Heart pacemaker
First Claim
1. A method of pacing the heart, comprising the step of providing pacing pulses to the apical area of the heart, by at least one of a plurality of electrodes positioned externally about the apex of the heart.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A heart pacemaker which is arranged to stimulate the apical area of the heart. Stimulation of this area provides synchronous mechanical contraction of the left and right ventricles and overcomes the problem of pacemaker induced left bundle branch block type conduction disturbance. The pacemaker has a base surface which conforms to the apical area of the heart and mounts a plurality of epicardial stimulating electrodes. Selection of electrodes can be made to provide the most clinically appropriate stimulation. An opposite side of the pacemaker is arranged to contact the diaphragm and is provided with sensing electrodes to sense activity of the diaphragm and adjust pacing of the heart in accordance with changes in physical activity of the patient. The electrodes used are preferably of capacitive construction, having first and second capacitive plates either side of a dielectric formed by the body of the pacemaker.
290 Citations
18 Claims
- 1. A method of pacing the heart, comprising the step of providing pacing pulses to the apical area of the heart, by at least one of a plurality of electrodes positioned externally about the apex of the heart.
- 16. A method of pacing the heart, comprising the step of providing pacing pulses to the apical area of the heart by at least one of at least three pacing electrodes positioned about the apex of the heart.
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18. A method of pacing the heart, comprising the steps of providing pacing pulses to the apical area of the heart by at least one of a plurality of electrodes positioned about the apex of the heart, positioning and operating the pacing electrodes epicardially to send pulses to the apex of the heart with such bias to the left or right of the apical area or centrally around the intraventricular septal area, or any combination thereof, so as to initiate a desired uniform spread of polarization wave through the heart, and stimulating the area around the intraventricular septum before stimulating any other area, whereby to polarize and stiffen the septum prior to polarizing the free walls of the ventricles.
Specification