Pacing and sensing vectors

• US 7,991,468 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2006
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Tockman, Bruce, Westlund, Randy, Stahmann, Jeffrey E., Anderson, Russell E., Wentkowski, Rene H.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHAETZLE, KENNEDY
• Application Number:
  US11/554,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20070049978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3622 comprising two or more electrodes co-operating with different heart regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/365 controlled by a physiological parameter, e.g. heart potential evoked response A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36514 controlled by a physiological quantity other than heart potential, e.g. blood pressure controlled by two or more physical parameters A61N1/36585
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/368 comprising more than one electrode co-operating with different heart regions A61N1/3622, A61N1/3627 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3712 Auto-capture, i.e. automatic adjustment of the stimulation threshold

Abstract

A method for allowing cardiac signals to be sensed and pacing pulse vectors to be delivered between two or more electrodes. In one embodiment, cardiac signals are sensed and pacing pulse vectors are delivered between least one of a first left ventricular electrode and a second left ventricular electrode. Alternatively, cardiac signals are sensed and pacing pulse vectors are delivered between different combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrodes and a first supraventricular electrode. In addition, cardiac signals are sensed and pacing pulse vectors are delivered between different combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrode, the first supraventricular electrode and a conductive housing. In an additional embodiment, a first right ventricular electrode is used to sense cardiac signals and provide pacing pulses with different combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrodes, the first supraventricular electrode and the housing.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising,

a first lead, wherein the first lead includes a right ventricular electrode adapted to be positioned in a right ventricular region and a supraventricular electrode adapted to be positioned near a right atrial region;

a second lead, wherein the second lead includes a first left ventricular electrode and a second left ventricular electrode, the first and second ventricular electrodes adapted to be positioned adjacent a left ventricular region;

an implantable pulse generator, wherein the first lead and the second lead are to be coupled to the implantable pulse generator and where the first and second left ventricular electrodes, the right ventricular electrode, and the supraventricular electrode are to be coupled to control circuitry within the implantable pulse generator, and wherein the control circuitry includes a pacing output circuit that is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrodes in the left ventricular region and the right ventricular electrode in the right ventricular region, and to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrodes and the supraventricular electrode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first left ventricular electrode and the second left ventricular electrode are pacing/sensing electrodes, and the right ventricular electrode is a defibrillation coil electrode.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first left ventricular electrode, the second left ventricular electrode and the right ventricular electrode are pacing/sensing electrodes.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second lead includes a third left ventricular electrode, where the third left ventricular electrode is adapted to be positioned adjacent to the left ventricular region.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control circuitry is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first left ventricular electrode, the second left ventricular electrode, the third left ventricular electrode and the right ventricular electrode.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, where the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between one or more of the first, second or third left ventricular electrode and the first right ventricular electrode.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a conductive housing, where the control circuitry is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first left ventricular electrode, the second left ventricular electrode, the third left ventricular electrode and the conductive housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a connector block electrode, wherein the control circuitry is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first left ventricular electrode, the second left ventricular electrode, the third left ventricular electrode and the connector block electrode.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, where the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between one or more of the first and second electrode and the first right ventricular electrode.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry directs the pacing output circuit to deliver pacing pulses between the first left ventricular electrode, the second left ventricular electrode and the right ventricular electrode.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry directs the pacing output circuit to deliver pacing pulses between the first left ventricular electrode, the second left ventricular and the first supraventricular electrode.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a conductive housing, where the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the first left ventricular electrode, the second left ventricular electrode, the first supraventricular electrode and the housing, where the first and second left ventricular electrodes are common and the first supraventricular electrode and the housing are common.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a connector block electrode, wherein the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the first left ventricular electrode, the second left ventricular electrode, the first supraventricular electrode and the connector block electrode, wherein the first and second left ventricular electrodes are common and the first supraventricular electrode and the connector block electrode are common.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a conductive housing, where the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the first left ventricular electrode and the conductive housing.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a conductive housing, where the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the second left ventricular electrode and the conductive housing.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a connector block electrode, where the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the second left ventricular electrode and the connector block electrode.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a first lead, where the first lead includes a first supraventricular electrode adapted to be positioned in a right atrial region;

