Cardiac force sensor and methods of use
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- sensing one or more forces exerted by at least a portion of a heart by detecting a compression or expansion of an implanted intracardiac element;
obtaining sensed force signal responsive to the one or more forces by measuring a displacement of the compression or expansion of the implanted intracardiac element, wherein the implanted intracardiac element includes a force sensor including;
a displacement sensor configured to sense a displacement of the portion of the heart during a heart movement, the displacement sensor including a first portion movable with respect to a second portion along an axial direction and in response to the displacement of the portion of the heart axial movement of the first portion with respect to the second portion being representative of the displacement of the portion of the heart, the displacement sensor being configured to provide an output displacement signal indicative of the displacement sensed; and
a contractile structure separate from the displacement sensor, the contractile structure being configured to axially expand or axially contract an axial distance representative of the axial movement of the first portion of the displacement sensor with respect to the second portion, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide the sensed force signal indicative of a force with which at least the portion of the heart moves during the heart movement, the force sensor configured to determine the force as a function of the distance that the contractile structure axially expands or axially contracts; and
communicating sensed force signal to an electronics unit of an implantable medical device.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus permit sensing one or more forces exerted by one or more portions of a heart. A force transducer and displacement sensor are disclosed. A movement of one or more portions of a heart can be translated into one or more signals indicative of force. These signals can be used to provide information such as to diagnose or treat one or more conditions.
55 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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sensing one or more forces exerted by at least a portion of a heart by detecting a compression or expansion of an implanted intracardiac element; obtaining sensed force signal responsive to the one or more forces by measuring a displacement of the compression or expansion of the implanted intracardiac element, wherein the implanted intracardiac element includes a force sensor including; a displacement sensor configured to sense a displacement of the portion of the heart during a heart movement, the displacement sensor including a first portion movable with respect to a second portion along an axial direction and in response to the displacement of the portion of the heart axial movement of the first portion with respect to the second portion being representative of the displacement of the portion of the heart, the displacement sensor being configured to provide an output displacement signal indicative of the displacement sensed; and a contractile structure separate from the displacement sensor, the contractile structure being configured to axially expand or axially contract an axial distance representative of the axial movement of the first portion of the displacement sensor with respect to the second portion, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide the sensed force signal indicative of a force with which at least the portion of the heart moves during the heart movement, the force sensor configured to determine the force as a function of the distance that the contractile structure axially expands or axially contracts; and communicating sensed force signal to an electronics unit of an implantable medical device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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sensing a force exerted by a portion of a heart using a force sensor associated with an implanted intracardiac element, the force sensor including; a displacement sensor configured to sense a displacement of the portion of the heart during a heart movement, the displacement sensor including a first portion movable with respect to a second portion along an axial direction of a portion of the implanted intracardiac element and in response to the displacement of the portion of the heart, axial movement of the first portion with respect to the second portion being representative of the displacement of the portion of the heart, the displacement sensor being configured to provide an output displacement signal indicative of the displacement sensed; and a contractile structure separate from the displacement sensor, the contractile structure being configured to axially expand or axially contract an axial distance representative of the axial movement of the first portion of the displacement sensor with respect to the second portion, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide a sensed force signal indicative of a force with which at least the portion of the heart moves during the heart movement, the force sensor configured to determine the force as a function of the distance that the contractile structure axially expands or axially contracts; and communicating the sensed force signal to an electronics unit of an implantable medical device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
sensing a force exerted by a portion of a heart using a force sensor associated with an implanted intracardiac element, the force sensor including; a displacement sensor configured to sense a displacement of the portion of the heart during a heart movement, the displacement sensor being configured to provide an output displacement signal indicative of the displacement sensed, the force sensor including a first portion movable with respect to a second portion along an axial direction and in response to the displacement of the portion of the heart, axial movement of the first portion with respect to the second portion being representative of the displacement of the portion of the heart; and a contractile structure separate from the displacement sensor, the contractile structure being configured to axially expand or axially contract an axial distance representative of the displacement sensed by the displacement sensor, wherein the force sensor is configured to provide a sensed force signal indicative of a force with which at least the portion of the heart moves during the heart movement, the force sensor configured to determine the force as a function of the distance that the contractile structure axially expands or axially contracts, wherein the contractile structure is configured to axially expand or axially contract the axial distance representative of the axial movement of the first portion of the displacement sensor with respect to the second portion. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method comprising:
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sensing one or more forces exerted by at least a portion of a heart by detecting a compression or expansion of an implanted intracardiac element; obtaining a sensed force signal responsive to the one or more forces by measuring a displacement of the compression or expansion of the implanted intracardiac element, the obtaining including; sensing a displacement of a first element of the implanted intracardiac element with respect to second element of the implanted intracardiac element along an axial direction and in response to a displacement of the portion of the heart; sensing an axial contraction of a contractile structure of the implanted intracardiac element separate from the first element and the second element; and using the sensed displacement and the sensed axial contraction information to determine the sensed force signal; and communicating the sensed force signal to an electronics unit of an implantable medical device.
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Specification