Cardiac Stimulation Site Selection Using Physiologic Signal Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cardiac stimulation therapies, such as single site and multisite pacing, often fail to achieve desired therapeutic outcomes due to ineffective recruitment of excitable cardiac tissues, particularly when pacing sites are near myocardial infarction or scar tissue with slow electrical conductivity, leading to inadequate propagation of electrical activation.

Innovation Solution

A system that senses physiologic signals at multiple candidate stimulation sites, determines activation timing indicators, and detects myocardial infarction indicators to select optimal pacing sites, automatically or based on user input, for improved cardiac stimulation, including the use of a stimulation site selector circuit to generate candidate electrostimulation vectors and deliver targeted therapy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If pacing is performed at a site within or near myocardial infarction tissue, scar or fibrous tissue, then the stimulation may be delivered to accessible locations, but the electrical activation propagation to other parts of cardiac tissue is blocked and therapeutic outcome is not achieved

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility of pacing siteVSAvoidtherapeutic outcome
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of candidate pacing sites by sensing physiologic signals and determining activation timing indicators before selecting the final pacing site. This preliminary action identifies sites with appropriate electrical conductivity and avoids areas with propagation blocks, ensuring both accessibility and therapeutic effectiveness before actual pacing begins

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from sensed physiologic signals at multiple candidate sites to evaluate activation timing indicators and select the optimal pacing site. The feedback mechanism compares electrical propagation characteristics across different sites and selects sites that demonstrate adequate activation propagation to other cardiac tissue portions, thereby ensuring therapeutic outcome while maintaining accessibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If multiple candidate pacing sites are assessed to ensure effective electrical activation propagation, then therapeutic outcome is improved, but the complexity of site selection process increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetherapeutic outcomeVSAvoidsite selection process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces complex manual assessment procedures with automated electronic sensing and analysis. The processor automatically evaluates activation timing indicators from sensed physiologic signals at multiple candidate sites, using computational algorithms to identify optimal pacing sites without requiring complex manual testing procedures, thereby maintaining high reliability while reducing operational complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-assessment of candidate pacing sites by automatically sensing physiologic signals and determining activation timing indicators without external intervention. The device independently evaluates multiple sites and selects the optimal pacing site based on predefined criteria, reducing the burden on operators while ensuring reliable therapeutic outcomes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3325090B1Systems for stimulation site selection
Publication Date: 2020.06.24 CARDIAC PACEMAKERS INC
  • EP3325090B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3325090B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3325090B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems and methods for selecting one or more sites at or within at least one heart chamber for cardiac stimulation are disclosed. The system can include a physiologic sensor circuit to sense physiologic signals at two or more candidate stimulation sites. The system can generate respective activation timing indicators corresponding to the two or more candidate stimulation sites, and detect MI indicators indicating the presence of, or spatial proximity of each of the two or more candidate stimulation sites to a MI tissue. The system can use the activation timing indicators and the MI indicators to select at least one target stimulation site or to determine an electrostimulation vector. The system can display the selected target stimulation site to a user, or deliver electrostimulation to the patient at the target stimulation site or according to the determined electrostimulation vector.