Apparatus and method for treating atrial fibrillation and atrial tachycardia
First Claim
1. A method for treating an electrical problem in a human or animal patient'"'"'s heart having a left atrium which comprises atraumatically blocking the transmission of one or more electrical signals from a pulmonary vein, a fat pad, or a pulmonary vein and a fat pad from reaching the left atrium of the heart, wherein the one or more electrical signals are blocked by a DC current, voltage, or both DC current and voltage transmitted from an optical or light energy source to at least one noise cancellation device positioned on or adjacent to a pulmonary vein or a fat pad connected to the left atrium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and device for treating an electrical problem in an organ, especially a heart, of a human or animal patient comprises atraumatically blocking the transmission of one or more electrical signals external to the organ. Nerve cell membranes near a cathode are depolarized while nerve cell membranes near an anode are hyperpolarized, inducing a DC conduction block. The method and device are especially suitable for treating atrial tachycardia where unwanted signals from at least one pulmonary vein and/or at least one fat pad are blocked within the construct of the heart.
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Citations
19 Claims
- 1. A method for treating an electrical problem in a human or animal patient'"'"'s heart having a left atrium which comprises atraumatically blocking the transmission of one or more electrical signals from a pulmonary vein, a fat pad, or a pulmonary vein and a fat pad from reaching the left atrium of the heart, wherein the one or more electrical signals are blocked by a DC current, voltage, or both DC current and voltage transmitted from an optical or light energy source to at least one noise cancellation device positioned on or adjacent to a pulmonary vein or a fat pad connected to the left atrium.
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10. A system for treating a cardiac condition in a patient, which comprises:
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an ECG sensing and control circuit; a transmitter for transmitting an optical or light energy signal; and at least one receiver for receiving said signal, wherein each receiver is positioned on or adjacent to a pulmonary vein or fat pad and each receiver acts to cancel unwanted electrical signals from the pulmonary vein or fat pad to block the signals from reaching the left atrium of the patient'"'"'s heart. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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- 16. A system for treating a cardiac condition in a patient, which comprises a magnetic neurostimulator comprising two fixed magnets, a traversing magnet, and a wire coil, wherein the traversing magnet oscillates back and forth through the wire coil thereby inducing an alternating current which is rectified through semiconductor diodes to form a direct current electrical voltage and current which comprises a conduction blocking signal wherein each magnetic device is positioned on a pulmonary vein and each magnetic neurostimulator acts to cancel unwanted electrical signals from a pulmonary vein or fat pad to block the signals from reaching the left atrium of the patient'"'"'s heart.
Specification