Ion imbalance detector
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- delivering an electrical stimulation to a tissue in a patient using an electrode;
detecting a response of the tissue to the electrical stimulation using a sensor;
wherein the response is any one or more selected from the group consisting of a sustained contraction of the tissue, a rippled contraction of the tissue, a rate of relaxation of the tissue, a pulse width of the response, an occurrence of summation in the response, an amplitude of the response, muscle tension, muscle motion or muscle length, a decline of muscle tension following cessation of the stimulation, and a fall time of muscle tension following cessation of the stimulation; and
storing a relationship between a concentration of ions in extracellular fluid of the patient and the response in a non-transitory, computer readable medium.
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Abstract
In general, the invention is directed to methods and devices for determining an ion concentration in the extracellular fluid of a patient. As examples, the ion may be one or more of potassium, sodium, chloride, or calcium. A system includes an electrode deployed in or near a tissue, such as a skeletal muscle, of the patient. A pulse generator supplies one or more stimulations to the tissue, and a sensor, such as an accelerometer, detects the response of the tissue to the stimulations. A processor determines a concentration of ions in the extracellular fluid as a function of the response. The system may detect an ion imbalance based upon the determined concentration of ions.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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delivering an electrical stimulation to a tissue in a patient using an electrode; detecting a response of the tissue to the electrical stimulation using a sensor;
wherein the response is any one or more selected from the group consisting of a sustained contraction of the tissue, a rippled contraction of the tissue, a rate of relaxation of the tissue, a pulse width of the response, an occurrence of summation in the response, an amplitude of the response, muscle tension, muscle motion or muscle length, a decline of muscle tension following cessation of the stimulation, and a fall time of muscle tension following cessation of the stimulation; andstoring a relationship between a concentration of ions in extracellular fluid of the patient and the response in a non-transitory, computer readable medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system, comprising
a control unit configured to control a pulse generator to deliver an electrical stimulation to a tissue in a patient; - and
a processor configured to receive from a sensor a signal indicative of a response of the tissue to the electrical stimulations and store a relationship in a non-transitory, computer readable medium between a concentration of ions in extracellular fluid of the patient and the response;
wherein the response is any one or more selected from the group consisting of a sustained contraction of the tissue, a rippled contraction of the tissue, a rate of relaxation of the tissue, a pulse width of the response, an occurrence of summation in the response, an amplitude of the response, muscle tension, muscle motion or muscle length, a decline of muscle tension following cessation of the stimulation, and a fall time of muscle tension following cessation of the stimulation. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification