Patent US3328858A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5522853A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5522853A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for progressive recruitment of cardiac fibrillation
Assignee: MGC Diagnostics Corp
•
Filing: 1994-11-21
•
Granted: 1996-06-04
•
Expires: 2014-11-21
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for progressive recruitment of cardiac fibrillation uses an implantable defibrillator to deliver a multiple, discontinuous pulse waveform that is comprised of a series of smaller recruitment pulses delivered prior to delivery of a larger defibrillating pulse. Instead of using multiple identical pulses to accomplish defibrillation, the present invention decreases the overall energy required for effective defibrillation with a single, larger defibrillation pulse by using multiple, smaller recruitment pulses to recruit or capture as many heart cells as possible into a primary one of the many activation wavefronts in a fibrillating heart. By synchronizing the heart cells recruited in this manner, the effectiveness of the single, larger defibrillation pulse is increased, thereby decreasing the maximum stored energy required for defibrillation.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark W. Kroll
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 20:18
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/38; A61N1/39; A61N1/3956; A61N1/3918; A61N1/3906; A61N1/3912; A61N1/3975; H; H01; H01M; H01M16/00; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
207 words
An improved implantable defibrillator system for producing a multiple pulse capacitive-discharge countershock to be delivered through at least two electrodes adapted for implantation in a human patient, the implantable defibrillator system being a self-contained human implantable housing containing a waveform-generating capacitor means for storing an electrical charge, means for charging the waveform-generating capacitor means, means for sensing a cardiac dysrhythmia in the human patient, and means for selectively discharging the electrical charge in the waveform-generating capacitor means as a countershock to be delivered through the at least two electrodes in response to the means for sensing the cardiac dysrhythmia, the improvement comprising: the means for selectively discharging including: means for selectively discharging a plurality of recruitment pulses, each recruitment pulse spaced apart by a first time interval and delivering an electrical charge from the waveform-generating capacitor means that is less than a maximum recruitment charge; and means for selectively discharging a defibrillation pulse spaced apart by a second time interval from the plurality of recruitment pulses and delivering an electrical charge that is greater than the maximum recruitment charge, wherein the maximum recruitment charge is determined by an amount of electrical charge which the charging means can recharge the waveform-generating capacitor means during the second time interval.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
207 words
An improved implantable defibrillator system for producing a multiple pulse capacitive-discharge countershock to be delivered through at least two electrodes adapted for implantation in a human patient, the implantable defibrillator system being a self-contained human implantable housing containing a waveform-generating capacitor means for storing an electrical charge, means for charging the waveform-generating capacitor means, means for sensing a cardiac dysrhythmia in the human patient, and means for selectively discharging the electrical charge in the waveform-generating capacitor means as a countershock to be delivered through the at least two electrodes in response to the means for sensing the cardiac dysrhythmia, the improvement comprising: the means for selectively discharging including: means for selectively discharging a plurality of recruitment pulses, each recruitment pulse spaced apart by a first time interval and delivering an electrical charge from the waveform-generating capacitor means that is less than a maximum recruitment charge; and means for selectively discharging a defibrillation pulse spaced apart by a second time interval from the plurality of recruitment pulses and delivering an electrical charge that is greater than the maximum recruitment charge, wherein the maximum recruitment charge is determined by an amount of electrical charge which the charging means can recharge the waveform-generating capacitor means during the second time interval.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 1 wherein the means for selectively discharging the plurality of recruitment pulses includes means for delivering at least one recruitment pulse as a biphasic pulse.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 1 wherein the means for selectively discharging the plurality of recruitment pulses includes means for selectively varying a discharge pathway between the at least two electrodes for successive recruitment pulses.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 1 wherein the means for selectively discharging the plurality of recruitment pulses includes means for reducing a discharge voltage of the recruitment pulses in relation to a charging voltage applied to the waveform-generating capacitor means by the means for charging.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 1 wherein the means for selectively discharging the plurality of recruitment pulses includes means for selectively varying the first time interval between successive recruitment pulses.