Connection verification apparatus, systems, and methods

• US 7,606,619 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Scheiner, Avram
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow; Scott M
• Application Number:
  US11/422,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20060212083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 607/27, 607/28, 607/62, 607/63
• US Class Current: 607/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method may operate to provide a connection signal using a first contact, measure a waveshape associated with a corresponding connection signal arising from the connection signal at a second contact connected to a first electrode using a lead, and provide a comparison result after determining whether the lead is a preselected lead type based on the waveshape.

Claims

1. A method, including:

connecting a first electrode to a second contact using a lead;

providing a connection signal using a first contact coupled to a pacer electrode but not to the lead;

measuring a waveshape associated with a corresponding connection signal arising from the connection signal at the second contact; and

providing a comparison result after determining whether the lead is a preselected lead type based on the waveshape.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting the first electrode includes:

connecting the second contact to the lead comprising a cardiac pacing lead coupled to the first electrode.

3. The method of claim 1, including:

indicating the comparison result.

4. The method of claim 1, including:

recording the comparison result.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparison result includes an indication that the first electrode is connected to the second contact using one of the preselected lead type and a lead type other than the preselected lead type.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the pacer electrode comprises a pacer header electrode.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the pacer electrode comprises a pacer can electrode.

6. An apparatus, including:

a first contact coupled to a pacer electrode but not to a lead;

a second contact;

a current injection module to provide a connection signal using the first contact;

a measurement module to couple to the first and the second contacts and to measure a waveshape of a corresponding connection signal propagated through the lead coupled to the second contact;

a comparison module to determine whether the lead is a preselected lead type based on the waveshape, and to provide a comparison result; and

an indicator module to indicate the comparison result.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pacer electrode comprises a pacer can electrode.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the corresponding connection signal comprises a current.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the waveshape comprises a signature wave.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, including:

a database module having a preselected range of values corresponding to the preselected lead type.

22. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pacer electrode comprises a pacer header electrode.

11. A system, comprising:

an apparatus, including a first contact coupled to a pacer electrode but not to a lead, a second contact, a current injection module to provide a connection signal using the first contact, a measurement module to couple to the first and the second contacts and to measure a waveshape of a corresponding connection signal propagated through the lead coupled to the second contact, and a comparison module to determine whether the lead is a preselected lead type based on the waveshape, and to provide a comparison result; and

a processor to receive the comparison result.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the pacer electrode is a pacer header electrode.

13. The system of claim 11, further including:

a display to couple to the processor and to indicate the comparison result.

14. The system of claim 11, further including:

a database module included in a pacer programmer to couple to the processor.

15. The system of claim 11, further including:

a programmer to couple to the apparatus using a wireless signal, and to receive an indication of the comparison result.

23. The system of claim 11, wherein the pacer electrode comprises a pacer can electrode.

16. An article comprising a machine-accessible medium having associated instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the machine, result in a machine performing:

providing a connection signal using a first contact coupled to a pacer electrode but not to a lead;

measuring a waveshape associated with a corresponding connection signal arising from the connection signal at a second contact connected to a first electrode using the lead; and

providing a comparison result after determining whether the lead is a preselected lead type based on the waveshape.

17. The article of claim 16, wherein the second contact is coupled to an atrial ring electrode.

18. The article of claim 16, wherein the comparison result comprises an indication that the first electrode is connected to the second contact using a lead type other than the preselected lead type.

19. The article of claim 16, wherein the data, when accessed by the machine, results in the machine performing:

storing the comparison result in a database.

24. The article of claim 16, wherein the pacer electrode comprises is a pacer header electrode.

25. The article of claim 16, wherein the pacer electrode comprises a pacer can electrode.