impedance relative to the patient'"'"'s body, said system being adapted to recognize whether said electrode lead is bipolar or unipolar and being adapted to determine whether an electrode is functional, said system comprising:
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a stimulating pulse generator for generating and applying stimulating pulses of predetermined pulse width to said stimulating lead; means operable during the generation of a stimulating pulse by said pulse generator for acquiring a measurement relating to lead impedance; means for storing externally-generated parameter values relating to lead impedance measurements which identify whether the electrode type of the lead is unipolar or bipolar and which indicate whether each of said at least one electrodes is functional; a controller comprising means for controlling said pulse generator to generate a stimulating pulse and to take a lead impedance measurement while operating in the bipolar mode, means for comparing the bipolar lead impedance measurement to said stored parameter values to determine polarity and functionality of the electrodes, means operable when the lead electrode type is bipolar and the bipolar lead is functional for controlling the device to operate in a bipolar mode, means operable when the lead electrode type is unipolar and the unipolar lead is functional for changing the device operating mode from bipolar to unipolar, means for timing a predetermined interval following the generation of a bipolar mode stimulating pulse, and means operative at the end of said interval for controlling said pulse generator to generate a backup stimulating pulse while operating in the unipolar mode; and means for reporting whether the electrode type of the lead is unipolar or bipolar and whether each of said at least one electrodes is functional. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for measuring lead polarity within an stimulating device that is implantable in a patient'"'"'s body, the device being adapted to operate in a bipolar mode and in a unipolar mode and the device being adapted to receive an implanted stimulating lead having at least one electrode, each of the at least one electrodes having an electrical impedance relative to the patient'"'"'s body, said method being adapted to recognize whether the electrode lead is bipolar or unipolar and being adapted to determine whether an electrode is functional, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing externally-generated parameter values relating to lead impedance measurements which identify whether the electrode type of the lead is unipolar or bipolar and which indicate whether each of the at least one electrodes is functional; generating and applying stimulating pulses of predetermined pulse width to the stimulating lead; acquiring a measurement relating to lead impedance during the generation of a stimulating pulse; controlling said pulse generating and applying step to generate a stimulating pulse and to take a lead impedance measurement while operating in the bipolar mode; comparing the bipolar lead impedance measurement to the stored parameter values to determine polarity and functionality of the electrodes; controlling the device to operate in a bipolar mode when the lead electrode type is bipolar and the bipolar lead is functional and, when the lead electrode type is unipolar and the unipolar lead is functional, changing the device operating mode from bipolar to unipolar, timing a predetermined interval following the generation of the bipolar mode stimulating pulse, and controlling the pulse generating and applying step to generate a backup stimulating pulse following said interval while operating in the unipolar mode; and reporting whether the electrode type of the lead is unipolar or bipolar and indicating whether each of the at least one electrodes is functional. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification