Automatic selection of stimulation chamber for ventricular resynchronization therapy

• US 8,818,511 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Ding, Jiang, Spinelli, Julio C., Yu, Yinghong, Kramer, Andrew P.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTON, AMANDA K
• Application Number:
  US12/480,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20090248104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,905 Days
• Field of Search: 607/9, 607/30
• US Class Current: 607/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/366 Detecting abnormal QRS complex, e.g. widening
• 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 1/36592 controlled by the heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3684 for stimulating the heart at multiple sites of the ventricle or the atrium
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36842 Multi-site stimulation in the same chamber
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36843 Bi-ventricular stimulation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for selection of one or more ventricular chambers to stimulate for ventricular resynchronization therapy. Intrinsic intracardia electrograms that include QRS complexes, are recorded from a left and right ventricle. A timing relationship between the intrinsic intracardia electrograms recorded from the left and right ventricle is then determined. In one embodiment, the timing relationship is determined using a delay between a left ventricular and a right ventricular sensed intrinsic ventricular depolarizations and a duration interval of one or more QRS complexes. In one embodiment, the duration of QRS complexes is determined from either intracardiac electrograms or from surface ECG recordings. One or more ventricular chambers in which to provide pacing pulses are then selected based on the timing relationship between intrinsic intracardia electrograms recorded from the right and left ventricle, and the duration of one or more QRS complexes.

Claims

1. A medical device programmer, comprising:

a receiver/transmitter circuit for communicating with an implantable cardiac device;

circuitry for receiving data from the implantable cardiac device that includes a timing relationship between intrinsic ventricular depolarizations of the left and the right ventricle; and

,

circuitry for selecting between a right ventricular, left ventricular, or biventricular pacing mode by which to provide pacing pulses based on the timing relationship between intrinsic ventricular depolarizations of the left and the right ventricle, wherein the selected pacing mode determines the manner in which paces are delivered over multiple cardiac cycles.

2. The programmer of claim 1 wherein the data from the implantable cardiac device that indicates a timing relationship between intrinsic ventricular depolarizations of the left and the right ventricle are intra-cardiac electrograms.

3. The programmer of claim 1 wherein the data from the implantable cardiac device that indicates a timing relationship between intrinsic ventricular depolarizations of the left and the right ventricle includes an interval between a right ventricular sense R_R and a left ventricular sense L_L.

4. The programmer of claim 1 further comprising:

data input/output circuitry interfaced to a display screen; and

,

wherein the circuitry for selecting one or more ventricular chambers in which to provide pacing pulses displays the selection on the display screen.

5. The programmer of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for selecting one or more ventricular chambers in which to provide pacing pulses includes circuitry for suggesting pacing in the left ventricle when the delay between the right ventricular and the left ventricular intrinsic ventricular depolarizations is greater than a threshold value, with the right ventricular depolarization occurring before the left ventricular depolarization.

6. The programmer of claim 5 wherein the threshold value is approximately zero (0).

7. The programmer of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for selecting one or more ventricular chambers in which to provide pacing pulses includes circuitry for suggesting pacing in the right and left ventricles when the delay between the right ventricular and the left ventricular intrinsic ventricular depolarizations is greater than a threshold value, with the right ventricular depolarization occurring before the left ventricular depolarization.

8. The programmer of claim 7 wherein the threshold value is approximately zero (0).

9. The programmer of claim 1 wherein the circuitry for selecting one or more ventricular chambers in which to provide pacing pulses includes circuitry for suggesting pacing in the right ventricle when the delay between the left ventricular and the right ventricular intrinsic ventricular depolarizations is greater than a threshold value, with the left ventricular depolarization occurring before the right ventricular depolarization.

10. The programmer of claim 9 wherein the threshold value is approximately zero (0).

11. A method, comprising:

employing a medical device programmer to receive data from the implantable cardiac device that includes a timing relationship between intrinsic ventricular depolarizations of the left and the right ventricle; and

,

selecting between a right ventricular, left ventricular, or biventricular pacing mode by which to provide pacing pulses based on the timing relationship between intrinsic ventricular depolarizations of the left and the right ventricle, wherein the selected pacing mode determines the manner in which paces are delivered over multiple cardiac cycles.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the data from the implantable cardiac device that indicates a timing relationship between intrinsic ventricular depolarizations of the left and the right ventricle are infra-cardiac electrograms.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the data from the implantable cardiac device that indicates a timing relationship between intrinsic ventricular depolarizations of the left and the right ventricle includes an interval between a right ventricular sense R_R and a left ventricular sense L_L.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying the selection of one or more ventricular chambers in which to provide pacing pulses on a display screen.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising suggesting pacing in the left ventricle when the delay between the right ventricular and the left ventricular intrinsic ventricular depolarizations is greater than a threshold value, with the right ventricular depolarization occurring before the left ventricular depolarization.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the threshold value is approximately zero (0).

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising suggesting pacing in the right and left ventricles when the delay between the right ventricular and the left ventricular intrinsic ventricular depolarizations is greater than a threshold value, with the right ventricular depolarization occurring before the left ventricular depolarization.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the threshold value is approximately zero (0).

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising suggesting pacing in the right ventricle when the delay between the left ventricular and the right ventricular intrinsic ventricular depolarizations is greater than a threshold value, with the left ventricular depolarization occurring before the right ventricular depolarization.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the threshold value is approximately zero (0).