Heart defibrillator and defibrillation method wherein defibrillation is achieved by high-frequency, low-energy pulses
First Claim
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1. A heart defibrillator comprising:
- a pulse generator which emits electrical pulses each having an amplitude less than or equal to about 5 V;
electrode means adapted for delivering said electrical pulses in vivo to a defibrillating heart;
means for identifying a period of time for making said heart entirely refractory by delivery of said electrical pulses thereto; and
control means for controlling said pulse generator for causing said pulse generator to emit said electrical pulses at a rate faster than or equal to about 5 Hertz for said period of time.
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Abstract
An implantable heart defibrillator contains a pulse generator controlled by a control unit for emitting a number of heart stimulation pulses at a rate of several Hertz or more. The control unit causes the pulse generator to emit heart stimulation pulses with an energy content of the same, or somewhat greater, magnitude than conventional pacemaker pulses for a period of time long enough for the entire heart to become refractory.
121 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A heart defibrillator comprising:
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a pulse generator which emits electrical pulses each having an amplitude less than or equal to about 5 V; electrode means adapted for delivering said electrical pulses in vivo to a defibrillating heart; means for identifying a period of time for making said heart entirely refractory by delivery of said electrical pulses thereto; and control means for controlling said pulse generator for causing said pulse generator to emit said electrical pulses at a rate faster than or equal to about 5 Hertz for said period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A defibrillator comprising:
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a pulse generator which emits electrical pulses each having an amplitude in a range from about 5 V to about 20 V; electrode means adapted for delivering said electrical pulses in vivo to a fibrillating heart; means for identifying a period of time for making said heart entirely refractory by delivery of said electrical pulses thereto; and control means for continuously reducing the rate of emission of said pulses from said pulse generator from a starting rate which is faster than 300 pulses per minute during said period of time for making said heart entirely refractory. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for defibrillating a heart comprising the steps of:
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emitting electrical pulses each having an amplitude less than or equal to about 5 V from a pulse generator; delivering said electrical pulses in vivo to a fibrillating heart; identifying a period of time for making said heart entirely refractory by delivery of said electrical pulses thereto; and controlling said pulse generator for causing said pulse generator to emit said electrical pulses at a rate of several Hertz for said period of time. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for fibrillating a head comprising the steps of:
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emitting electrical pulses each having an amplitude in a range from about 5 V to about 20 V from a pulse generator; delivering said electrical pulses in vivo to a fibrillating heart; identifying a period of time for making said head entirely refractory by delivery of said electrical pulses thereto; and controlling said pulse generator by continuously reducing a rate of emission of said pulses from said pulse generator from a starting rate which is faster than 300 pulses per minute during said period of time for making said heart entirely refractory. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification