Sympathetic nerve stimulator and/or pacemaker

• US 6,937,896 B1
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kroll, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jastrzab, Jeffrey R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oropeza, Frances P.
• Application Number:
  US10/087,404
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 600/373, 600/374, 600/377, 600/393, 600/509, 600/526, 607 4- 7, 607/24, 607/44, 607/119, 607/122, 607/123
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy

Abstract

An exemplary method for increasing cardiac output that includes detecting a need for increased cardiac output and delivering electrical signals to a first electrode proximate to a left sympathetic nerve pathway and a second electrode proximate to a right sympathetic nerve pathway to stimulate sympathetic nerves and thereby increase cardiac output. A device for performing such an exemplary method. Other methods and/or devices are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for increasing cardiac output comprising:

positioning a first electrode proximate to a left sympathetic nerve pathway and positioning a second electrode proximate to a right sympathetic nerve pathway;

determining whether to increase heart rate or increase inotropy; and

selectively delivering an electrical signal to the first electrode to increase inotropy or to the second electrode to increase heart rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning includes positioning the first electrode proximate to a left sympathetic nerve ganglion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning includes positioning the second electrode proximate to a right sympathetic nerve ganglion.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning includes positioning the first electrode proximate to a left sympathetic epicardial nerve.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning includes positioning the second electrode proximate to a right sympathetic epicardial nerve.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning includes positioning the first electrode proximate to a left sympathetic cardiac nerve.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning includes positioning the second electrode proximate to a right sympathetic cardiac nerve.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning includes positioning the first electrode proximate to an epicardial plexus innervated by a left sympathetic nerve.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning includes positioning the second electrode proximate to an epicardial plexus innervated by a right sympathetic nerve.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivering delivers an electrical signal to the first electrode to stimulate a left sympathetic nerve and thereby increase inotropy.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivering delivers an electrical signal to the second electrode to stimulate a right sympathetic nerve and thereby increase heart rate.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivering delivers an electrical signal to the first electrode to stimulate a left sympathetic nerve and thereby increase inotropy and delivers an electrical signal to the second electrode to stimulate a right sympathetic nerve and thereby increase heart rate.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical signal includes parameters, the parameters selected from the group consisting of amplitude, frequency, voltage, current, energy, charge, power, and pulse width.

14. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a programmable stimulation device, causes a stimulation device to execute the delivering of claim 1.

15. A method for increasing cardiac output comprising:

detecting a need for increased cardiac output;

determining whether to increase heart rate or increase inotropy or both; and

selectively delivering electrical signals to a first electrode proximate to a left sympathetic nerve pathway to increase inotropy or to a second electrode proximate to a right sympathetic nerve pathway to increase heart rate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first electrode is proximate to a left sympathetic nerve ganglion.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second electrode is proximate to a right sympathetic nerve ganglion.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first electrode is proximate to a left sympathetic epicardial nerve.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the second electrode is proximate to a right sympathetic epicardial nerve.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first electrode is proximate to a left sympathetic cardiac nerve.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the second electrode is proximate to a right sympathetic cardiac nerve.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the first electrode is proximate to an epicardial plexus innervated by a left sympathetic nerve.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the second electrode is proximate to an epicardial plexus innervated by a right sympathetic nerve.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the delivering delivers an electrical signal to the first electrode to stimulate a left sympathetic nerve and thereby increase inotropy.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the delivering delivers an electrical signal to the second electrode to stimulate a right sympathetic nerve and thereby increase heart rate.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the delivering delivers an electrical signal to the first electrode to stimulate a left sympathetic nerve and thereby increase inotropy and delivers an electrical signal to the second electrode to stimulate a right sympathetic nerve and thereby increase heart rate.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the electrical signal includes parameters, the parameters selected from the group consisting of amplitude, frequency, voltage, current, energy, charge, power, and pulse width.

28. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a programmable simulation device, causes a simulation device to execute the method of claim 15.