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 5 wherein the means for sensing includes means for sensing a fibrillation rate and wherein the means for selectively varying the first time interval between successive recruitment pulses varies the first time interval based on a percentage of the fibrillation rate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 1 wherein the means for sensing includes means for sensing a fibrillation rate and wherein the means for selectively discharging the recruitment pulses includes means for establishing the first time interval between successive recruitment pulses based on a percentage of the fibrillation rate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 1 wherein the means for selectively discharging the plurality of recruitment pulses includes means for selectively varying a polarity of the recruitment pulses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 1 wherein the means for selectively discharging limits the first and second time intervals to between 25 milliseconds and 1 second.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for operating an implantable defibrillator device electrically connected to at least two electrodes adapted for implantation in a human patient to treat cardiac dysrhythmia by delivering a multiple pulse capacitive-discharge countershock, the method comprising the device-implemented steps of: (a) sensing for a cardiac dysrhythmia in a human patient; (b) in response to sensing the cardiac dysrhythmia, charging a capacitive charge storage system within the implantable defibrillator device to a charge value; (c) selectively discharging less than a first portion of the charge value stored in the capacitive charge storage system through the at least two electrodes to produce a plurality of recruitment pulses, each recruitment pulse spaced apart by a first time interval; (d) recharging the capacitive charge storage system to the charge value after each recruitment pulse; and (e) discharging more than the first portion of the charge value stored in the capacitive charge storage system through the at least two electrodes to produce a defibrillation pulse that is spaced apart by a second time interval from the plurality of recruitment pulses.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
175 words
A method for operating an implantable defibrillator device electrically connected to at least two electrodes adapted for implantation in a human patient to treat cardiac dysrhythmia by delivering a multiple pulse capacitive-discharge countershock, the method comprising the device-implemented steps of: (a) sensing for a cardiac dysrhythmia in a human patient; (b) in response to sensing the cardiac dysrhythmia, charging a capacitive charge storage system within the implantable defibrillator device to a charge value; (c) selectively discharging less than a first portion of the charge value stored in the capacitive charge storage system through the at least two electrodes to produce a plurality of recruitment pulses, each recruitment pulse spaced apart by a first time interval; (d) recharging the capacitive charge storage system to the charge value after each recruitment pulse; and (e) discharging more than the first portion of the charge value stored in the capacitive charge storage system through the at least two electrodes to produce a defibrillation pulse that is spaced apart by a second time interval from the plurality of recruitment pulses.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the first portion of the charge value in step (c) is determined by an amount of electrical charge which step (d) can recharge the capacitive charging storage system during the second time interval.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 10 wherein step (c) discharges the recruitment pulses as biphasic pulses.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 10 wherein step (c) further includes the step of selectively varying a discharge pathway between the at least two electrodes for successive recruitment pulses.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 10 wherein step (c) further includes the step of reducing a discharge voltage of the recruitment pulses in relation to a charging voltage applied to the capacitive charge storage system in steps (b) and (d).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 10 wherein step (c) further includes the step of selectively varying the first time interval between successive recruitment pulses.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 10 wherein step (a) senses a fibrillation rate and wherein step (c) further includes the step of selectively varying the first time interval between successive recruitment pulses based on a percentage of the fibrillation rate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 10 wherein step (c) further includes the step of selectively varying a polarity of the recruitment pulses.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the first and second time intervals of step (c) and (e) are limited to between 25 milliseconds and 1 second.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the capacitive charge storage system comprises at least two separate capacitor systems and wherein step (c) discharges less than the first portion of the charge value from a first capacitor system and step (e) discharges more than the first portion of the charge value from a second capacitor system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 19 wherein steps (b) and (d) charges the first capacitor system to a first discharge voltage and step (b) charges the second capacitor system to a second discharge voltage that is greater than the first discharge voltage.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
172 words
An implantable defibrillator apparatus electrically connected to at least two electrodes adapted for implantation in a human patient to treat cardiac dysrhythmia by delivering a multiple pulse capacitive-discharge countershock, the implantable defibrillator apparatus comprising: an implantable housing which contains: sensing means for sensing a cardiac dysrhythmia in the human patient; capacitor means for storing an electrical charge; power source means for charging the capacitor means to a charging voltage; and control means for selectively controlling the power source means and the capacitor means in response to the sensing of the cardiac dysrhythmia to deliver a multiple pulse capacitive-discharge countershock to the at least two electrodes including: means for selectively discharging a plurality of recruitment pulses, each recruitment pulse spaced apart by a first time interval and delivering an electrical charge that is less than a maximum recruitment charge; and means for selectively discharging a defibrillation pulse spaced apart by a second time interval from the plurality of recruitment pulses and delivering an electrical charge that is greater than the maximum recruitment charge.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
