Method for digital cardiac rhythm management

• US 8,160,702 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mann, Brian, Whiting, James S., Eigler, Neal L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US12/565,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20100016918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 607/9
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/025 Digital circuitry features of electrotherapy devices, e.g. memory, clocks, processors
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/057 Anchoring means; Means for fixing the head inside the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37254 Pacemaker or defibrillator security, e.g. to prevent or inhibit programming alterations by hackers or unauthorised individuals
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/288 for artificial respiration or heart massage

Abstract

A cardiac rhythm management apparatus includes a proximal housing, a distal housing and a lead. The proximal housing includes a first energy storage device. The distal module is implantable within a patient'"'"'s heart, and includes a second energy storage device, at least one electrode, and a control module. The control module controls the delivery of at least one electrical stimulus from the second energy storage device to a location in communication with the patient'"'"'s heart. The lead connects the proximal housing to the distal module and is configured to communicate one or more digital signals between the proximal housing and the distal module.

Claims

1. A cardiac rhythm management device configured to be implanted within a medical patient, the cardiac rhythm management device comprising:

a proximal component comprising a first energy storage device;

a lead connected to the proximal component;

a distal component connected to the lead, the distal component implantable within a patient'"'"'s heart, the distal component comprising a second energy storage device configured to receive electrical energy from the first energy storage device of the proximal component and to store the electrical energy; and

a control module configured to cause the second energy storage device to deliver at least a portion of the stored electrical energy as one or more electrical pulses to the patient'"'"'s heart, thereby managing a cardiac rhythm in the patient.

2. The cardiac rhythm management device of claim 1, wherein the second energy storage device comprises a capacitor.

3. The cardiac rhythm management device of claim 1, wherein the second energy storage device comprises a battery.

4. The cardiac rhythm management device of claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a processor.

5. The cardiac rhythm management device of claim 1, further comprising a pacing electrode, wherein the control module is further configured to cause the second energy storage device to deliver at least a portion of the stored electrical energy to the patient'"'"'s heart via the pacing electrode.

6. The cardiac rhythm management device of claim 1, wherein the control module is further configured to control the transfer of energy from the first energy storage device to the second energy storage device.

7. The cardiac rhythm management device of claim 1, wherein the distal component further comprises a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure of the patient'"'"'s heart.

8. A method of managing a cardiac rhythm in a medical patient, the method comprising:

providing a proximal component configured to be implanted in a patient, the proximal component operative to store energy;

providing a distal component configured to be implanted in the patient'"'"'s heart;

providing a lead configured to be implanted in the patient, the lead operative to couple the proximal and distal components;

providing a controller configured to;

transfer at least a portion of the stored energy from the proximal component to the distal component;

store the transferred energy in the distal component;

deliver at least a portion of the transferred energy stored in the distal component as one or more electrical pulses to the patient'"'"'s heart.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said controller is further configured to transfer the energy by transferring at least a portion of the stored energy through one or more digital signals.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more digital signals comprise a digital power interval portion and a digital instruction interval portion.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to receive physiological data from a physiological sensor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor configured to obtain a pressure signal indicative of a pressure of the heart.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the distal component is further configured to communicate the physiological data to the proximal component.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to deliver at least a portion of the transferred energy by at least delivering the one or more electrical pulses to the heart using a pacing electrode.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the proximal component comprises the controller.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the distal component comprises the controller.

17. An apparatus configured to be implemented within a medical patient for managing cardiac health of the patient, the apparatus comprising:

a proximal housing adapted to be implanted in a location external to a patient'"'"'s heart;

a lead connected to the proximal housing;

a distal module connected to the lead;

the lead comprising one or more electrical conductors configured to communicate electrical energy from the proximal housing to the distal module; and

the distal module comprising an energy storage device configured to;

receive the electrical energy from the lead,

store the electrical energy, and

provide at least a portion of the stored electrical energy as one or more electrical pulses to the patient'"'"'s heart.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the lead is configured to communicate one or more digital signals between the proximal component and the distal component.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a control module configured to cause the energy storage device to provide at least a portion of the stored electrical energy as one or more electrical pulses to the patient'"'"'s heart.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the control module is further configured to control the communication of electrical energy from the proximal housing to the energy storage device.