Leadless pacemaker with end-of-life protection

• US 9,592,393 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Stahmann, Jeffrey E., Haasl, Benjamin J., Maile, Keith R., Linder, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ghand, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US14/577,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20150174414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/39622 Pacing therapy

Abstract

A leadless cardiac pacing system includes first and second leadless pacing seeds configured to deliver pacing therapy to a first and second location in a patient, respectively. The second seed includes an electrode, a therapy circuit configured to provide electrostimulation energy to the electrode, a communications component, and a power source. The second seed also includes a power manager configured to detect an end-of-life condition associated with the seed and, in response to detecting the end-of-life condition, to communicate a signal that causes the first seed to change from a first operational state to a second operational state, in which the first seed implements one or more operational parameters configured to adapt to a change in an output from the second seed resulting from the second seed entering the end-of-life condition.

Claims

1. A leadless cardiac pacing system, comprising:

a first leadless pacing seed configured to deliver pacing therapy to a first location in a patient; and

a second leadless pacing seed configured to deliver pacing therapy to a second location in a patient, the second leadless pacing seed comprising;

an electrode configured to deliver electrostimulation energy to the second location;

a therapy circuit configured to provide the electrostimulation energy to the electrode;

a communications component configured to send and receive communication signals;

a power source configured to provide electrical energy to the therapy circuit and the communications component; and

a power manager configured to detect an end-of-life condition associated with the second seed and, in response to detecting the end-of-life condition, to communicate a signal that causes the first seed to change from a first operational state to a second operational state, wherein when the first seed is in the second operational state, the first seed implements one or more operational parameters configured to adapt to a change in an output from the second seed resulting from the second seed entering the end-of-life condition.

2. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 1, wherein the second seed further comprises a deactivation element configured to disable the therapy circuit, in response to receiving a deactivation command from the power manager, by interrupting delivery of energy from the power source to the therapy circuit.

3. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 2, wherein the first seed comprises a controller configured to receive the signal, determine the one or more operational parameters, and implement the second operational state.

4. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 3, wherein the first seed is further configured to communicate a confirmation signal to the second seed that causes the power manager to provide the deactivation command to the deactivation element.

5. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 2, further comprising a control device configured to receive the signal, determine the one or more operational parameters, and provide the one or more operational parameters to the first seed.

6. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 5, wherein the control device is further configured to (a) receive an acknowledgment signal from the first seed that the first seed has implemented the second operational state;

and (b) communicate a confirmation signal, in response to receiving the acknowledgment signal, to the second seed, wherein the confirmation signal causes the power manager to provide the deactivation command to the deactivation element.

7. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 5, wherein the control device comprises at least one of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and an implantable cardiac pacemaker.

8. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 5, wherein the control device comprises an external interrogation device.

9. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 1, wherein the first operational state comprises a stand-by state in which the first seed does not provide therapy.

10. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 1, wherein the first operational state comprises a cooperative state in which the first seed provides therapy in cooperation with the second seed.

11. A leadless cardiac pacing system, comprising:

a first leadless pacing seed configured to deliver pacing therapy to a first location in a patient;

a second leadless pacing seed configured to deliver pacing therapy to a second location in a patient, the second leadless pacing seed comprising;

an electrode configured to deliver electrostimulation energy to the second location;

a therapy circuit configured to deliver the electrostimulation energy to the electrode;

a communications component configured to send and receive communication signals;

a power source configured to provide electrical energy to the therapy circuit and the communications component; and

a power manager configured to detect an end-of-life condition associated with the second seed and, in response to detecting the end-of-life condition, to communicate a signal that causes the first seed to change from a first operational state to a second operational state, wherein when the first seed is in the second operational state, the first seed implements one or more operational parameters configured to compensate for a change in an output from the second seed resulting from the second seed entering the end-of-life condition; and

an implantable control unit configured to control delivery of therapy by the first and second leadless pacing seeds.

12. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 11, wherein the second seed further comprises a deactivation element configured to disable the therapy circuit, in response to receiving a deactivation command from the power manager, by interrupting delivery of energy from the power source to the therapy circuit.

13. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 11, wherein the first operational state comprises a cooperative state in which the first seed provides therapy in cooperation with the second seed.

14. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 13, wherein the control unit is configured to receive the signal, determine the one or more operational parameters, and provide the one or more operational parameters to the first seed.

15. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 14, wherein the control unit is further configured to (a) receive an acknowledgment signal from the first seed that the first seed has implemented the second operational state;

and (b) communicate a confirmation signal, in response to receiving the acknowledgment signal, to the second seed, wherein the confirmation signal causes the power manager to provide the deactivation command to the deactivation element.

16. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 14, further comprising an external device configured to provide a deactivation signal to the control device, wherein the control device is further configured to (a) receive an acknowledgment signal from the first seed that the first seed has implemented the second operational state;

(b) receiving the deactivation signal from the external device; and

(c) communicate a confirmation signal, in response to receiving the acknowledgment signal and the deactivation signal, to the second seed, wherein the confirmation signal causes the power manager to provide the deactivation command to the deactivation element.

17. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 16, wherein the external device comprises at least one of a magnet, an external programmer, and an external interrogation device.

18. The leadless cardiac pacing system of claim 11, wherein the control unit comprises at least one of a unit within the first leadless pacing seed, a unit within the second pacing seed, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and an implantable cardiac pacemaker.

19. A leadless cardiac pacing seed comprising:

an electrode configured to deliver electrostimulation energy to a first location;

a therapy circuit configured to deliver the electrostimulation energy to the electrode;

a communications component configured to send and receive communication signals;

a power source configured to provide electrical energy to the therapy circuit and the communications component; and

a power manager configured to detect an end-of-life condition associated with the seed and, in response to detecting the end-of-life condition, to communicate a signal that causes an additional seed to change from a first operational state to a second operational state, wherein when the additional seed is in the second operational state, the additional seed implements one or more operational parameters configured to adapt to a change in an output from the seed resulting from the seed entering the end-of-life condition.

20. The leadless cardiac pacing seed of claim 19, further comprising a deactivation element configured to disable the therapy circuit, in response to receiving a deactivation command from the power manager, by interrupting delivery of energy from the power source to the therapy circuit.