172 words
An implantable defibrillator apparatus electrically connected to at least two electrodes adapted for implantation in a human patient to treat cardiac dysrhythmia by delivering a multiple pulse capacitive-discharge countershock, the implantable defibrillator apparatus comprising: an implantable housing which contains: sensing means for sensing a cardiac dysrhythmia in the human patient; capacitor means for storing an electrical charge; power source means for charging the capacitor means to a charging voltage; and control means for selectively controlling the power source means and the capacitor means in response to the sensing of the cardiac dysrhythmia to deliver a multiple pulse capacitive-discharge countershock to the at least two electrodes including: means for selectively discharging a plurality of recruitment pulses, each recruitment pulse spaced apart by a first time interval and delivering an electrical charge that is less than a maximum recruitment charge; and means for selectively discharging a defibrillation pulse spaced apart by a second time interval from the plurality of recruitment pulses and delivering an electrical charge that is greater than the maximum recruitment charge.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 21 wherein the means for selectively discharging the plurality of recruitment pulses includes means for delivering at least one recruitment pulse as a biphasic pulse.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 21 wherein the means for selectively discharging the plurality of recruitment pulses includes means for selectively varying a discharge pathway between the at least two electrodes for successive recruitment pulses.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
46 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 21 wherein the means for selectively discharging the plurality of recruitment pulses includes means for reducing a discharge voltage of the recruitment pulses in relation to a charging voltage applied to the waveform-generating capacitor means by the means for charging.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 21 wherein the means for selectively discharging the plurality of recruitment pulses includes means for selectively varying the first time interval between successive recruitment pulses.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
47 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 25 wherein the means for sensing includes means for sensing a fibrillation rate and wherein the means for selectively varying the first time interval between successive recruitment pulses varies the first time interval based on a percentage of the fibrillation rate.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
49 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 21 wherein the means for sensing includes means for sensing a fibrillation rate and wherein the means for selectively discharging the recruitment pulses includes means for establishing the first time interval between successive recruitment pulses based on a percentage of the fibrillation rate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 21 wherein the means for selectively discharging the plurality of recruitment pulses includes means for selectively varying a polarity of the recruitment pulses.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 21 wherein the means for selectively discharging limits the first and second time intervals to between 25 milliseconds and 1 second.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
38 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 21 wherein the maximum recruitment charge is determined by an amount of electrical charge which the power source means can recharge the capacitor means during the longer of the second time interval.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
40 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 21 wherein the capacitor means at least two separate capacitor systems and wherein the recruitment pulses are discharged from a first capacitor system and the defibrillation pulse is discharged from a second capacitor system.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 31 wherein the first capacitor system is charged to a first discharge voltage and the second capacitor system is charged to a second discharge voltage that is greater than the first discharge voltage.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
38 words
The implantable defibrillator system of claim 31 wherein the maximum recruitment charge is determined by an amount of electrical charge which the power source means can recharge the second capacitor system during shortest of the first time intervals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3241555A
Cited
US3211154A
Cited
US4025860A
Cited
US4708145A
Cited
US4530550A
Cited
US4931947A
Cited
US4727877A
Cited
US4638397A
Cited
US4637397A
Cited
US4800883A
Cited
US4850337A
Cited
US4821723A
Cited
EP0280526A2
Cited
US5052407A
Cited
US4969463A
Cited
US4996984A
Cited
US4998531A
Cited
US5163427A
Cited
US5107834A
Cited
US5209229A
Cited
US5199429A
Cited
US5306291A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-06-04 | 1999-12-04 | 2000-06-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-06-04 | 2003-12-04 | 2004-06-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-06-04 | 2007-12-04 | 2008-06-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |