Atrial Leadless Pacemaker for Direct Sensing of Supraventricular Tachycardia

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current leadless cardiac implants struggle with unreliable sensing of atrial activity due to indirect measurement methods, leading to high signal processing complexity, low signal-to-noise ratio, and increased error rates, particularly in detecting atrial events such as supraventricular tachycardia.

Innovation Solution

A leadless device is implanted directly into the atrium with a fixation mechanism for stable connection to the atrial wall, enabling direct sensing of atrial activity, thereby minimizing external interference and improving the accuracy of P-P interval determination and atrial event detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If indirect sensing of atrial activity is used via accelerometer in ventricularly-stationed leadless device, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates with high signal processing complexity and low signal to noise ratio

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidmeasurement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses an accelerometer as an intermediary device to indirectly sense atrial activity through mechanical vibrations transmitted through the heart wall, avoiding the need for direct electrical contact with the atrium while still enabling detection of atrial events

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces direct electrical sensing mechanisms with mechanical vibration sensing using an accelerometer, substituting the electrical field-based detection with mechanical field-based detection to simplify device structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If lead-based systems with multiple electrodes are used to enable VDD therapies, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity and ease of operation worsen due to fixation complexities and lead management

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the sensing function from the complex lead-based system and consolidates it into a single leadless device implanted in the ventricle, eliminating the need for multiple leads and electrodes while maintaining atrial activity detection capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The leadless device performs multiple functions including ventricular pacing, ventricular sensing, and indirect atrial activity detection using the same device body and accelerometer, eliminating the need for separate leads for different functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If lead-based systems are used for cardiac therapy, then adaptability improves for providing VDD therapies, but reliability deteriorates due to higher infection risk and lead failure

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the lead component entirely, extracting only the essential pacing and sensing functions into a leadless device, thereby eliminating the infection pathway and mechanical failure points associated with leads while maintaining therapeutic capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20260014380A1Supraventricular tachycardia management and Anti-tachycardia pacing coordination in an atrially-implanted leadless pacemaker

Publication Date: 2026.01.15 BIOTRONIK SE & CO KG

AI summary

A leadless device for implanting into an atrium of a heart, comprising a connector for connecting the device to an inner wall of the atrium and a sensor for directly sensing an atrial activity of the heart. Further aspects relate to a system comprising such device and a method to be performed by such device.