Cardiac resynchronization system employing mechanical measurement of cardiac walls
First Claim
1. A method of synchronizing a contraction of ventricular wall locations, the method comprising the steps of:
- sensing motion with a first accelerometer located at a first ventricular wall location to produce a first signal;
sensing motion with a second accelerometer located at a second ventricular wall location to produce a second signal;
comparing the first signal to the second signal to detect a difference in synchronization of the first ventricular wall contraction and the second ventricular wall contraction; and
determining, based on the detected difference in synchronization of the first ventricular wall contraction and the second ventricular wall contraction, at least one parameter for a stimulation pulse to be applied by an electrode.
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Abstract
Methods and devices are disclosed for employing mechanical measurements to synchronize contractions of ventricular wall locations. Accelerometers that may be placed within electrode leads are positioned at ventricular wall locations, such as the left ventricle free wall, right ventricle free wall, and the anterior wall/septum wall. The accelerometers produce signals in response to the motion of the ventricular wall locations. A processor may then compare the signals to determine a difference in the synchronization of the ventricular wall location contractions. The difference in synchronization can be determined in various ways such as computing a phase difference and/or amplitude difference between the accelerometer signals. One or more stimulation pulses may be provided per cardiac cycle to resynchronize the contractions as measured by the accelerometers to thereby constantly and automatically optimize the cardiac resynchronization therapy.
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Citations
76 Claims
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1. A method of synchronizing a contraction of ventricular wall locations, the method comprising the steps of:
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sensing motion with a first accelerometer located at a first ventricular wall location to produce a first signal; sensing motion with a second accelerometer located at a second ventricular wall location to produce a second signal; comparing the first signal to the second signal to detect a difference in synchronization of the first ventricular wall contraction and the second ventricular wall contraction; and determining, based on the detected difference in synchronization of the first ventricular wall contraction and the second ventricular wall contraction, at least one parameter for a stimulation pulse to be applied by an electrode. - 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)
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27. A device for synchronizing a contraction of ventricular wall locations, comprising:
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a first accelerometer configured to be located at a first ventricular wall location; a second accelerometer configured to be located at a second ventricular wall location; a processing module that compares a first signal produced by motion of the first accelerometer when at the first ventricular wall location to a second signal produced by motion of the second accelerometer when at the second ventricular wall location to detect a difference in synchronization of the first ventricular wall location contraction and the second ventricular wall location contraction; and an output module; wherein the processing module is further configured to determine, based on the detected difference, a parameter for a stimulation pulse, and wherein the output module is configured to apply the stimulation pulse to an electrode. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A device for synchronizing a contraction of ventricular wall locations, comprising:
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a first motion sensing means configured to be located at a first ventricular wall location for producing a first signal when at the first ventricular wall location in response to contraction of the first ventricular wall location; a second motion sensing means configured to be located at a second ventricular wall location for producing a second signal when at the second ventricular wall location in response to contraction of the second ventricular wall location; a processing means for comparing the first signal to the second signal to detect a difference in synchronization of the first ventricular wall location contraction and the second ventricular wall location contraction; and a stimulation means; wherein the processing means is also for determining, based on the detected difference, a parameter for a stimulation pulse, and wherein the stimulation means is for applying the stimulation pulse to an electrode. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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Specification