Patent US5330508A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5330508A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for detection and treatment of tachycardia and fibrillation
Assignee: DUTHLER REED A
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Filing: 1993-03-02
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Granted: 1994-07-19
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Expires: 2013-03-02
Abstract
Abstract An implantable cardioverter/defibrillator provided with method and apparatus for discrimination between tachycardia and fibrillation. The device is measures the interval separating depolarization of the heart, sorts the measured interval into interval ranges, counts the number of intervals in each range, and, based on the distribution of intervals within the rate ranges, identifies tachycardia or fibrillation. In its preferred embodiment, the device triggers delivery of therapies appropriate for treatment of tachycardia and fibrillation.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruce Gunderson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 06:14
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/38; A61N1/39; A61N1/3956; A61N1/3962; A61N1/36; A61N1/362; A61N1/3621; A61N1/39622
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
Apparatus for treating tachyarrhythmias, comprising: treatment means for delivering a first therapy to a patient's heart to treat tachycardia and a second therapy to said patient's heart to treat fibrillation; first means for sensing electrical signals from said patient's heart indicative of the depolarization of a chamber or chambers of said patient's heart; means for measuring and storing the intervals separating said electrical signals: means for detecting the occurrence of a tachyarrhythmia; and tachycardia/fibrillation discriminator means responsive to said detecting means for selecting between said first and second therapies, said discriminator means in turn comprising: means for sorting said measured intervals into interval ranges; means for determining the numbers of intervals within each said interval range; means for identifying ones of said interval ranges which have the highest numbers of said stored intervals; means for determining the total number of said stored intervals falling within said identified interval ranges; and means for triggering said first therapy if said total number meets a predetermined criterion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
164 words
Apparatus for treating tachyarrhythmias, comprising: treatment means for delivering a first therapy to a patient's heart to treat tachycardia and a second therapy to said patient's heart to treat fibrillation; first means for sensing electrical signals from said patient's heart indicative of the depolarization of a chamber or chambers of said patient's heart; means for measuring and storing the intervals separating said electrical signals: means for detecting the occurrence of a tachyarrhythmia; and tachycardia/fibrillation discriminator means responsive to said detecting means for selecting between said first and second therapies, said discriminator means in turn comprising: means for sorting said measured intervals into interval ranges; means for determining the numbers of intervals within each said interval range; means for identifying ones of said interval ranges which have the highest numbers of said stored intervals; means for determining the total number of said stored intervals falling within said identified interval ranges; and means for triggering said first therapy if said total number meets a predetermined criterion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said discriminator means further comprises means for triggering said second therapy if said total number fails to meet said predetermined criterion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined criterion comprises a threshold number of intervals and wherein said criterion is met if said total number of intervals meets or exceeds said threshold number.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first therapy comprises antitachycardia pacing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first therapy comprises delivery of a cardioversion pulse.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said second therapy comprises delivery of a defibrillation pulse.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
153 words
A defibrillator, comprising: treatment means for delivering a therapy to a patient's heart to treat fibrillation; first means for sensing electrical signals from said patient's heart indicative of the depolarization of a chamber or chambers of said patient's heart; means for measuring and storing the intervals separating said electrical signals: means for detecting the occurrence of an arrhythmia; and discriminator means responsive to said detecting means for triggering said therapy, said discriminator means in turn comprising: means for sorting said measured intervals into interval ranges; means for determining the numbers of intervals within each said interval range; means for identifying ones of said interval ranges which have the highest numbers of said stored intervals; means for determining the total number of said stored intervals falling within said identified interval ranges; and means for identifying the occurrence of fibrillation and for triggering said therapy if said total number is less than a predetermined value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
153 words
A defibrillator, comprising: treatment means for delivering a therapy to a patient's heart to treat fibrillation; first means for sensing electrical signals from said patient's heart indicative of the depolarization of a chamber or chambers of said patient's heart; means for measuring and storing the intervals separating said electrical signals: means for detecting the occurrence of an arrhythmia; and discriminator means responsive to said detecting means for triggering said therapy, said discriminator means in turn comprising: means for sorting said measured intervals into interval ranges; means for determining the numbers of intervals within each said interval range; means for identifying ones of said interval ranges which have the highest numbers of said stored intervals; means for determining the total number of said stored intervals falling within said identified interval ranges; and means for identifying the occurrence of fibrillation and for triggering said therapy if said total number is less than a predetermined value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
157 words
Apparatus for treatment of tachycardia, comprising: treatment means for delivering a first therapy to a patient's heart to treat tachycardia; first means for sensing electrical signals from said patient's heart indicative of the depolarization of a chamber or chambers of said patient's heart; means for measuring and storing the intervals separating said electrical signals: means for detecting the occurrence of an arrhythmia; and discriminator means responsive to said detecting means for triggering said therapy, said discriminator means in turn comprising: means for sorting said measured intervals into interval ranges; means for determining the numbers of intervals within each said interval range; means for identifying ones of said interval ranges which have the highest numbers of said stored intervals; means for determining the total number of said stored intervals falling within said identified interval ranges; and means for identifying the occurrence of a tachycardia and for triggering said first therapy if said total number meets a predetermined criterion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
