Cardiac-Triggered Neurological Therapy System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices fail to effectively monitor and treat nervous system disorders by integrating cardiac and brain signal analysis, particularly in relation to unpredictable seizures that can lead to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), due to a lack of comprehensive monitoring and intervention strategies that account for the complex brain-heart relationship.
Innovation Solution
A medical device system that includes a processor to obtain and analyze neurological and cardiac event detection signals, identifying matched events and delivering therapy based on cardiac signals to facilitate the detection and treatment of neurological disorders, while also monitoring brain signals for adaptive therapy adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If cardiac and brain signal monitoring is integrated, then detection accuracy of neurological events is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines cardiac monitoring elements with brain monitoring elements into a single integrated medical device system. The processor receives both cardiac signals and brain signals, analyzes them together, and delivers coordinated therapy. This merging of previously separate monitoring functions into one unified system enables simultaneous detection of neurological and cardiac events without requiring multiple independent devices, thereby improving detection accuracy while managing system complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The medical device system is designed with multi-functionality to perform both cardiac monitoring and brain monitoring tasks. The same device can detect neurological events from brain signals, monitor cardiac events from cardiac signals, analyze timing relationships between the two, and deliver appropriate therapy. This universal design allows one device to serve multiple monitoring and treatment functions, improving overall detection capability without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Reliability
If closed-loop feedback control is used, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements closed-loop feedback control where the processor continuously receives monitoring data from both cardiac and brain monitoring elements, analyzes the signals in real-time, and automatically adjusts or delivers therapy based on the analysis. The system monitors timing relationships between cardiac and neurological events and modifies treatment delivery accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures treatment effectiveness is dynamically adjusted based on actual patient condition, improving reliability while the automated nature of the feedback loop manages the complexity of continuous monitoring and adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of timing relationships between cardiac and brain signals to predict and prepare for neurological events. By analyzing the timing patterns in advance and pre-positioning therapy delivery mechanisms, the system can respond more effectively when events occur. This preliminary action approach improves treatment effectiveness by ensuring therapy is ready and appropriately timed, while the automated preliminary analysis reduces the complexity of real-time decision-making.
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive monitoring of brain and heart signals is implemented, then detection of neurological events is improved, but loss of time for analysis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The medical device system continuously monitors both cardiac and brain signals without interruption, maintaining constant readiness to detect neurological events. The processor continuously analyzes timing relationships between the signals, ensuring no potential event goes undetected. This continuous monitoring and analysis approach improves detection capability by ensuring the system is always alert and analyzing data in real-time, while the automated continuous processing eliminates delays associated with intermittent or manual analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service analysis by automatically processing and interpreting both cardiac and brain signals without requiring external intervention. The processor independently analyzes timing relationships, identifies neurological events, and determines appropriate therapy delivery. This self-service capability improves detection capability by ensuring rapid, uninterrupted analysis, while the automation eliminates the time loss that would occur with manual analysis or external processing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of treating a neurological disorder in a patient. In some embodiments, the method includes obtaining a neurological event detection signal, obtaining a cardiac event detection signal, analyzing the timing relationships between the detected neurological and cardiac events to identify matched events, using the matched events to determine whether the cardiac event detection signal facilitates detection of neurological events, delivering a therapy to the patient in response to a cardiac event if the cardiac event detection signal is determined to facilitate detection of neurological events, and changing the therapy delivered based on sensed brain signals from the patient.