Implantable cardiac stimulation device with warning system
First Claim
1. An implantable medical device comprisinga cardiac therapy system havingmeans for producing a cardiac therapy,at least one electrode adapted to be implanted adjacent a patient'"'"'s heart for delivering said stimulation therapy to the heart,a cardiac stimulation lead electrically connecting said therapy producing means to said electrode, anda warning systemmeans for detecting a predetermined condition of said cardiac therapy system,means for producing a physiologic stimulation to warn said patient of said detected condition,at least one auxiliary electrode for implantation near an excitable tissue of said patient, andan auxiliary flexible, elongated lead electrically connecting said stimulation producing means and said auxiliary electrode, said auxiliary lead having an electrical conductor and a flexible biocompatible casing enclosing said conductor, and battery means for providing electrical power to said cardiac therapy system and said warning system.
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Abstract
A cardiac simulation system including a patient warning apparatus. The cardiac stimulator is an implantable pacemaker or defibrillator or combination which can be programmed to automatically alter the voltage of its output stimulus, in particular, to increase the voltage of the output stimulus whenever a condition exists requiring patient notification or warning. A specialized auxiliary lead with a shunt circuit can be connected to a standard socket of a cardiac stimulator header and a standard lead, such as a cardiac pacemaker lead, can then be connected to the auxiliary lead. The auxiliary lead allows a stimulation electrode to be implanted near excitable tissue in a secure fashion to assure stimulation of tissue. The auxiliary lead includes an apparatus for shunting electrical current from the standard stimulation electrode implanted in or near the patient'"'"'s heart to the auxiliary electrode in the presence of a stimulation pulse with a voltage at or above a preselected level.
50 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An implantable medical device comprising
a cardiac therapy system having means for producing a cardiac therapy, at least one electrode adapted to be implanted adjacent a patient'"'"'s heart for delivering said stimulation therapy to the heart, a cardiac stimulation lead electrically connecting said therapy producing means to said electrode, and a warning system means for detecting a predetermined condition of said cardiac therapy system, means for producing a physiologic stimulation to warn said patient of said detected condition, at least one auxiliary electrode for implantation near an excitable tissue of said patient, and an auxiliary flexible, elongated lead electrically connecting said stimulation producing means and said auxiliary electrode, said auxiliary lead having an electrical conductor and a flexible biocompatible casing enclosing said conductor, and battery means for providing electrical power to said cardiac therapy system and said warning system.
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6. An implantable cardiac stimulation system comprising
means for producing a cardiac stimulation therapy having an electrical current at a selected peak voltage level, at least one electrode for implantation adjacent a patient'"'"'s heart for delivering said stimulation therapy to the heart, a lead electrically connecting said therapy producing means to said electrode, means for detecting a predetermined condition, means responsive to said means for detecting a predetermined condition for increasing the peak voltage of said therapy producing means beyond a pre-selected voltage, at least one electrode for implantation near an excitable tissue of said patient, and means responsive to said increased voltage for directing at least part of an electrical current into said excitable tissue electrode, producing a physiologic reaction to warn said patient of said detected condition.
Specification