Myocardial stimulation
First Claim
1. A method comprising electrically stimulating biological material transplanted in a myocardium of a heart during an ejection phase of a cardiac cycle wherein said method further comprises sensing a pressure in a ventricle of a heart and wherein electrically stimulating the biological material transplanted in the myocardium comprises delivering a set stimulating pulses to the biological material in response to the pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In general, the invention is directed to methods for electrically stimulating transplanted biological material, such as transplanted cells, to improve the performance of the heart during systole. In particular, the invention is directed to devices and techniques for stimulating biological material transplanted in a myocardium of a heart during an ejection phase of a cardiac cycle. The transplanted biological material may include cells, such as skeletal myoblasts, precursor cells, endothelial cells, differentiated or undifferentiated stem cells, undifferentiated contractile cells, fibroblasts and genetically engineered cells. In general, stimulation of the transplanted biological material during the ejection phase of the cardiac cycle, when the aortic and pulmonary valves are open, provides hemodynamic assistance to the heart.
38 Citations
33 Claims
- 1. A method comprising electrically stimulating biological material transplanted in a myocardium of a heart during an ejection phase of a cardiac cycle wherein said method further comprises sensing a pressure in a ventricle of a heart and wherein electrically stimulating the biological material transplanted in the myocardium comprises delivering a set stimulating pulses to the biological material in response to the pressure.
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24. A method comprising:
- electrically stimulating biological material transplanted in a myocardium of a heart during an ejection phase of a first cardiac cycle;
suspending electrical stimulation of the biological material during the ejection phase of a second cardiac cycle;
monitoring a hemodynamic parameter during the second cardiac cycle; and
determining whether to electrically stimulate the biological material during the ejection phase of a third cardiac cycle as a function of the monitoring. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
- electrically stimulating biological material transplanted in a myocardium of a heart during an ejection phase of a first cardiac cycle;
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28. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:
- control delivery of electrical stimulation of biological material transplanted in a myocardium of a heart during an ejection phase of a first cardiac cycle;
suspend delivery of electrical stimulation of the biological material during the ejection phase of a second cardiac cycle;
monitor a hemodynamic parameter during the second cardiac cycle; and
determine whether to electrically stimulate the biological material during the ejection phase of a third cardiac cycle as a function of the monitoring, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to determine whether to electrically stimulate the biological material during the ejection phase of the third cardiac cycle as a function of the monitoring comprise instructions causing the processor to discontinue electrical stimulation when the monitoring indicates that the biological material is ineffective in contributing to hemodynamic operation of the heart. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
- control delivery of electrical stimulation of biological material transplanted in a myocardium of a heart during an ejection phase of a first cardiac cycle;
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31. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:
- control delivery of electrical stimulation of biological material transplanted in a myocardium of a heart during an ejection phase of a first cardiac cycle;
suspend delivery of electrical stimutation of the biological material during the ejection phase of a second cardiac cycle;
monitor a hemodynamic parameter during the second cardiac cycle; and
determine whether to electrically stimulate the biological material during the ejection phase of a third cardiac cycle as a function of the monitoring, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to determine whether to electrically stimulate the biological material during the ejection phase of the third cardiac cycle as a function of the monitoring comprise instructions causing the processor to control delivery of electrical stimulation at a reduced per-cardiac-cycle frequency. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
- control delivery of electrical stimulation of biological material transplanted in a myocardium of a heart during an ejection phase of a first cardiac cycle;
Specification