Heart monitoring device and a system to detect vibrations concerning the status of the heart
First Claim
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1. An implantable heart monitoring system comprising:
- a housing configured for implantation in a subject;
a vibrator configured for implantation in the subject and operable to emit a vibration signal from a first in vivo site into cardiac tissue exhibiting a tissue transfer function representing physical properties of the cardiac tissue in the subject;
a vibration sensor configured for implantation at a second in vivo site in the subject, said vibration sensor configured to detect said vibration signal after said vibration signal has propagated through said tissue between said first in vivo site and said second in vivo site and is further configured to emit a detection signal that represents the detected vibrations; and
a control circuit in said housing in communication with said vibrator and said vibration sensor, said control circuit being configured to execute a procedure comprising actuating said vibrator to emit said vibration signal and receiving said detection signal from said vibration sensor, and to derive based on the detected vibrations in relation to the vibration signal said tissue transfer function, and to derive from said tissue transfer function, information describing at least one medical property of the heart of the subject, selected from the group consisting of stiffness of a heart portion of the heart and a thickness of a portion of the heart.
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Abstract
An implantable heart monitoring system has a control circuit that operates an implanted vibrator to emit a vibration signal that interacts with tissue in vivo. A vibration sensor detects vibrations after interaction with the tissue, and supplies a detection signal to the control circuit. The control circuit analyzes the vibrations in the detected signal relative to the vibration signal, and derives information concerning at least one mechanical property of the heart therefrom, such as stiffness and/or thickness of at least a part of the heart.
7 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An implantable heart monitoring system comprising:
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a housing configured for implantation in a subject; a vibrator configured for implantation in the subject and operable to emit a vibration signal from a first in vivo site into cardiac tissue exhibiting a tissue transfer function representing physical properties of the cardiac tissue in the subject; a vibration sensor configured for implantation at a second in vivo site in the subject, said vibration sensor configured to detect said vibration signal after said vibration signal has propagated through said tissue between said first in vivo site and said second in vivo site and is further configured to emit a detection signal that represents the detected vibrations; and a control circuit in said housing in communication with said vibrator and said vibration sensor, said control circuit being configured to execute a procedure comprising actuating said vibrator to emit said vibration signal and receiving said detection signal from said vibration sensor, and to derive based on the detected vibrations in relation to the vibration signal said tissue transfer function, and to derive from said tissue transfer function, information describing at least one medical property of the heart of the subject, selected from the group consisting of stiffness of a heart portion of the heart and a thickness of a portion of the heart. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for monitoring cardiac tissue comprising the steps of:
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implanting a vibrator in a subject at a first in vivo site; implanting a vibration sensor in the subject at a second in vivo site, separated from said first in vivo site by cardiac tissue exhibiting a tissue transfer function that represents mechanical properties of said tissue; emitting vibrations in vivo from said vibrator that interact with said cardiac tissue and detecting vibrations with said vibration sensor resulting from the interaction of the emitted vibrations with cardiac tissue; and automatically electronically analyzing the detected vibrations to derive said tissue transfer function, and to derive from said transfer function, information describing a mechanical property of the heart of the subject, selected from the group consisting of stiffness of a portion of the heart and thickness of a portion of the heart. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification