Wireless cardiac pacing system with vascular electrode-stents

• US 6,445,953 B1
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kenergy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kenergy, Inc.
• Inventors: Denker, Stephen, Bulkes, Cherik, Beutler, Arthur J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaetzle, Kennedy
• Application Number:
  US09/760,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20020095191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/9, 607/10, 607/30, 607/32, 607/33, 607/37, 607/60, 607/61, 607/122, 607/126, 128/903, 623/1.15
• US Class Current: 607/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling

Abstract

A cardiac pacing apparatus has a source of pacing pulses that are transmitted through the animal by a radio frequency signal. An electrode-stent is implanted in a blood vessel adjacent to the point at which stimulation is desired. The electrode-stent contains an electrical circuit that is tuned to the radio frequency signal and which responds to receipt of that signal by applying an electric current to tissue of the animal.

Claims

1. An apparatus, for electrically stimulating tissue of an animal, comprising:

a generator which produces a stimulation signal having pulses occurring at a rate corresponding to a rate at which stimulation is desired;

a transmitter connected to the generator and emitting a radio frequency signal in response to the stimulation signal; and

a first electrode-stent for implantation into a blood vessel of the animal and which upon receipt of the radio frequency signal applies an electric current through tissue of the animal.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the electrode-stent comprises:

an antenna for receiving the radio frequency signal;

a detector tuned to the frequency of the radio frequency signal and producing the electric current in response to receiving the radio frequency signal; and

a plurality of electrodes for contacting the tissue of the animal and connected to the detector to receive the electric current.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the electrode-stent has a body on which the antenna, the detector, and the plurality of electrodes are mounted.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the electrode-stent has a shape which is expandable within the blood vessel from a first cross-sectional diameter to a second cross-sectional diameter.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a second electrode-stent for implantation into a blood vessel of the animal and which upon receipt of a radio frequency signal applies an electric current through tissue of the animal.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein the first electrode-stent and the second electrode-stent are tuned to a common radio frequency.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein the first electrode-stent and the second electrode-stent are tuned to different radio frequencies;

and wherein the transmitter emits signals on the different radio frequencies.

8. A vascular electrode-stent for implanting into a blood vessel of an animal, the vascular electrode-stent comprising:

an antenna for receiving a radio frequency signal from a pacing device;

a detector tuned to the frequency of the radio frequency signal and producing an electric current in response to receiving the radio frequency signal; and

a plurality of electrodes for contacting the tissue of the animal and connected to the detector to receive the electric current.

9. A method for artificially stimulating tissue of an animal, the method comprising:

inserting an electrode-stent into a blood vessel of the animal at a location at which electrical stimulation is desired;

producing a stimulation signal having pulses which occur at a rate corresponding to a desired frequency for the electrical stimulation;

converting the stimulation signal into a radio frequency signal which is transmitted through tissue of the animal; and

the electrode-stent receiving the radio frequency signal and in response thereto applying an electric current through tissue of the animal.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the tissue comprises heart muscle and the rate of pulses of the stimulation signal corresponds to a rate at which the heart is desired to beat.