Method and apparatus for monitoring and displaying lead impedance in real-time for an implantable medical device
First Claim
1. In an implantable stimulation system of the type having an implantable lead for delivering stimulation pulses and means for determining an electrical impedance of the lead, an improved system for detecting faults in the implantable lead, the improvement comprising:
- means for determining the electrical impedance of the lead as a function of time, the determination being made substantially in real-time; and
means for graphically displaying the electrical impedance of the lead as a function of time, the display being generated substantially in real-time;
whereby intermittent faults, when present, are graphically displayed in real-time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A real-time impedance monitoring system is provided for use with an implantable medical device having an implantable electrical lead. The impedance monitoring system includes components for determining the electrical impedance of the lead as a function of time, with the determination being made substantially in real-time, and components for graphically displaying the electrical impedance of the lead as a function of time, with the display also being generating substantially in real-time. In one specific example described herein, the implantable medical device is a pacemaker and the impedance monitoring system is within an external programmer device separate from the pacemaker. The programmer device includes a computer display screen or a computer printout device for presenting real-time graphical displays of the lead impedance. The programmer may alternatively generate graphical displays of lead impedance as a function of time based upon pre-recorded data.
280 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In an implantable stimulation system of the type having an implantable lead for delivering stimulation pulses and means for determining an electrical impedance of the lead, an improved system for detecting faults in the implantable lead, the improvement comprising:
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means for determining the electrical impedance of the lead as a function of time, the determination being made substantially in real-time; and means for graphically displaying the electrical impedance of the lead as a function of time, the display being generated substantially in real-time; whereby intermittent faults, when present, are graphically displayed in real-time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In an implantable stimulation system of the type having a first and second implantable lead for delivering stimulation pulses to the atrium and the ventricle, respectively, and means for determining an electrical impedance of each lead, an improved system for detecting faults in the implantable leads, the improvement comprising:
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means for separately determining the electrical impedance of each lead as a function of time, the determination being made substantially in real-time; and means for graphically displaying the electrical impedance of each lead as a function of time, the display being generating substantially in real-time, the impedance of the first lead being displayed separately; whereby intermittent faults, when present, are graphically displayed is real-time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. An impedance monitoring system for use with an implantable stimulation device having an implantable electrical lead connected thereto, the impedance monitoring system comprising:
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an electrical impedance measuring circuit, located within the stimulation device and coupled to the lead, which measures the electrical voltage and current delivered by the lead as a function of time, the determination being made substantially in real-time; and an external processing system, telemetrically coupled to the stimulation device, having a processor that calculates lead impedance based on the measured voltage and current received from the stimulation device, the external display device further including a display unit which graphically displays the electrical impedance of the lead as a function of time, the display being generated substantially in real-time; whereby intermittent faults, when present, are graphically displayed in real-time.
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19. A method for detecting electrical faults in an implantable electrical lead, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining a plurality of electrical lead impedance values over a period of time; and graphically displaying the electrical lead impedance as a function of time, the display being generated substantially in real-time; whereby intermittent faults, when present, are graphically identifiable. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification