Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080200769 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE HAVING OPTICAL FIBER FOR SENSING ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY - An implantable medical device for optically sensing action potential signals in excitable body tissue. The device includes an elongated tubular lead body carrying an optical fiber extending from a proximal lead end to a distal lead end to position the optical fiber at a target site. The lead body additionally carries a conduit for dispensing a voltage-sensitive fluorescent dye into tissue surrounding the target site. The optical fiber transmits excitation light to the fluorescent dye to cause the dye to fluoresce with varying intensity as the transmembrane potentials of local tissue cells vary due to passing depolarization wavefronts. The optical fiber transmits the fluorescence signal to the device to generate an action potential signal or fiducial points of an action potential signal for use in accurately measuring and characterizing electrical activity of excitable tissue. | 08-21-2008 |
20080269819 | DISCRIMINATION OF SUPRAVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA FROM VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA - An implantable medical device and associated method discriminate between ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardia. Cardiac signals are sensed for detecting ventricular intervals corresponding to a tachycardia. Electrical stimulation pulses are delivered to cardiac neural tissue and verified as being effective in exciting the cardiac neural tissue. If the ventricular intervals corresponding to the tachycardia are increased in response to delivering stimulation pulses to the cardiac neural tissue, the tachycardia is detected as a supraventricular tachycardia. | 10-30-2008 |
20090192398 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING T-WAVE ALTERNANS - An implantable medical device and associated method assess T-wave alternans by sensing a cardiac electrogram (EGM) signal and selecting a pair of consecutive T-wave signals from the EGM signal. A first amplitude and a second amplitude from each of the consecutive T-wave signals are determined. The differences between the first amplitudes and the second amplitudes of the consecutive T-wave signal pairs are used to compute a T-wave alternans metric. | 07-30-2009 |
20100113954 | Device and Method to Detect The Severity of Ischemia and Heart Attack Risk - A device and method of detecting the severity of myocardial ischemia and heart attack risk is provided. The method includes obtaining an electrogram signal, determining T-wave measurements based on the electrogram signal, and determining ST segment measurements based on the electrogram signal. The method also includes identifying T-wave alternans based on the T-wave measurements and identifying ST segment changes based on the ST segment measurements. The method further includes correlating the T-wave alternans with the ST segment changes in order to detect a severity of ischemia. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114189 | THERAPY MODULE CROSSTALK MITIGATION - A first implantable medical device (IMD) implanted within a patient may communicate with a second IMD implanted within the patient by encoding information in an electrical stimulation signal. The delivery of the electrical stimulation signal may provide therapeutic benefits to the patient. The second IMD may sense the electrical stimulation signal, which may be presented as an artifact in a sensed cardiac signal, and process the sensed signal to retrieve the encoded information. The second IMD may modify its operation based on the received therapy information. Crosstalk between the first and second IMDs may be reduced using various techniques described herein. For example, the first IMD may generate the electrical stimulation signal to include a spread spectrum energy distribution or a predetermined signal signature. The second IMD may effectively remove a least some of the signal artifact in a sensed cardiac signal based on the predetermined signal signature. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114195 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE INCLUDING EXTRAVASCULAR CARDIAC STIMULATION AND NEUROSTIMULATION CAPABILITIES - An implantable medical device may deliver pacing, cardioversion, and/or defibrillation stimulation to a heart of a patient via extravascular electrodes and delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site to modulate the autonomic nervous system of the patient. The implantable medical device may include a cardiac therapy module that generates and delivers at least one of pacing, cardioversion, or defibrillation therapy to a patient via an extravascular electrode, and a neurostimulation therapy module that generates and delivers a neurostimulation signal to the patient via a neurostimulation electrode. The cardiac therapy module and neurostimulation therapy module may be disposed in a common housing of the medical device. In some examples, at least one common lead may electrically couple the neurostimulation electrode and the extravascular electrode to the neurostimulation and cardiac therapy modules, respectively. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114196 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE CROSSTALK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION - Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114197 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE CROSSTALK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION - Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114198 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE CROSSTALK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION - Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114199 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE CROSSTALK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION - Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114200 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE CROSSTALK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION - Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114201 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE CROSSTALK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION - Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114202 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE CROSSTALK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION - Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114203 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE CROSSTALK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION - Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114208 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE CROSSTALK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION - Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114209 | COMMUNICATION BETWEEN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES - A first implantable medical device (IMD) implanted within a patient may communicate with a second IMD implanted within the patient by encoding information in an electrical stimulation signal. The delivery of the electrical stimulation signal may provide therapeutic benefits to the patient. The second IMD may sense the electrical stimulation signal, which may be presented as an artifact in a sensed cardiac signal, and process the sensed signal to retrieve the encoded information. The second IMD may modify its operation based on the received therapy information. Crosstalk between the first and second IMDs may be reduced using various techniques described herein. For example, the first IMD may generate the electrical stimulation signal to include a spread spectrum energy distribution or a predetermined signal signature. The second IMD may effectively remove a least some of the signal artifact in a sensed cardiac signal based on the predetermined signal signature. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114211 | SHUNT-CURRENT REDUCTION TECHNIQUES FOR AN IMPLANTABLE THERAPY SYSTEM - Techniques for minimizing interference between the first and second medical devices or between the different therapy modules of a common medical device are described herein. In some examples, a medical device may include shunt-current mitigation circuitry and/or at least one clamping structure that helps minimize or even eliminate shunt-current that feeds into a first therapy module of the medical device via one or more electrodes electrically connected to the first therapy module. The shunt-current may be generated by the delivery of electrical stimulation by a second therapy module. The second therapy module may be enclosed in a common housing with the first therapy module or may be separate, e.g., a part of a separate medical device. | 05-06-2010 |
20100114224 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE CROSSTALK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION - Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient. | 05-06-2010 |
20100198284 | DETECTING AND TREATING ELECTROMECHANICAL DISSOCIATION OF THE HEART - In some examples, an electromechanical disassociation state (EMD) of a heart of a patient can be treated by delivering electrical stimulation to a tissue site to at least one of modulate afferent nerve activity or inhibit efferent nerve activity upon determining that the heart is in an electromechanical dissociation state, where the tissue site comprises at least one of a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site. The delivery of electrical stimulation may effectively treat the EMD state of the heart, e.g., by enabling effective mechanical contraction of the heart. In another example, an electromechanical disassociation state of a heart of a patient can be treated by determining autonomic nervous system activity associated with a detected EMD state of the heart of a patient, and delivering electrical stimulation therapy to the patient based on the determined autonomic nervous system activity of the patient associated with the EMD state. | 08-05-2010 |
20100198308 | CLOSED-LOOP NEUROSTIMULATION TO TREAT PULMONARY EDEMA - Neurostimulation to mitigate lung wetness is delivered to a patient based on a sensed parameter indicative of lung wetness. The neurostimulation is configured to at least one of increase parasympathetic activity or decrease sympathetic activity within the patient. In some examples, a patient response to the neurostimulation therapy may be detected to modify the neurostimulation therapy. The patient response may include, for example, changes in the contractility of a heart of the patient, changes in the heart rate, heart rate variability or blood pressure of the patient, changes in a bladder size of the patient, changes in bladder functional activity of the patient, changes in urine flow, changes in lung function, changes in lung composition, or changes in the nerve activity of the patient. | 08-05-2010 |
20100298901 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE FOR CARDIAC ELECTRICAL STIMULATION - A method and apparatus for reducing a patient's heart rate or blood pressure. The apparatus provides stimulation to the patient's atrial and/or nodal tissue within the associated refractory period of the ventricle but outside of an associated refractory period of the stimulated atrial an/or nodal tissue, responsive to detecting an occurrence of a ventricular depolarization following a preceding atrial depolarization. | 11-25-2010 |
20110105929 | MEASURING T-WAVE ALTERNANS - Techniques for monitoring T-wave alternans (TWAs) in a patient are described. An implantable medical device (IMD), such as an implantable pacemaker, cardioverter, or diagnostic device, generates an EGM signal, e.g., a far field EGM signal, samples the EGM signal to obtain a single T-wave amplitude value for each T-wave over a plurality of beats, and stores the T-wave amplitude values in memory. The IMD creates a time series of the T-wave amplitude values stored in memory, calculates the power spectral density for the times series, and selects a power spectral density of a particular frequency, e.g., 0.5 cycles per beat, as the TWA value. The IMD may periodically determine TWA values for the patient and store the values in memory. The TWA values may be presented to medical personnel, e.g., as a trend. The IMD may deliver or modify therapy, or provide an alert, based on the TWA values. | 05-05-2011 |
20110245700 | DETECTION OF T-WAVE ALTERNANS PHASE REVERSAL FOR ARRHYTHMIA PREDICTION AND SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH RISK STRATIFICATION - An implantable medical device and associated method for classifying a patient's risk for arrhythmias by sensing a cardiac electrogram (EGM) signal and selecting a first pair of T-wave signals and a second pair of T-wave signals. A first difference between the two T-wave signals of the first pair is compared to a second difference between the two T-wave signals of the second pair. A T-wave alternans phase reversal is detected in response to comparing the first difference and the second difference, and the patient's arrhythmia risk is classified in response to detecting the phase reversal. | 10-06-2011 |
20120029587 | NERVE SIGNAL DIFFERENTIATION IN CARDIAC THERAPY - Methods of nerve signal differentiation, methods of delivering therapy using such nerve signal differentiation, and to systems and devices for performing such methods. Nerve signal differentiation may include locating two electrodes proximate nerve tissue and differentiating between efferent and afferent components of nerve signals monitored using the two electrodes. | 02-02-2012 |
20120029600 | NERVE SIGNAL DIFFERENTIATION IN CARDIAC THERAPY - Methods of nerve signal differentiation, methods of delivering therapy using such nerve signal differentiation, and to systems and devices for performing such methods. Nerve signal differentiation may include locating two electrodes proximate nerve tissue and differentiating between efferent and afferent components of nerve signals monitored using the two electrodes. | 02-02-2012 |
20120109240 | AUTOMATIC ADJUSTMENT OF ARRHYTHMIA DETECTION PARAMETERS - Methods and/or devices for initiating an automatic adjustment of arrhythmia detection parameters (e.g., upon delivery of cardiac therapy after detection of VT/VF). | 05-03-2012 |
20120185007 | VAGAL STIMULATION - The disclosure herein relates generally to methods for treating heart conditions using vagal stimulation, and further to systems and devices for performing such treatment. Such methods may include monitoring physiological parameters of a patient, detecting cardiac conditions, and delivering vagal stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve or neurons having parasympathetic function) to the patient to treat the detected cardiac conditions. | 07-19-2012 |
20120185008 | VAGAL STIMULATION - The disclosure herein relates generally to methods for treating heart conditions using vagal stimulation, and further to systems and devices for performing such treatment. Such methods may include monitoring physiological parameters of a patient, detecting cardiac conditions, and delivering vagal stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve or neurons having parasympathetic function) to the patient to treat the detected cardiac conditions. | 07-19-2012 |
20120185009 | VAGAL STIMULATION - The disclosure herein relates generally to methods for treating heart conditions using vagal stimulation, and further to systems and devices for performing such treatment. Such methods may include monitoring physiological parameters of a patient, detecting cardiac conditions, and delivering vagal stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve or neurons having parasympathetic function) to the patient to treat the detected cardiac conditions. | 07-19-2012 |
20120185010 | VAGAL STIMULATION - The disclosure herein relates generally to methods for treating heart conditions using vagal stimulation, and further to systems and devices for performing such treatment. Such methods may include monitoring physiological parameters of a patient, detecting cardiac conditions, and delivering vagal stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve or neurons having parasympathetic function) to the patient to treat the detected cardiac conditions. | 07-19-2012 |
20120185011 | VAGAL STIMULATION - The disclosure herein relates generally to methods for treating heart conditions using vagal stimulation, and further to systems and devices for performing such treatment. Such methods may include monitoring physiological parameters of a patient, detecting cardiac conditions, and delivering vagal stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve or neurons having parasympathetic function) to the patient to treat the detected cardiac conditions. | 07-19-2012 |
20130060149 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING CARDIAC AND RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS USING ACOUSTIC SOUNDS - A medical device system and associated method discriminate respiratory and cardiac conditions using respiratory sounds. A sensing module acquires a first signal and a second signal, at least the second signal acquired from an acoustic transducer. A processor is configured to receive the first signal and to control the sensing module to acquire the second acoustic signal in response to a change in the first signal. The processor discriminates between a cardiac condition and a respiratory condition as a cause of the change in the first signal in response to the second acoustic signal. | 03-07-2013 |
20130060150 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING CARDIAC AND RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS USING ACOUSTIC SOUNDS - A medical device system and associated method discriminating conditions that includes a plurality of sensors, a sensing module coupled to the plurality of sensors and configured to acquire signals from the plurality of sensors, and a processor coupled to the sensing module and configured to determine a change in a respiratory related sounds in response to a signal from a sensor of the plurality of sensors, select one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors associated with the determined change, determine a respiratory signature in response to signals from the selected one or more sensors, and determine the respiratory condition in response to the determined respiratory signature. | 03-07-2013 |
20130197373 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE HAVING OPTICAL FIBER FOR SENSING ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY - An implantable medical device for optically sensing action potential signals in excitable body tissue. The device includes an elongated tubular lead body carrying an optical fiber extending from a proximal lead end to a distal lead end to position the optical fiber at a target site. The lead body additionally carries a conduit for dispensing a voltage-sensitive fluorescent dye into tissue surrounding the target site. The optical fiber transmits excitation light to the fluorescent dye to cause the dye to fluoresce with varying intensity as the transmembrane potentials of local tissue cells vary due to passing depolarization wavefronts. The optical fiber transmits the fluorescence signal to the device to generate an action potential signal or fiducial points of an action potential signal for use in accurately measuring and characterizing electrical activity of excitable tissue. | 08-01-2013 |
20130237862 | HEART SOUND MONITORING OF PULMONARY HYPERTENSION - A medical device system and method that includes receiving an A | 09-12-2013 |
20130237863 | HEART SOUND MONITORING OF PULMONARY HYPERTENSION - A medical device system and method that includes sensing a heart sound signal from a first external sensor, determining whether a pulmonary hypertension signature is detected in response to the sensed heart sound signal, sensing a lung sound signal from a second external sensor, determining whether a heart failure signature is detected in response to the sensed lung sound signal, and determining therapy parameters in response to determining whether a pulmonary hypertension signature is detected and determining whether a heart failure signature is detected. | 09-12-2013 |
20130289377 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CARDIAC FUNCTION MONITORING - An implantable medical device system includes an elongated lead body carrying a hydrophone. In some embodiments, the elongated lead body has outer surface and an opening along the outer surface. The hydrophone is configured to receive acoustical signals through the opening of the lead body and generate an electrical signal representative of sounds produced at a targeted location along a patient's cardiovascular system. In some examples, the lead body outer surface has a shaped contour for directing the opening for receiving the sounds from a direction of the targeted location. A processor is enabled to receive signals from the hydrophone and detect a cardiac condition in response to the signals. | 10-31-2013 |
20130289378 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CARDIAC FUNCTION MONITORING - An implantable medical device that includes an elongated lead body having an outer surface and an opening along the outer surface, a first sensor positioned along the lead body and configured to receive acoustic signals through the opening of the first lead body and generate an electrical signal representative of sounds produced at a targeted location along a patient's cardiovascular system, and a processor configured to detect change in an S-T segment of sensed cardiac signals, and receive the acoustic signal and determine whether the sensed cardiac signals correspond to one of acute myocardial infarct and myocardial ischemia in response to the detected change. | 10-31-2013 |
20130289379 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CARDIAC FUNCTION MONITORING - An implantable medical device that includes an elongated lead body having an outer surface and a first opening along the outer surface, a first sensor positioned along the lead body and configured to receive first acoustic signals through the first opening of the lead body and generate an electrical signal representative of sounds produced at a first targeted location along a patient's cardiovascular system, and a processor configured to determine an intensity of the first acoustic signals, and determine changes in blood pressure in response to the determined intensity. | 10-31-2013 |
20130289430 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CARDIAC FUNCTION MONITORING - An implantable medical device that includes a first elongated lead body having an outer surface and an opening along the outer surface, a sensor positioned along the lead body and configured to receive acoustic signals through the opening of the first lead body and generate an electrical signal representative of sounds produced at a targeted location along a patient's cardiovascular system. A therapy delivery module is capable of delivering a cardiac therapy via predetermined electrodes of a plurality of electrodes, and a processor is configured to detect a cardiac event in response to the sensed cardiac electrical signals, determine a plurality of time intervals between the electrical signals and acoustic signals, determine a correlation between the electrical signals and the acoustic signals, and control the therapy delivery module to deliver therapy in response to the determined correlation. | 10-31-2013 |
20140018688 | DEVICE BASED CARDIAC MONITORING AND STRESS TEST - A medical device and associated method establish an occurrence of a premature atrial contraction. The device senses a ventricular signal. A control unit is configured to determine a metric of the ventricular signal during an interval following the premature atrial contraction and detect a change in cardiac stress tolerance in response to the determined metric. | 01-16-2014 |
20140114163 | NERVE SIGNAL DIFFERENTIATION IN CARDIAC THERAPY - Methods of nerve signal differentiation, methods of delivering therapy using such nerve signal differentiation, and to systems and devices for performing such methods. Nerve signal differentiation may include locating two electrodes proximate nerve tissue and differentiating between efferent and afferent components of nerve signals monitored using the two electrodes. | 04-24-2014 |
20140142650 | NERVE SIGNAL DIFFERENTIATION IN CARDIAC THERAPY - Methods of nerve signal differentiation, methods of delivering therapy using such nerve signal differentiation, and to systems and devices for performing such methods. Nerve signal differentiation may include locating two electrodes proximate nerve tissue and differentiating between efferent and afferent components of nerve signals monitored using the two electrodes. | 05-22-2014 |
20140316486 | VAGAL STIMULATION - The disclosure herein relates generally to methods for treating heart conditions using vagal stimulation, and further to systems and devices for performing such treatment. Such methods may include monitoring physiological parameters of a patient, detecting cardiac conditions, and delivering vagal stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve or neurons having parasympathetic function) to the patient to treat the detected cardiac conditions. | 10-23-2014 |
20140324115 | VAGAL STIMULATION - The disclosure herein relates generally to methods for treating heart conditions using vagal stimulation, and further to systems and devices for performing such treatment. Such methods may include monitoring physiological parameters of a patient, detecting cardiac conditions, and delivering vagal stimulation (e.g., electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve or neurons having parasympathetic function) to the patient to treat the detected cardiac conditions. | 10-30-2014 |