Methods and systems for treating arrhythmias using a combination of vibrational and electrical energy
First Claim
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1. A method for stabilizing cardiac arrhythmias, said method comprising:
- delivering controlled vibrational energy to the heart from a vibrational transducer disposed in a housing, wherein the vibrational energy is delivered from the vibrational transducer through intervening non-cardiac tissue; and
delivering electrical energy to the heart, wherein the vibrational energy and electrical energy are delivered under conditions which terminate the arrhythmia, the housing is not in contact with the heart, and the vibrational transducer operates above 100 kHz, wherein the vibrational energy and the electrical energy are delivered at least partly simultaneously.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for cardiac pacing, cardioversion and defibrillation rely on delivering ultrasonic or other vibrational energy in combination with electrical energy to the heart, usually after the onset of an arrhythmia. A vibrational transducer and suitable electrical contacts may be combined in a single housing or distributed among various housings, and will usually be implantable so that the vibrational transducer can be directed at a target portion of the heart. Alternatively, external systems comprising the vibrational transducer and electrical contacts are also described.
150 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A method for stabilizing cardiac arrhythmias, said method comprising:
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delivering controlled vibrational energy to the heart from a vibrational transducer disposed in a housing, wherein the vibrational energy is delivered from the vibrational transducer through intervening non-cardiac tissue; and delivering electrical energy to the heart, wherein the vibrational energy and electrical energy are delivered under conditions which terminate the arrhythmia, the housing is not in contact with the heart, and the vibrational transducer operates above 100 kHz, wherein the vibrational energy and the electrical energy are delivered at least partly simultaneously. - 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)
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34. A system for stabilizing cardiac arrhythmias, said system comprising:
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a vibrational transducer disposed in a housing and adapted to deliver vibrational energy to the heart, wherein the vibrational transducer is adapted to deliver the vibrational energy to the heart through intervening non-cardiac tissue; electrical contacts adapted to deliver electrical energy to the heart; and control circuitry for delivering at least one of the vibrational energy and the electrical energy, wherein the housing is not in contact with the heart and the vibrational transducer operates above 100 kHz, wherein the vibrational energy and the electrical energy are delivered at least partly simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification