Systems and methods for detecting, diagnosing and treating congestive heart failure
First Claim
1. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
- implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient;
operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium;
communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus;
operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment, whereinoperating the signal processing apparatus comprises generating one of at least two distinct instructive signals, each said signal indicative of a different therapeutic treatment; and
communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides improved apparatus and methods for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient. The apparatus includes a pressure transducer permanently implantable within the left atrium of the patient'"'"'s heart and operable to generate electrical signals indicative of fluid pressures within the patient'"'"'s left atrium. The pressure transducer is connected to a flexible electrical lead, which is connected in turn to electrical circuitry, which in the preferred embodiment includes digital circuitry for processing electrical signals. The electrical circuitry processes the electrical signals from the pressure transducer and, based at least in part on those signals, generates a signal that indicates a desired therapeutic treatment for treating the patient'"'"'s condition. That signal is then communicated to the patient via a patient signaling device, following which the patient administers to him or herself the prescribed therapeutic treatment indicated by the signal.
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Citations
83 Claims
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1. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient; operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment, wherein operating the signal processing apparatus comprises generating one of at least two distinct instructive signals, each said signal indicative of a different therapeutic treatment; and communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient, wherein implanting the pressure transducer within the medical patient comprises; approaching the left atrium through the right atrium; penetrating the patient'"'"'s atrial septum; and positioning the pressure transducer in pressure sensing contact with the patient'"'"'s left atrium; operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment; and communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient; operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment; communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient; and anchoring the pressure transducer to the patients atrial septum, by advancing a helical screw into the patient'"'"'s atrial septum.
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45. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient; operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment; communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient; and deploying at least one anchor by spring force to bear against the patient'"'"'s atrial septum, thereby anchoring the pressure transducer to the patient'"'"'s atrial septum.
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46. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient, wherein said implanting comprises; advancing a first lead component carrying anchoring apparatus to the left atrium and deploying the anchoring apparatus to anchor the first lead component to the patient'"'"'s atrial septum; and advancing a second lead component carrying a pressure transducer along the first lead component until the second lead component is in a position wherein the pressure transducer is positioned in pressure sensing contact with the patient'"'"'s left atrium; operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment; and communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient; operating the pressure transducer to generate an instructive signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the instructive signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment; and communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient, wherein said communicating comprises operating a mechanical vibrator to produce a vibration perceptible by the patient. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient; operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment; and communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient, wherein said communicating comprises operating a transmitter to send information to a remote receiver. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient; operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment; communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient; and operating power management circuitry to deny power to at least some portions of the signal processing apparatus during periods of relative inactivity between periods of active operation of those portions of the signal processing apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatments wherein said operating comprises computing mean left atrial pressures based on multiple individual signals generated by the pressure transducer; and communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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76. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient; operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment, wherein said operating comprises generating an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment comprising a reduction in the normal dose of at least one medication taken by the patient; and communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient; operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment; and communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient, wherein communicating the signal comprises communicating to the patient at least one predetermined sequence comprising multiple individual signal pulses perceptible by the patient.
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83. A method for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient, the method comprising:
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implanting a pressure transducer within the medical patient; operating the pressure transducer to generate a signal indicative of fluid pressure within the left atrium; communicating the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the left atrium to signal processing apparatus; operating the signal processing apparatus to generate an instructive signal indicative of an appropriate therapeutic treatment, wherein operating the signal processing apparatus comprises diagnosing a cause of worsening CHF; and communicating the instructive signal indicative of the appropriate therapeutic treatment to the patient.
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Specification