Atrial Leadless Pacemaker Capture Confirmation via Ventricular Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing leadless cardiac implants, particularly those intended for the atrium, face challenges in optimizing power consumption and ensuring reliable therapy delivery due to size constraints and power limitations, and existing technologies fail to address these limitations.
Innovation Solution
A leadless pacing device for implanting into an atrium of a heart comprising an implant anchor for connecting the device to an inner wall of the atrium, a stimulator for a direct stimulation of the atrium, and a sensor for sensing a ventricular activity of the heart corresponding to the direct stimulation of the atrium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If leadless pacing device is implanted into atrium with size restrictions, then device size and battery capacity are reduced, but power consumption optimization becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs feedback by sensing ventricular activity in response to atrial stimulation and using this information to confirm capture and optimize pacing output. The sensor detects ventricular depolarization following atrial pacing, providing feedback that allows the control unit to verify effective stimulation and adjust power consumption accordingly, ensuring reliable therapy delivery within limited battery capacity.
2Use of energy by moving object
If atrial capture control is used to minimize power consumption, then power usage is reduced, but reliability of therapy delivery may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback through ventricular sensing following atrial pacing to confirm capture. The control unit receives signals from the sensor indicating ventricular activity, and uses this feedback to verify that the atrial stimulus successfully captured and produced the desired ventricular response. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable therapy delivery while allowing power consumption optimization by confirming effective pacing at lower output levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The same electrode serving as the stimulator also functions as the sensor for detecting ventricular activity. This multi-functional approach allows the device to use its existing hardware resources for both pacing and sensing, enabling reliable capture confirmation without requiring additional components that would increase device size or power consumption.
3Reliability
If lead-based systems are replaced by leadless devices, then infection risk and device failure risk are reduced, but power consumption constraints are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The leadless pacing device performs self-service by autonomously confirming capture through intrinsic ventricular sensing. The device uses its own sensor to detect ventricular activity following atrial pacing, and the control unit automatically processes this information to verify capture and adjust pacing parameters. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external monitoring systems, reducing infection risk associated with leads while managing power consumption through efficient autonomous operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A leadless pacing device for implanting into an atrium of a heart. The leadless device comprises an implant anchor for connecting the device to an inner wall of the atrium; a stimulator for a direct stimulation of the atrium; a sensor for sensing a ventricular activity of the heart corresponding to the direct stimulation of the atrium. Further aspects relate to a system comprising such leadless pacing device, a method and a computer program that may be executed by such leadless pacing device.