Implantable medical device with external access for recharging and data communication

• US 9,144,686 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neurocardiac Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Neurocardiac Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Kameli, Nader
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinga, Roland
• Application Number:
  US13/011,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20120190969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/36, 607/37
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/62 Posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/50 having means for preventing re-use, or for indicating if defective, used, tampered with or unsterile retractable needles or needle protectors with means for preventing re-use A61M5/321
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36535 controlled by body position or posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3706 Pacemaker parameters stimulation threshold A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3962 in combination with another heart therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39622 Pacing therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39624 Pain reduction therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3968 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings A61N1/375 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments relate to an implantable cardiac system, including a housing, electronic circuitry for controlling one or more of power management, processing unit, information memory and management circuit, sensing and simulation output. The system also includes diagnosis and treatment software for diagnosing health issues, diagnosing mechanical issues, determining therapy output and manage patient health indicators over time, a power supply system including at least one rechargeable battery, a recharging system, an alarm (or alert) system to inform patient of energy level and integrity of system, communication circuitry, one or more electrodes for delivering therapeutic signal to a heart and one or more electrodes for from delivering electrocardiogram signal from the heart to the electronic circuitry. The power sources can include rechargeable batteries. The housing can include receptacles that receive a probe that mechanically and electrically connects to circuitry to recharge the device and receive data from the device.

Claims

1. A cardiac care, medical system comprising:

an implantable, medical device housing comprising a header, wherein the header includes a port comprising a probe receptacle and a membrane assembly positioned at an entrance to the probe receptacle, wherein the probe receptacle is configured to receive a probe from outside a body of a patient through the membrane assembly after the housing has been implanted inside the body of the patient, and wherein the probe receptacle comprises multiple, separate conductive segments arranged serially along a longitudinal axis of the probe receptacle and configured to align with corresponding multiple, separate conductive segments arranged serially along a longitudinal axis of the probe when the probe is inserted through the patient'"'"'s skin and into the probe receptacle; and

wherein the port is viewable with medical imaging while inside the body of the patient to facilitate guidance and mating of the probe to the port.

2. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the port includes an opaque material that makes it viewable with the medical imaging.

3. The medical system of claim 2, wherein the medical imaging includes X-ray imaging.

4. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the separate conductive segments arranged serially along the longitudinal axis of the probe receptacle comprise one or more contacts configured to provide one or more connections for transmitting communication signals to and/or from the medical system via the corresponding separate conductive segments of the probe when the probe is inserted into the probe receptacle.

5. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the port is configured to receive the probe in electrical isolation from the body of the patient.

6. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the probe receptacle includes one or more seals arranged serially along the longitudinal axis of the probe receptacle and configured to electrically isolate the individual conductive segments of the probe receptacle from each other.

7. The medical system of claim 6, wherein the membrane assembly includes a bodily fluid seal configured to seal the probe receptacle segments from bodily fluid when the probe enters the probe receptacle through the port after piercing the patient'"'"'s skin.

8. The medical system of claim 7, wherein the bodily fluid seal is adjacent to the entrance to the probe receptacle.

9. The medical system of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a body orientation sensing unit configured to determine a physical orientation of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body and to output orientation data corresponding to the physical orientation of the at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body.

10. A medical system comprising:

an implantable medical device comprising a header, wherein the header includes a port comprising a probe receptacle and a membrane assembly positioned at an entrance to the probe receptacle, wherein the probe receptacle is configured to receive a probe from outside a patient'"'"'s body through the membrane assembly after the medical device has been implanted inside the body of the patient, and wherein the probe receptacle includes multiple electrically-conductive segments arranged serially along a longitudinal axis of the probe receptacle;

a probe comprising one or more electrically-conductive segments arranged serially along a longitudinal axis of the probe, and wherein the probe is configured to deliver at least one of energy and data to the medical device from outside of the patient'"'"'s body after the probe has been inserted into the probe receptacle of the medical device through the port, thereby causing individual electrically-conductive segments of the probe to contact corresponding individual electrically-conductive segments of the probe receptacle; and

wherein the port is viewable with medical imaging while inside the patient'"'"'s body to facilitate guidance and mating of the probe to the port.

