Percutaneous Epicardial Pacemaker Electrode Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for bradyarrhythmia, such as transcutaneous and transvenous pacing, are often ineffective, uncomfortable, and require fluoroscopy, with limitations due to skin contact, body habitus, and venous system barriers, necessitating the development of a more efficient and less invasive method for heart rhythm management.
Innovation Solution
A percutaneous temporary epicardial pacemaker device with an adjustable electrode assembly that can be extended and retracted, allowing for subcutaneous placement without fluoroscopy, reducing discomfort and energy requirements, and avoiding venous system complications, combined with a transcutaneous electrode patch and an external automatic cardioverter defibrillator for pacing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transcutaneous pacing is used, then pacing can be delivered to the patient, but the pacing causes skeletal muscle contractions and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pacing function from the skin surface (transcutaneous) and relocates it to the epicardial surface of the heart through a percutaneous approach. The electrode is positioned directly on the heart muscle, separating the pacing function from the skeletal muscles of the chest wall, thereby eliminating unwanted muscle contractions while maintaining effective cardiac pacing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a percutaneous electrode as an intermediary element that bridges the external pacemaker and the heart muscle. This intermediary allows pacing current to be delivered directly to the heart without passing through the skeletal muscles, thus avoiding the harmful muscle contractions associated with transcutaneous pacing while maintaining effective cardiac stimulation.
2Reliability
If transvenous pacing is used, then pacing can be delivered to the heart, but the procedure requires fluoroscopy and has placement barriers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrode delivery route from the venous system (transvenous approach) and replaces it with a percutaneous subcutaneous tunnel approach. This eliminates the need for fluoroscopy-guided venous catheterization and reduces procedural complexity while achieving the same goal of direct cardiac electrode placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the complex fluoroscopy-guided mechanical catheterization process with a simpler percutaneous insertion method. The electrode is delivered through a subcutaneous tunnel using a more straightforward mechanical approach that does not require real-time imaging guidance, thereby reducing device complexity and procedural requirements.
3Reliability
If transcutaneous pacing pads are used, then pacing can be delivered, but effectiveness is limited by skin contact and body habitus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrode from the skin surface where contact quality varies with body habitus and hair, and relocates it to the epicardial surface of the heart. This ensures consistent and reliable electrical contact with the cardiac muscle regardless of external factors such as skin condition, body fat, or hair, thereby improving pacing effectiveness and ease of operation.
4Reliability
If temporary pacemaker wire is placed transvenously, then pacing can be provided, but the lead may become dislodged requiring repositioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrode placement site from the venous system where leads can dislodge, and relocates it to the epicardial surface of the heart. The percutaneous epicardial electrode is secured directly to the heart muscle or surrounding tissue, providing stable long-term positioning without the risk of venous lead dislodgement that requires fluoroscopy for repositioning.
Data Source
AI summary
This document provides devices and methods for the treatment of heart conditions. For example, this document provides a percutaneous temporary epicardial pacemaker device and system for treating heart arrhythmia.