a second lead, where the second lead includes a first left ventricular electrode and a second left ventricular electrode, the first and second ventricular electrodes adapted to be positioned adjacent a left ventricular region; and

an implantable pulse generator, where the first lead and the second lead are coupled to the implantable pulse generator and where the first and second left ventricular electrodes and the first supraventricular electrode are coupled to control circuitry within the implantable pulse generator, and wherein the control circuitry includes a pacing output circuit that is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrodes in the left ventricular region and the first supraventricular electrode in the right atrial region.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first left ventricular electrode and the second left ventricular electrode are pacing/sensing electrodes and the first supraventricular electrode is a defibrillation coil electrode.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second lead includes a third left ventricular electrode, where the third left ventricular electrode is adapted to be positioned adjacent the left ventricular region.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the control circuitry is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first left ventricular electrode, the second left ventricular electrode, the third left ventricular electrode and the supraventricular electrode.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, where the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between one or more of the first and second left ventricular electrodes and the first supraventricular electrode.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, where the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between the first left ventricular electrode and the first supraventricular electrode.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, where the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between the second left ventricular electrode and the first supraventricular electrode.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, where the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between the first and second left ventricular electrodes and the first supraventricular electrode.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry directs the pacing output circuit to deliver pacing pulses between the first left ventricular electrode and the first supraventricular electrode.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first lead further includes a first right ventricular electrode adapted to be positioned in a right ventricular region, and where the control circuitry directs the pacing output circuit to deliver pacing pulses between the first left ventricular electrode and the first right ventricular electrode.

27. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry directs the pacing output circuit to deliver pacing pulses between the second left ventricular electrode and the first left ventricular electrode.

28. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the pacing output circuit delivers the pacing pulse between the first left ventricular electrode and the second left ventricular electrode in a left ventricular region and the first supraventricular electrode.

29. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a conductive housing, where the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the first left ventricular electrode and the conductive housing.

30. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a conductive housing, where the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the second left ventricular electrode and the conductive housing.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the first lead further includes a right ventricular electrode adapted to be positioned in a right ventricular region, and where the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the first left ventricular electrode and the second left ventricular electrode and the right ventricular electrode and the housing of the implantable pulse generator, where the first and second left ventricular electrodes are common and the right ventricular electrode and the housing are common.

32. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first lead includes a right ventricular electrode adapted to be positioned in a right ventricular region, and wherein the control circuitry allows for a cardiac signal to be sensed between one of the first and second electrodes and the right ventricular electrode and for pacing pulses to be delivered between both of the first and second electrodes and the first right ventricular electrode.

33. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a connector block electrode, where the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the first left ventricular electrode and the connector block electrode.

34. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a connector block electrode, where the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the second left ventricular electrode and the connector block electrode.

35. An apparatus, comprising:

a first lead, wherein the first lead includes a first left ventricular electrode and a second left ventricular electrode, the first and second ventricular electrodes adapted to be positioned adjacent a left ventricular region;

a second lead, wherein the second lead includes a supraventricular electrode adapted to be positioned near a right atrial region; and

an implantable pulse generator, wherein the first and second leads are to be coupled to the implantable pulse generator and wherein the first and second left ventricular electrodes and the supraventricular electrode are to be coupled to control circuitry within the implantable pulse generator, and wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a conductive housing coupled to the control circuitry, the control circuitry including a pacing output circuit that is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrodes in the left ventricular region and the conductive housing of the implantable pulse generator, and to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrodes and the supraventricular electrode.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, where the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between the first left ventricular electrode and the conductive housing.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, where the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between the second left ventricular electrode and the conductive housing.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, where the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between the first and second left ventricular electrodes and the conductive housing.

39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the lead includes a third left ventricular electrode, where the third left ventricular electrode is adapted to be positioned adjacent the left ventricular region.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the control circuitry is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first left ventricular electrode, the second left ventricular electrode, the third left ventricular electrode and the supraventricular electrode.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, where the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between one or more of the first, second and third left ventricular electrodes and the conductive housing.

42. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the first left ventricular electrode and the conductive housing.

43. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the second left ventricular electrode and the conductive housing.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the pacing output circuit controls delivery of pacing pulses between the first and second left ventricular electrodes and the conductive housing.

45. An apparatus, comprising:

a first lead, where the first lead includes a first right ventricular pacing/sensing electrode at a distal end of the first lead and a first right ventricular defibrillation coil electrode, where both electrodes are adapted to be positioned in a right ventricular region;

an implantable pulse generator, where the first lead is releasably coupled to the implantable pulse generator and where the first right ventricular pacing/sensing electrode and the first right ventricular defibrillation coil electrode are coupled to control circuitry within the implantable pulse generator, and wherein the control circuitry includes a pacing output circuit that controls delivery of pacing pulses from the first right ventricular defibrillation coil electrode as a cathode to the first right ventricular pacing/sensing electrode in the right ventricular region as an anode.

46. An apparatus, comprising:

a first lead, wherein the first lead includes a first right ventricular electrode and a second right ventricular electrode, the first and second right ventricular electrodes adapted to be positioned in a right ventricular region;

a second lead, wherein the second lead includes a first left ventricular electrode and a second left ventricular electrode, the first and second left ventricular electrodes adapted to be positioned adjacent a left ventricular region;

an implantable pulse generator, wherein the first lead and the second lead are to be coupled to the implantable pulse generator, wherein the first and second left ventricular electrodes and the first and second right ventricular electrodes are to be coupled to control circuitry within the implantable pulse generator, and wherein the control circuitry includes a pacing output circuit that is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrodes in the left ventricular region and commonly connected first and second right ventricular electrodes in the right ventricular region.

47. An apparatus, comprising:

an endovascular lead, wherein the endovascular lead includes a first left ventricular electrode and a second left ventricular electrode, the first and second ventricular electrodes adapted to be positioned adjacent to a left ventricular region; and

an implantable pulse generator, wherein the lead is to be coupled to the implantable pulse generator and where the first and second left ventricular electrodes are coupled to control circuitry within the implantable pulse generator, and wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a connector block electrode coupled to the control circuitry, the control circuitry including a pacing output circuit that is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrodes in the left ventricular region and the connector block electrode of the implantable pulse generator, wherein the lead includes a third left ventricular electrode, wherein the third left ventricular electrode is adapted to be positioned adjacent the left ventricular region, and wherein the control circuitry is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first left ventricular electrode, the second left ventricular electrode, the third left ventricular electrode and the connector block electrode, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, and wherein the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between one or more of the first, second and third left ventricular electrodes and the connector block electrode.

48. An apparatus, comprising:

an endovascular lead, wherein the endovascular lead includes a first left ventricular electrode and a second left ventricular electrode, the first and second ventricular electrodes adapted to be positioned adjacent to a left ventricular region; and

an implantable pulse generator, wherein the lead is to be coupled to the implantable pulse generator and where the first and second left ventricular electrodes are coupled to control circuitry within the implantable pulse generator, and wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a connector block electrode coupled to the control circuitry, the control circuitry including a pacing output circuit that is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrodes in the left ventricular region and the connector block electrode of the implantable pulse generator, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, and wherein the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between the first left ventricular electrode and the connector block electrode.

49. An apparatus, comprising:

an endovascular lead, wherein the endovascular lead includes a first left ventricular electrode and a second left ventricular electrode, the first and second ventricular electrodes adapted to be positioned adjacent to a left ventricular region; and

an implantable pulse generator, wherein the lead is to be coupled to the implantable pulse generator and where the first and second left ventricular electrodes are coupled to control circuitry within the implantable pulse generator, and wherein the implantable pulse generator includes a connector block electrode coupled to the control circuitry, the control circuitry including a pacing output circuit that is programmable to control delivery of pacing pulses between combinations of the first and second left ventricular electrodes in the left ventricular region and the connector block electrode of the implantable pulse generator, wherein the control circuitry includes a right ventricular activity sensor, a left ventricular activity sensor and a switch matrix coupled to both the right ventricular activity sensor and the left ventricular activity sensor, and wherein the control circuitry configures the switch matrix to receive an extended bipolar cardiac signal sensed between the second left ventricular electrode and the connector block electrode.