11. The medical system of claim 10, wherein the probe is configured to mate with the implantable medical device via the port by inserting the probe through the patient'"'"'s skin and into the probe receptacle after the medical device has been implanted inside the body of the patient.

12. The medical system of claim 11, wherein the multiple electrically-conductive segments of the probe are configured to act as one or more cathode connections and one or more anode connections for energy delivery to the implantable medical device from a power source located outside of the patient'"'"'s body.

13. The medical system of claim 11, wherein the multiple electrically-conductive segments of the probe are configured to provide one or more connections for transferring communication signals to and/or from the implantable medical device to/from a communications device located outside of the patient'"'"'s body.

14. The medical system of claim 10, wherein the multiple electrically-conductive segments of the probe are electrically isolated from each other, and wherein the multiple electrically-conductive segments of the probe receptacle are electrically isolated from each other.

15. The medical system of claim 14, wherein the probe has a needle-shape, is smooth along its outer surface, and has a tip to ease penetration of the skin.

16. The medical system of claim 15, wherein the probe includes a smooth outer surface to at least a depth required to penetrate the patient'"'"'s body to reach and engage a distal end of the probe receptacle.

17. The medical system of claim 14, wherein the probe is tapered from a tip to ease penetration into the patient'"'"'s body.

18. The medical system of claim 14, wherein the probe includes one or more sets of cathode and anode segments configured to transfer electrical energy into the implantable medical device from a power source located outside of the patient'"'"'s body, and one or more sets of communications interfaces configured to transmit data to/from the implantable medical device to/from a communications systems located outside of the patient'"'"'s body.

19. The medical system of claim 18, wherein the membrane assembly positioned at the entrance to the probe receptacle is configured to prevent moisture from leaking into the probe receptacle.

20. The medical system of claim 19, wherein the probe receptacle is generally cylindrical.

21. The medical system of claim 19, wherein each segment of the probe receptacle includes one or more electrical contacts that have mechanical push and make mechanical connection with corresponding segments of the probe when the probe is inserted into the probe receptacle.

22. The medical system of claim 21, where the electrical contacts of the probe receptacle are disabled until the probe is inserted into the probe receptacle to a depth where each electrical contact of the probe receptacle physically engages a corresponding anode or cathode of the probe.

23. The medical system of claim 22, wherein the probe receptacle includes a switch at the distal end of the probe receptacle opposite the entrance to the probe receptacle, wherein the switch is configured to activate the electrical contacts when the probe is inserted into the probe receptacle to a depth where the tip of the probe activates the switch.

24. The medical system of claim 23, wherein the switch holds the electrical contacts of the probe receptacle in a deactive electrical state until the probe is inserted into the probe receptacle to a depth where the tip of the probe activates the switch.

25. The medical system of claim 24, wherein the probe receptacle includes a recess that is essentially cylindrical to form a female connector and the probe includes a male connector configured to mate with the female connector.

26. The medical system of claim 19, wherein the membrane assembly positioned at the entrance to the probe receptacle includes a first layer and a second layer with a fluid between the first and second layers, and wherein the membrane assembly is arranged to prevent material or fluid from the patient'"'"'s body from entering the probe receptacle.

27. The medical system of claim 26, wherein the membrane assembly is configured to prevent material from inside the probe receptacle from exiting the probe receptacle.

28. The medical system of claim 27, wherein the fluid between the first and second layers of the membrane assembly includes a medical glue that activates upon contact with blood or bodily fluid to close a hole in the membrane assembly left behind by extraction of the probe from the probe receptacle.

29. The medical system of claim 19, where the probe includes an antibiotic coating arranged to protect the patient from possible infections from piercing the patient'"'"'s skin to insert the probe into the probe receptacle.

30. The medical system of claim 10, wherein the probe is configured to deliver at least one of (i) energy to circuitry within the implantable medical device from a power source located outside of the patient'"'"'s body or (ii) data to/from circuitry within the implantable medical to/from a communication system located outside of the patient'"'"'s body.