Body tissue stimulation apparatus with warning device
First Claim
1. A self-contained body tissue stimulator to be implanted within the body of a patient, said stimulator comprising:
- (a) generator means including a power source, for providing a stimulating signal and having output terminals to be connected in-circuit with a first selected body tissue to be stimulated;
(b) an auxiliary electrode to be connected in-circuit with a second selected body tissue to be stimulated;
(c) detector means coupled to said output terminals for sensing the impedance presented therebetween and responsive to this impedance above a critical level for providing an output indicative thereof; and
(d) logic means responsive to the detector means output for effecting the connection of said generator means to said auxiliary electrode, providing warning stimulation to the second selected body tissue, whereby the patient perceives the warning stimulation as an indication of the increased impedance presented to said generator means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for stimulating body tissue and in particular the heart, is disclosed as including a device or circuit responsive to the initiation of stimulation and/or to the failure or pending failure of a component of the stimulating apparatus to provide the patient with a perceivable stimulation to a second, different portion of body tissue. There is disclosed an impedance level detector for sensing the impedance presented between the outputs of the stimulation apparatus to provide a warning signal indicating that the output impedance falls outside a predetermined range. In particular, the impedance level detector output is sensed by a stimulation control logic to apply a first train of pulses at a first rate to an auxiliary electrode for stimulating the second portion of tissue. Further, there is included a voltage level detector for sensing when the power source voltage depletes below a predetermined level, to actuate the stimulation control logic to provide a second train of warning pulses to the auxiliary electrode, at a second, different rate than that of the first train. In this fashion, the patient not only is warned as to the pending failure or failure of a component of his pacemaker, but also is able to identify the failing component.
157 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A self-contained body tissue stimulator to be implanted within the body of a patient, said stimulator comprising:
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(a) generator means including a power source, for providing a stimulating signal and having output terminals to be connected in-circuit with a first selected body tissue to be stimulated; (b) an auxiliary electrode to be connected in-circuit with a second selected body tissue to be stimulated; (c) detector means coupled to said output terminals for sensing the impedance presented therebetween and responsive to this impedance above a critical level for providing an output indicative thereof; and (d) logic means responsive to the detector means output for effecting the connection of said generator means to said auxiliary electrode, providing warning stimulation to the second selected body tissue, whereby the patient perceives the warning stimulation as an indication of the increased impedance presented to said generator means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A heart pacemaker to be implanted within the body of a patient and energized by a power source, said pacemaker comprising:
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(a) generator means for providing a heart stimulating signal and having output terminals to be connected in-circuit with the patient'"'"'s heart, whereby the stimulating signals are applied thereto; (b) an auxiliary electrode to be connected in-circuit with selected body tissue other than the patient'"'"'s heart, whereby warning stimulation may be applied thereto; (c) first detector means coupled to said output terminals of said generator means for sensing the impedance presented therebetween and responsive to such an impedance above a critical level for providing a first warning signal indicative thereof; (d) second detector means coupled to the power source for sensing the voltage level thereof and for providing a second warning signal indicative that the source voltage is below a predetermined level; and (e) logic means responsive to the first warning signal for providing a first discrete type of warning stimulation to said auxiliary electrode, and to the second warning signal for providing a second, different discrete type of warning stimulation to said auxiliary electrode, whereby the element that has failed or is about to fail can be identified. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A body tissue stimulator to be implanted within the body of a patient and energized by a power source, said stimulator comprising:
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(a) generator means for providing a first stimulus signal and having output terminals to be connected in-circuit with a first selected body tissue to be stimulated; (b) an auxiliary electrode adapted to be connected in-circuit with a second selected body tissue to be stimulated; (c) detector means coupled to said generator means for detecting an impending failure or failure of a parameter of said stimulator to stimulate body tissue and responsive thereto for providing a warning signal indicative thereof; and (d) logic means responsive to the warning signal for effecting the connection of said generator means to said auxiliary electrode and for providing a second stimulus signal via said auxiliary electrode to second selected body tissue whereby the patient is made aware of the impending failure or failure of said stimulator to stimulate body tissue.
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16. The combination of a body tissue stimulator to be implanted within the body of a patient and energized by a power source and control means external of the patient'"'"'s body for applying actuating signals to said stimulator, said stimulator comprising:
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(a) generator means for providing a first stimulus signal and having output terminals to be connected in-circuit with a first selected body tissue to be stimulated; (b) an auxiliary electrode adapted to be connected in-circuit with a second selected tissue to be stimulated; (c) first detector means coupled to said generator means for detecting an impedance as presented at the output of said generator means above a critical level and responsive thereto for providing a first warning signal indicative thereof; (d) second detector means responsive to the voltage level of said power source for providing a second warning signal indicating that the voltage level of said power source has depleted below a predetermined level; and (e) logic means responsive to each of the first and second warning signals for effecting connection of said generator means to said auxiliary electrode to provide a second stimulus signal to a second selected body tissue whereby the patient is made aware of the impending failure or failure, said logic means responsive to the actuating signal of said control means for resetting said logic means to respond again to the warning signal to detect the impending failure or failure to provide a further stimulus signal to the second selected body tissue and for terminating the application of the second stimulus signal to the second selected body tissue. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A body tissue stimulator to be implanted within the body of a patient, said stimulator comprising:
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(a) generator means responsive to the rate of the patient'"'"'s heart activity below a predetermined level for providing a heart stimulating signal and having output terminals adapted to be connected in-circuit with the patient'"'"'s heart; (b) an auxiliary electrode adapted to be connected in-circuit with a second selected body tissue to be stimulated; (c) logic detector means coupled to said generator means and responsive to the initiation of the generation of the heart stimulating signal, for providing warning stimulation to the second selected body tissue, whereby the patient is made aware of the initiation of the generation of the heart stimulating signal by said generator means.
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23. A body tissue stimulator to be implanted within the body of a patient and energized by a power source, said stimulator comprising:
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(a) generator means for providing stimulus signals; (b) detector means coupled to said generator means for detecting impending failure or failure of a component of said stimulator and responsive thereto for providing a warning signal indicative thereof; (c) first output means for coupling the stimulus signals of said generator means in-circuit with a first selected tissue; (d) second output means adapted for coupling the output of said generator means to a second selected tissue; and (e) logic means responsive to the warning signal for selectively providing the stimulus signals of said generator means to said second output circuit means, whereby the patient is made aware of the impending failure of said pacemaker component. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification