Methods for using a pulmonary artery electrode

• US 8,417,354 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Yongxing, Zhang, Yunlong
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Natasha
• Application Number:
  US12/779,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20100222832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/5, 607/118
• US Class Current: 607/119
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3622 comprising two or more electrodes co-operating with different heart regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3624 occurring in the atrium, i.e. atrial tachycardia
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/365 controlled by a physiological parameter, e.g. heart potential evoked response A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/368 comprising more than one electrode co-operating with different heart regions A61N1/3622, A61N1/3627 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/395 for treating atrial fibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3956 Implantable devices for applying electric shocks to the heart, e.g. for cardioversion

Abstract

According to some method embodiments, a left pulmonary artery electrode is positioned in a left pulmonary artery, and the left pulmonary artery electrode is used to sense atrial activity, or capture cardiac tissue, or deliver neural stimulation. According to some method embodiments, a right pulmonary artery electrode is positioned in a right pulmonary artery and a left pulmonary artery electrode is positioned in a left pulmonary artery, the right pulmonary artery electrode is used to sense atrial activity, or capture cardiac tissue, or deliver neural stimulation, and the left pulmonary artery electrode is used to sense atrial activity, or capture cardiac tissue, or deliver neural stimulation.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

positioning a left pulmonary artery electrode in a left pulmonary artery; and

using the left pulmonary artery electrode, positioned within the left pulmonary artery, to deliver neural stimulation to a left vagus nerve.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein using the left pulmonary artery electrode includes further using the left pulmonary artery electrode to sense atrial activity or capture cardiac tissue.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the left pulmonary artery electrode to pace a left atrium.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the left pulmonary artery electrode to deliver a defibrillation or anti-tachycardia shock.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the left pulmonary artery electrode to sense atrial activity and to capture cardiac tissue.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering a cardiac heart failure therapy, wherein delivering the cardiac heart failure therapy includes using the left pulmonary artery to deliver neural stimulation to the left vagus nerve.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein delivering the cardiac heart failure therapy further includes delivering a cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), wherein the CRT includes biventricular pacing, biatrial pacing, or both biventricular and biatrial pacing.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the left pulmonary artery electrode to stimulate the left vagus nerve to reduce a shock threshold in anticipation of a defibrillation or anti-tachycardia shock, and delivering the defibrillation or anti-tachycardia shock when the shock threshold is reduced.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein using the left pulmonary artery electrode to deliver neural stimulation to the left vagus nerve includes delivering vagus nerve stimulation to reduce effects of pace-induced nerve sprouting.

10. A method, comprising:

positioning a right pulmonary artery electrode in a right pulmonary artery and a left pulmonary artery electrode in a left pulmonary artery;

using the right pulmonary artery electrode, positioned within the right pulmonary artery, to sense atrial activity, or capture cardiac tissue, or deliver neural stimulation; and

using the left pulmonary artery electrode, positioned within the left pulmonary artery, to sense atrial activity, or capture cardiac tissue, or deliver neural stimulation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein positioning a right pulmonary artery electrode in a right pulmonary artery and a left pulmonary artery electrode in a left pulmonary artery includes feeding a first lead into the right pulmonary artery and a second lead into the left pulmonary artery.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein positioning a right pulmonary artery electrode in a right pulmonary artery and a left pulmonary artery electrode in a left pulmonary artery includes feeding a first branch of a bifurcated lead into the right pulmonary artery to position at least one electrode for the first branch in the right artery, and feeding a second branch of the bifurcated lead into the left pulmonary artery.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein using the right pulmonary artery electrode includes using the right pulmonary artery electrode to deliver neural stimulation to a right vagus nerve, and using the left pulmonary artery electrode includes using the left pulmonary artery electrode to deliver neural stimulation to a left vagus nerve.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising using the left pulmonary artery electrode to pace a left atrium or using the right pulmonary artery electrode to pace a right atrium or using both the left pulmonary artery electrode and the right pulmonary artery electrode to deliver biatrial pacing.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising using the left pulmonary artery electrode, the right pulmonary artery electrode or both the left and right pulmonary artery electrodes to deliver a defibrillation or anti-tachycardia shock.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

using the left pulmonary artery electrode, the right pulmonary artery electrode or both the left and right pulmonary artery electrodes to sense atrial activity; and

using the left pulmonary artery electrode, the right pulmonary artery electrode or both the left and right pulmonary artery electrodes to capture cardiac tissue.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising delivering a cardiac heart failure therapy, wherein delivering the cardiac heart failure therapy includes using the left pulmonary artery to deliver neural stimulation to the left vagus nerve.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein delivering the heart failure therapy further includes using the right pulmonary artery electrode to deliver neural stimulation to the right vagus nerve.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising delivering a cardiac heart failure therapy, wherein delivering the cardiac heart failure therapy includes using the right pulmonary artery to deliver neural stimulation to the right vagus nerve.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein delivering the cardiac heart failure therapy further includes delivering a cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), wherein the CRT includes biventricular pacing, biatrial pacing, or both biventricular and biatrial pacing.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein delivering the CRT includes using the left and right pulmonary artery electrodes to deliver biatrial pacing.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising using the left pulmonary artery electrode, the right pulmonary artery electrode, or both the left and right pulmonary artery electrodes to deliver vagus nerve stimulation to reduce a shock threshold in anticipation of a defibrillation or anti-tachycardia shock, and delivering the defibrillation or anti-tachycardia shock when the shock threshold is reduced.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein using the left pulmonary artery electrode, the right pulmonary artery electrode, or both the left and right pulmonary artery electrodes to deliver vagus nerve stimulation to reduce effects of pace-induced nerve sprouting.