System and method for breaking reentry circuits by cooling cardiac tissue
First Claim
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1. A method for inhibiting the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in cardiac tissue comprising:
- sensing the onset of arrhythmia;
determining a start temperature of the cardiac tissue at the time of onset of arrhythmia; and
applying a temperature decrease to the cardiac tissue via a cooling means, the cooling means selected from the group consisting of;
applying a cooling fluid to the cardiac tissue, electrically cooling the cardiac tissue, mechanically cooling the cardiac tissue, and chemically cooling the cardiac tissue using an endothermic chemical reaction;
wherein the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in the cardiac tissue are inhibited.
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Abstract
Systems and methods to inhibit the conduction of certain spurious electrical impulses in the heart. Inhibition of spurious electrical impulses in the heart is accomplished by cooling one or more targeted portions of the heart. Optionally, inhibition of spurious electrical impulses may be accomplished by cooling of cardiac tissue in combination with pacing of the heart.
244 Citations
58 Claims
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1. A method for inhibiting the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in cardiac tissue comprising:
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sensing the onset of arrhythmia; determining a start temperature of the cardiac tissue at the time of onset of arrhythmia; and applying a temperature decrease to the cardiac tissue via a cooling means, the cooling means selected from the group consisting of;
applying a cooling fluid to the cardiac tissue, electrically cooling the cardiac tissue, mechanically cooling the cardiac tissue, and chemically cooling the cardiac tissue using an endothermic chemical reaction;
wherein the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in the cardiac tissue are inhibited. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for inhibiting the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in cardiac tissue comprising:
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sensing the onset of arrhythmia; determining a start temperature of the cardiac tissue at the time of onset of arrhythmia; applying a temperature decrease to the cardiac tissue; and applying a pacing pulse to the cardiac tissue, wherein the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in the cardiac tissue are inhibited. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for inhibiting the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in cardiac tissue comprising:
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detecting a symptom associated with an arrhythmia; determining a start temperature of the cardiac tissue at the time the symptom is detected; targeting a portion of the heart affected by a reentry circuit; and in response to detection of the symptom, transferring heat away from the targeted portion of the heart by absorbing heat into a Peltier cooler located at the targeted portion. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for inhibiting the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in cardiac tissue comprising:
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detecting a symptom associated with an arrhythmia; determining a start temperature of the cardiac tissue at the time the symptom is detected; targeting a portion of the heart affected by a reentry circuit; and in response to detection of the symptom, transferring heat away from the targeted portion in the heart by absorbing heat into heat sink located at the targeted portion and thermally coupled to a Peltier cooler enclosed in a housing that is implanted in the patient'"'"'s torso. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for inhibiting the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in cardiac tissue comprising:
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detecting a symptom associated with an arrhythmia; determining a start temperature of the cardiac tissue at the time the symptom is detected; targeting a portion of the heart affected by a reentry circuit; in response to detection of the symptom, transferring heat away from the targeted portion in the bean by absorbing heat into a heat-transfer operator located at the targeted portion; and applying a pacing pulse to cardiac tissue. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for suppressing arrhythmia in a patient comprising:
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implanting a heat-transfer operator in contact with a targeted portion of the patient'"'"'s heart; suppressing the arrhythmia by operating a heat-transfer operator implanted at the targeted portion to cool the targeted portion of the heart; wherein implanting a heat-transfer operator in contact with the targeted portion of the patient'"'"'s heart comprises implanting a Peltier cooler on the targeted portion, wherein the targeted portion is selected from the group consisting of a right anterior-lateral atrial surface, a left anterior-lateral atrial surface, a right postero-lateral atrial surfaces, and a left postero-lateral atrial surface; and applying a biphasic pulse to cardiac tissue, wherein the biphasic pulse comprises; a first stimulation phase with a first phase polarity, a first phase amplitude, a first phase shape and a first phase duration; a second stimulation phase with a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude, a second phase shape and a second phase duration, wherein the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase are applied in sequence to cardiac tissue. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 33, 34)
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29. A method for suppressing arrhythmia in a patient comprising:
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implanting a heat-transfer operator in contact with a targeted portion of the patient'"'"'s heart; suppressing the arrhythmia by operating a heat-transfer operator implanted at the targeted portion to cool the targeted portion of the heart; implanting a heat sink on the targeted portion , wherein the targeted portion is selected from the group consisting of a right anterior-lateral atrial surface, a left anterior-lateral atrial surface, a right postero-lateral atrial surfaces, and a left postero-lateral atrial surface; thermally coupling the heat sink implanted on the targeted portion to a Peltier cooler enclosed in a housing that is implanted in the patient'"'"'s torso; and applying a biphasic pacing pulse to cardiac tissue, wherein the biphasic pulse comprises; a first stimulation phase with a first phase polarity, a first phase amplitude, a first phase shape and a first phase duration; a second stimulation phase with a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude, a second phase shape and a second phase duration, wherein the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase are applied in sequence to the cardiac tissue. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 35)
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36. A method for suppressing arrhythmia in a patient Comprising:
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implanting a heat-transfer operator in contact with a targeted portion of the patient'"'"'s heart; suppressing the arrhythmia by operating a heat-transfer operator implanted at the targeted portion to cool the targeted portion of the heart; and
applying a biphasic pacing pulse to cardiac tissue, wherein the biphasic pulse comprises;a first stimulation phase with a first phase polarity, a first phase amplitude, a first phase shape and a first phase duration; a second stimulation phase with a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude, a second phase shape and a second phase duration, wherein the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase are applied in sequence to cardiac tissue. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for inhibiting the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in cardiac tissue comprising:
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sensing the onset of arrhythmia; evaluating the sensed arrhythmia; determining a start temperature of the cardiac tissue at the time of onset of arrhythmia; based on the evaluation of the sensed arrhythmia and the start temperature, selecting one or more remedial measures from the group consisting of applying a temperature decrease to the cardiac tissue and applying a pacing pulse to the cardiac tissue; and applying the selected remedial measures. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. An apparatus far inhibiting the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in cardiac tissue comprising:
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a sensing means for sensing the onset of arrhythmia a means for determining a start temperature of the cardiac tissue at the time of onset of arrhythmia; and a cooling means responsive to the sensing means for applying a cooling stimulus to the cardiac tissue; wherein the cooling means is selected from the group consisting of a means for applying a cooling fluid to the cardiac tissue, an electrical cooling apparatus, a mechanical cooling apparatus, and an endothermic chemical reaction.
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51. An apparatus for inhibiting the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in cardiac tissue comprising;
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a sensing means for sensing the onset of arrhythmia; a means for determining a start temperature of the cardiac tissue at the time of onset of arrhythmia; a cooling means responsive to the sensing means for applying a cooling stimulus to the cardiac tissue; a cardiac stimulation generator; and an electrode in contact with cardiac tissue, wherein the electrode is connected to the cardiac stimulation generator, wherein the cardiac stimulation generator is adapted to apply a pacing pulse to the cardiac tissue. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method for inhibiting the conduction of spurious electrical impulses in cardiac tissue comprising:
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sensing the onset of arrhythmia; detecting a start temperature of the cardiac tissue at the time of onset of the arrhythmia; evaluating the sensed arrhythmia; monitoring a cardiac tissue temperature; using the evaluation of the sensed arrhythmia and the cardiac tissue temperature to select one or more remedial measures from the group consisting of applying a temperature decrease to the cardiac tissue and applying a pacing pulse to the cardiac tissue; and applying the selected remedial measures.
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Specification