Cardiac pacing system and distributed cardiac pacing system

• US 8,000,791 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujikin Incorporated, National Cerebral And Cardiovascular Center
• Original Assignee: Fujikin Incorporated, National Cerebral And Cardiovascular Center
• Inventors: Inagaki, Masashi, Sugimachi, Masaru, Sunagawa, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): KAHELIN, MICHAEL WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US12/103,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20080319502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 607/9, 607/30, 607/32, 607/35, 607/36
• US Class Current: 607/35
• 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 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3785 generated by biological activity or substance, e.g. body movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/16 Biochemical fuel cells, i.e. cells in which microorganisms function as catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A distributed cardiac pacing system comprises a first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker adapted to be placed in an atrial myocardium and a second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker adapted to be placed in a ventricular myocardium.

Claims

1. A distributed cardiac pacing system comprising a first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker adapted to be placed in an atrial myocardium and a second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker adapted to be placed in a ventricular myocardium,

wherein the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker comprises:

a) a first control unit that outputs at least one first control signal;

b) a first heart stimulating means that responds to the first control signal and electrically stimulates the atrial myocardium;

c) a first electrocardiographic information detecting means that detects a plurality of electrocardiographic information including at least intracardiac P wave information;

d) a first transmitting means that modulates the electrocardiographic information and sends the information to the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker;

e) a first receiving means that receives and demodulates electrocardiographic information sent from the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker; and

f) a first power unit that supplies driving power to the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker;

wherein the first power unit is a biological fuel cell that extracts electrons from oxidative reactions of biological fuels;

wherein the biological fuel cell comprises an anode electrode and a cathode electrode;

wherein the anode electrode is coated with immobilized oxidative enzymes for biological fuels and mediators;

wherein the biological fuel cell uses blood and/or body fluid as an electrolyte solution and utilizes biological fuels and oxygen in blood and/or body fluid;

wherein the electrocardiographic information sent from the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker is input into the first control unit; and

the first control unit has a stimulation timing determining means that determines a timing of stimulation to generate the first control signal, and a stimulation timing changing means that changes the timing of stimulation to generate the first control signal;

wherein the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker comprises;

a) a second control unit that outputs at least one second control signal;

b) a second heart stimulating means that responds to the second control signal and electrically stimulates the ventricular myocardium;

c) a second electrocardiographic information detecting means that detects a plurality of electrocardiographic information including at least intracardiac QRS complex information;

d) a second transmitting means that modulates the electrocardiographic information and sends the information to the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker;

e) a second receiving means that receives and demodulates electrocardiographic information sent by the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker; and

f) a second power unit that supplies driving current to the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker;

wherein the second power unit is a biological fuel cell that extracts electrons from oxidative reactions of biological fuels,

wherein the biological fuel cell comprises an anode electrode and a cathode electrode;

wherein the anode electrode is coated with immobilized oxidative enzymes for biological fuels and mediators;

wherein the biological fuel cell uses blood and/or body fluid as an electrolyte solution and utilizes biological fuels and oxygen in blood and/or body fluid;

wherein the electrocardiographic information sent from the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker is input into the second control unit; and

the second control unit is equipped with a stimulation timing determining means that determines a timing of stimulation to generate the second control signal, and a stimulation timing changing means that changes the timing of stimulation to generate the second control signal;

wherein the first control unit generates the first control signal when intracardiac P wave information is not detected within a given time, and suppresses generation of the first control signal when intracardiac P wave information is detected within a given time;

wherein the second control unit generates the second control signal when intracardiac QRS complex information is not detected within a given time after detection of intracardiac P wave information, and suppresses generation of the second control signal when intracardiac QRS complex information is detected within a given time after detection of intracardiac P wave information; and

wherein when the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker detects intracardiac QRS complex information due to spontaneous ventricular contraction, the first control unit suppresses detection of intracardiac P wave information for a given time interval.

2. A distributed cardiac pacing system comprising a first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker adapted to be placed in an atrial myocardium and a plurality of second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers adapted to be placed in a ventricular myocardium,

wherein the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker comprises:

a) a first control unit that outputs at least one first control signal;

b) a first heart stimulating means that responds to the first control signal and electrically stimulates the atrial myocardium;

c) a first electrocardiographic information detecting means that detects a plurality of electrocardiographic information including at least intracardiac P wave information;

d) a first transmitting means that modulates the electrocardiographic information and sends the electrocardiographic information to the second ultra miniature cardiac pacemakers;

e) a first receiving means that receives and demodulates electrocardiographic information sent by the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers; and

f) a first power unit that supplies driving power to the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker;

wherein the first power unit is a biological fuel cell that extracts electrons from oxidative reactions of biological fuels;

wherein the biological fuel cell comprises an anode electrode and a cathode electrode;

wherein the anode electrode is coated with immobilized oxidative enzymes for biological fuels and mediators;

wherein the biological fuel cell uses blood and/or body fluid as an electrolyte solution and utilizes biological fuels and oxygen in blood and/or body fluid;

wherein the electrocardiographic information sent from the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers are input into the first control unit; and

the first control unit is equipped with a stimulation timing determining means that determines a timing of stimulation to generate the first control signal, and a stimulation timing changing means that changes the timing of stimulation to generate the first control signal;

wherein each of the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers comprises;

a) a second control unit that outputs a second control signal;

b) a second heart stimulating means that responds to the second control signal and electrically stimulates the ventricular myocardium;

c) a second electrocardiographic information detecting means that detects a plurality of electrocardiographic information including at least intracardiac QRS complex information;

d) a second transmitting means that modulates the electrocardiographic information and sends the electrocardiographic information to the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker and other second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers;

e) a second receiving means that receives and demodulates electrocardiographic information sent from the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker and the other second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers; and

f) a second power unit that supplies driving power to the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker;

wherein the second power unit is a biological fuel cell that extracts electrons from oxidative reactions of biological fuels;

wherein the biological fuel cell comprises an anode electrode and a cathode electrode;

wherein the anode electrode is coated with immobilized oxidative enzymes for biological fuels and mediators;

wherein the biological fuel cell uses blood and/or body fluid as an electrolyte solution and utilizes biological fuels and oxygen in blood and/or body fluid;

wherein the electrocardiographic information sent from the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker and other second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers is input into the second control unit; and

the second control unit is equipped with a stimulation timing determining means that determines a timing of stimulation to generate the second control signal, and a stimulation timing changing means that changes the timing of stimulation to generate the second control signal;

wherein the first control unit generates the first control signal when intracardiac P wave information is not detected within a given time, and suppresses generation of the first control signal when intracardiac P wave information is detected within a given time;

wherein the second control unit of the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers generate the second control signal when intracardiac QRS complex information is not detected by individual ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers within the respectively preset times after detection of intracardiac P wave information;

whereas when intracardiac QRS complex information is detected within given times after detection of intracardiac P wave information, the second control units generate control signals synchronous to the earliest timing at which intracardiac QRS complex information is detected;

wherein when one of the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers detects intracardiac QRS complexes due to spontaneous ventricular contraction, the first control unit suppresses detection of intracardiac P wave information for a given time interval.