Electrical muscle controller

• US 8,655,444 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2012
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Impulse Dynamics NV
• Original Assignee: Impulse Dynamics NV
• Inventors: Ben-Haim, Shlomo, Darvish, Nissim, Fenster, Maier, Mika, Yuval
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavert, Nicole F
• Application Number:
  US13/662,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/4, 607/9, 607/119
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/14 Leading-off electric charges, e.g. by earthing carrying-off electrostatic charges, in general H05F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3628 using sub-threshold or non-excitatory signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/365 controlled by a physiological parameter, e.g. heart potential evoked response A61N1/371

Abstract

A method of modifying the force of contraction of at least a portion of a heart chamber, including providing a subject having a heart, comprising at least a portion having an activation, and applying a non-excitatory electric field having a given duration, at a delay after the activation, to the portion, which causes the force of contraction to be increased by a least 5%.

Claims

1. A method of cardiac reshaping, comprising:

determining a desired target change in distribution of muscle mass in a heart; and

applying one or more non-excitatory electric fields to the heart such that said distribution is changed, at least in part, thereby.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising sensing at least one cardiac parameter by a sensor and modifying said applying, in response to said sensing.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said applying comprises applying using a device with plurality of electrodes and selecting a subset of said plurality of electrodes for said applying, based on said determining.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said applying comprises applying for at least two weeks.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining comprises selecting a frequency of application, so said applying comprises applying not at every beat.

6. A method according to claim 1, comprising modifying said desired target distribution after a few weeks from an initiation of said applying.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said applying comprises modifying one or both of a preload and an afterload of the heart.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein said modifying is in response to an adaptation of the heart to said applying or as a function of time.

9. A method according to claim 1, comprising modifying said applying in response to a change in the heart.

10. A method according to claim 1, comprising periodically varying said applying.

11. A method according to claim 1, comprising stopping said applying in response to reaching said target.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said applying comprises directly modifying a workload on a segment of the heart.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said applying comprises indirectly modifying a workload on a segment of the heart.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said applying comprises modifying a stress on a segment of the heart.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein said applying comprises modifying a duration of an action potential plateau of a segment of the heart.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein said applying comprises modifying a contractility of a segment of the heart.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein said applying comprises redistributing one or more local physiological values.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein said applying comprises increasing cardiac output.

19. A method according to claim 1, comprising also controlling arrhythmia using one or more non-excitatory electric fields.

20. A method according to claim 1, comprising storing a long-term therapeutic goal in a memory of a controller which controls said applying.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein redistributing comprises increasing muscle mass at a desired location.

22. A method according to claim 1, comprising changing a location of electrodes used to provide said applying responsive to said desired target.

23. A method according to claim 1, comprising increasing an efficiency of said heart by said applying.

24. A method according to claim 1, comprising strengthening said heart by said applying.

25. A method according to claim 1, comprising selection a desired activation profile to be created by said applying.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said activation profile includes a change in one or more of conduction pattern, or distribution and timing of activation.

27. Implantable apparatus for cardiac reshaping programmed to perform the applying of claim 1.