Bio-impedance apparatus and method
First Claim
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1. A method of determining a specific impedance of tissue of at least one of two lungs of a patient having an implanted pacemaker that comprises first and second leads and a case, the method comprising:
- a) using the first and second leads and the case to acquire at least a first and a second impedance measurement responsive to impedance of the patient'"'"'s chest, said first and second impedance measurements being at least partially independent; and
b) determining the specific impedance of tissue of at least a first one of the patient'"'"'s lungs substantially independently of specific impedance of tissue of the second one of the patient'"'"'s lungs, such that Poisson'"'"'s equation for a model of the chest has a solution consistent with the at least two impedance measurements.
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Abstract
A method of determining an impedance of at least one lung of a patient having an implanted pacemaker that comprises first and second leads and a case, the method comprising:
- a) using the leads and the case to acquire at least a first and a second impedance measurement responsive to impedance of the patient'"'"'s chest that are at least partially independent; and
- b) using the impedance measurements to determine the impedance of at least one of the lungs substantially independently of impedance of the other lung.
40 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of determining a specific impedance of tissue of at least one of two lungs of a patient having an implanted pacemaker that comprises first and second leads and a case, the method comprising:
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a) using the first and second leads and the case to acquire at least a first and a second impedance measurement responsive to impedance of the patient'"'"'s chest, said first and second impedance measurements being at least partially independent; and b) determining the specific impedance of tissue of at least a first one of the patient'"'"'s lungs substantially independently of specific impedance of tissue of the second one of the patient'"'"'s lungs, such that Poisson'"'"'s equation for a model of the chest has a solution consistent with the at least two impedance measurements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of determining a specific impedance of tissue of at least one lung in a chest of a patient, comprising:
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a) generating one or more currents, each between a pacemaker case implanted in the chest, and at least one of a first lead and a second lead implanted at different locations in a heart of the patient; b) measuring one or more voltages, each involving a potential difference between at least one of the first and second leads and the case, including at least a first voltage due at least in part to at least a portion of the current which is generated between the other one of the first and second leads and the case; and c) calculating the specific impedance of tissue of at least one lung only from the one or more currents and the one or more voltages, including at least the first voltage.
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20. A pacemaker for bio-impedance measurements, comprising:
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a) a case adapted for implanting in the chest; b) a first lead adapted for implanting at a location in the heart; c) a second lead adapted for implanting at a different location in the heart; d) a bio-impedance system, adapted to make impedance measurements comprising at least a first and a second impedance measurement, using voltage differences between the case and the first and second leads; and e) a data analyzer, adapted to determine a specific impedance of tissue of at least a first one of the lungs, substantially independently of specific impedance of tissue of the other lung, such that Poisson'"'"'s equation for a model of the chest has a solution consistent with the at least two impedance measurements.
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21. A method of determining specific impedances of tissue of at least three portions of two lungs of a patient having an implanted pacemaker that comprises first and second leads and a case, the method comprising:
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a) using the first and second leads and the case to acquire at least a first, a second and a third impedance measurement responsive to impedance of the patient'"'"'s chest that are at least partially independent; and b) using the impedance measurements to determine the specific impedance of tissue of at least three portions of the lungs of the patient, including at least one portion of one of the patient'"'"'s lungs, and at least two portions of the other one of the patient'"'"'s lungs, substantially independently of each other.
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Specification