Implantable Heart Monitor Atrial Volume Impedance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current heart monitoring devices are inadequate in detecting early changes in heart conditions such as congestive heart failure (CHF), which can lead to pulmonary congestion and increased atrial pre-load and diastolic volume, making it difficult to monitor the heart's pumping efficiency effectively.
Innovation Solution
An implantable heart monitoring device that measures impedance across the left atrium using electrodes to detect the rate of change of impedance, which indicates how quickly the atrium is filled with blood during diastole, allowing for early detection of worsening heart conditions by monitoring the impedance rate of change and selecting optimal electrode combinations for accurate measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If impedance measurement is used to monitor heart chamber volume, then heart function monitoring capability is improved, but it is difficult to determine whether electrodes are correctly positioned resulting in measurement inaccuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary testing by measuring impedance during ventricular systole before actual atrial volume monitoring. This preliminary action verifies correct electrode positioning and atrial chamber identification, ensuring that subsequent volume measurements are accurate and reliable.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses feedback from impedance measurements during ventricular systole to verify correct electrode positioning. The control circuit analyzes the impedance variation pattern and provides feedback to confirm that electrodes are properly positioned and measuring the intended atrial chamber, thereby ensuring measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If multiple electrode combinations are tested to find optimal positioning, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device operation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs self-testing and self-verification by automatically evaluating different electrode combinations and identifying the optimal configuration. The control circuit autonomously determines which electrodes are correctly positioned based on impedance characteristics, eliminating the need for manual electrode positioning or complex external calibration procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The device tests multiple electrode combinations beyond the minimum required, evaluating several configurations to ensure optimal positioning. This excessive testing approach guarantees measurement accuracy while the automated control circuit manages the complexity, keeping the user interface simple.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables early detection of heart condition deterioration by monitoring impedance changes, providing a simple and effective method to assess heart function and alerting physicians or patients to potential issues through stored warning messages.
Implementation Method 1
monitor an impedance measured between at least two electrodes (12, 21, 22, 31, 32, 41, 42, 51, 52, 53, 54)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns an implantable heart monitoring device (10) comprising, inter alia, a control circuit (14) configured to be able to measure an impedance across at least part of an atrium, such that the variation of the impedance is related to the volume change of the atrium. The control circuit (14) is configured to carry out certain steps, and to store values at different occasions that indicate the rate of change of the meas¬ ured impedance. The stored values have been determined such that, when the device (10) is used in a living being, the variation of the stored values will be related to the variation of the speed with which the atrium is filled with blood during the atrial dias¬ tole. The invention also concerns a corresponding system and method.