157 words
Apparatus for treatment of tachycardia, comprising: treatment means for delivering a first therapy to a patient's heart to treat tachycardia; first means for sensing electrical signals from said patient's heart indicative of the depolarization of a chamber or chambers of said patient's heart; means for measuring and storing the intervals separating said electrical signals: means for detecting the occurrence of an arrhythmia; and discriminator means responsive to said detecting means for triggering said therapy, said discriminator means in turn comprising: means for sorting said measured intervals into interval ranges; means for determining the numbers of intervals within each said interval range; means for identifying ones of said interval ranges which have the highest numbers of said stored intervals; means for determining the total number of said stored intervals falling within said identified interval ranges; and means for identifying the occurrence of a tachycardia and for triggering said first therapy if said total number meets a predetermined criterion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said therapy comprises antitachycardia pacing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said first therapy comprises delivery of a cardioversion pulse.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: treatment means for delivering a second therapy to a patient's heart; means for triggering delivery of said second therapy if said total number fails to meet said predetermined criterion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said second therapy comprises delivery of a defibrillation pulse.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said means for detecting the occurrence of an arrhythmia comprises means for detecting a tachycardia, further comprising: means for detecting the occurrence of fibrillation; treatment means for delivering a defibrillation pulse to a patient's heart to treat tachycardia; and means for inhibiting delivery of said first therapy if said total number fails to meet said predetermined criterion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said first therapy comprises antitachycardia pacing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
153 words
A tachycardia/fibrillation discriminator, comprising: means for sensing electrical signals from said patient's heart indicative of the depolarization of a chamber or chambers of said patient's heart; means for measuring and storing the intervals separating said electrical signals: means for detecting the occurrence of an arrhythmia; and means responsive to said detecting means for determining whether said detected arrhythmia is fibrillation or tachycardia, said responsive means in turn comprising: means for sorting said measured intervals into interval ranges; means for determining the numbers of intervals within each said interval range; means for identifying ones of said interval ranges which have the highest numbers of said stored intervals; means for determining the total number of said stored intervals falling within said identified interval ranges; and means for identifying tachycardia in response to said total number meeting a predetermined criterion and for identifying fibrillation in response to said total number failing to meet said predetermined criterion.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
153 words
A tachycardia/fibrillation discriminator, comprising: means for sensing electrical signals from said patient's heart indicative of the depolarization of a chamber or chambers of said patient's heart; means for measuring and storing the intervals separating said electrical signals: means for detecting the occurrence of an arrhythmia; and means responsive to said detecting means for determining whether said detected arrhythmia is fibrillation or tachycardia, said responsive means in turn comprising: means for sorting said measured intervals into interval ranges; means for determining the numbers of intervals within each said interval range; means for identifying ones of said interval ranges which have the highest numbers of said stored intervals; means for determining the total number of said stored intervals falling within said identified interval ranges; and means for identifying tachycardia in response to said total number meeting a predetermined criterion and for identifying fibrillation in response to said total number failing to meet said predetermined criterion.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for identifying an arrhythmia, comprising: means for sensing electrical signals from a patient's heart indicative of the depolarization of a chamber or chambers of said patient's heart; means for measuring and storing the intervals separating said electrical signals: means for detecting the occurrence of an arrhythmia; and means responsive to said detecting means for determining whether said detected arrhythmia is tachycardia or a rapid rhythm due to a different cause, said responsive means in turn comprising: means for sorting said measured intervals into interval ranges; means for determining the numbers of intervals within each said interval range; means for identifying ones of said interval ranges which have the highest numbers of said stored intervals; means for determining the total number of said stored intervals falling within said identified interval ranges; and means for identifying the occurrence of tachycardia in response to said total number meeting a predetermined criterion.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for identifying an arrhythmia, comprising: means for sensing electrical signals from a patient's heart indicative of the depolarization of a chamber or chambers of said patient's heart; means for measuring and storing the intervals separating said electrical signals: means for detecting the occurrence of an arrhythmia; and means responsive to said detecting means for determining whether said detected arrhythmia is tachycardia or a rapid rhythm due to a different cause, said responsive means in turn comprising: means for sorting said measured intervals into interval ranges; means for determining the numbers of intervals within each said interval range; means for identifying ones of said interval ranges which have the highest numbers of said stored intervals; means for determining the total number of said stored intervals falling within said identified interval ranges; and means for identifying the occurrence of tachycardia in response to said total number meeting a predetermined criterion.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-07-18 | 1998-01-17 | 1998-07-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-07-18 | 2002-01-17 | 2002-07-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-07-18 | 2006-01-17 | 2006-07-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |