Cardiac Rhythm Synchronization for Safe IRE Pulse Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical treatment devices that apply high-voltage treatment signals, such as irreversible electroporation (IRE), risk interfering with normal heart functions due to improper synchronization with the cardiac cycle, often caused by irregular heartbeats, noisy ECG signals, or incorrect ECG lead placements.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes a synchronization module to analyze cardiac rhythm signals, preventing treatment energy delivery during erroneous or noisy conditions, and dynamically adjusting blanking periods to ensure safe application of treatment signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If treatment signals are applied at high voltage to achieve effective tissue ablation, then treatment efficacy is improved, but risk of cardiac interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of cardiac phase using ECG signals before applying treatment energy. The synchronization module identifies the refractory period by detecting R-waves and calculates appropriate blanking periods in advance, ensuring treatment signals are only delivered when the heart is in a safe state, thus preventing cardiac interference while maintaining treatment efficacy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a synchronization module as an intermediary between the treatment signal generator and the patient's heart. This module acts as a mediator that monitors ECG signals, determines cardiac phase, and controls the timing of treatment signal delivery, thereby decoupling the treatment application from potential harmful cardiac effects
2Object-affected harmful factors
If ECG-based synchronization is used to prevent cardiac interference, then patient safety is improved, but synchronization accuracy deteriorates due to noisy signals and irregular heartbeats
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the blanking period based on real-time detection of cardiac rhythm irregularities. When arrhythmias or noisy ECG signals are detected, the synchronization module modifies the blanking period duration to ensure treatment signals are delivered at safe cardiac phases, maintaining synchronization accuracy despite varying heart conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback monitoring of ECG signals during treatment. The synchronization module constantly analyzes incoming ECG data, detects deviations from normal rhythm patterns, and adjusts timing parameters in real-time, ensuring accurate synchronization even when heartbeats become irregular or ECG signals become noisy
3Object-affected harmful factors
If blanking period is extended to account for irregular heartbeats, then patient safety is improved, but treatment productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts the blanking period duration based on real-time cardiac rhythm analysis. For regular heartbeats, the blanking period is minimized to maintain treatment efficiency. When arrhythmias are detected, the blanking period is extended only for the duration of the irregularity, thus balancing patient safety with treatment productivity
Data Source
AI summary
A system for synchronizing application of treatment signals with a cardiac rhythm is provided. The system includes a memory that receives and stores a synchronization signal indicating that a predetermined phase such as R-wave of a cardiac rhythm of a patient has started. A synchronization module analyzes whether the stored synchronization signal is erroneous and if so, prevents a medical treatment device from applying a treatment energy signal such as an IRE pulse to a patient to take into account an irregular heart beat and noise in the synchronization signal in order to maximize safety of the patient.