Leadless Cardiac Pacing via Acoustic Energy Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cardiac pacing systems rely on lead wires, which are prone to complications such as infection, lead failure, and electromagnetic interference, limiting the ability to stimulate multiple sites effectively, especially in the left ventricle, and causing issues with pacemaker functionality and patient safety.
Innovation Solution
An acoustic energy-based leadless cardiac pacing system that uses a controller-transmitter to transmit energy and signal information to a receiver-stimulator implanted directly in the heart, eliminating the need for lead wires and allowing for precise stimulation of cardiac muscle or other body tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to stimulate cardiac tissue, then electrical stimulation can be achieved, but the system is prone to infection, lead failure, and electromagnetic interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the lead wire component from the pacing system. The leadless pacemaker delivers electrical stimuli directly to the cardiac tissue through electrodes integrated into the implantable device, removing the intermediate lead wire that causes infections and electromagnetic interference. This extraction of the problematic component resolves the contradiction between achieving electrical stimulation and avoiding harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic energy as an intermediary medium for power and data transmission between the implantable device and external programmer. Instead of using electrical leads that are susceptible to interference, the system uses acoustic waves (sound waves) to transmit energy and information across the tissue boundary, eliminating electromagnetic interference while maintaining communication and power delivery capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If lead wires are used for cardiac pacing, then electrical stimulation is possible, but the ability to stimulate multiple sites especially in the left ventricle is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pacing function into multiple independent electrode sites integrated within a single implantable device. The leadless pacemaker incorporates multiple electrodes that can independently stimulate different regions of the heart, including the left ventricle, without requiring separate lead wires for each site. This segmentation enables versatile multisite stimulation while simplifying the overall system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple stimulation functions and electrodes into a single integrated implantable device. Instead of using separate leads for different pacing sites, the leadless pacemaker combines all electrodes and control circuitry into one unit that is implanted directly in the heart, eliminating the need for complex lead wiring while enabling stimulation at multiple sites simultaneously or sequentially.
3Ease of operation
If conventional pacemaker leads are used, then cardiac stimulation can be achieved, but pacemaker functionality is limited by lead-induced electromagnetic interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrical/mechanical lead wire system with an acoustic energy transmission system. The leadless pacemaker uses acoustic waves to transmit power and data, substituting the problematic electrical lead infrastructure with a mechanically-based acoustic field that is not susceptible to electromagnetic interference, thereby improving pacemaker functionality and reliability.
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
This system enables efficient and precise electrical stimulation of cardiac muscle without the drawbacks of lead-based systems, improving treatment outcomes for conditions like heart failure and arrhythmias while reducing the risk of complications associated with lead placement and interference.
Implementation Method 1
an acoustic receiver-stimulator to receive the acoustic energy and convert it into stimulating electrical energy
Implementation Method 2
utilizing acoustic energy to transmit both energy and signal information from a first implanted device to a second implanted device
Data Source
AI summary
Systems including an implantable receiver-stimulator and an implantable controller-transmitter are used for leadless electrical stimulation of body tissues. Cardiac pacing and arrhythmia control is accomplished with one or more implantable receiver-stimulators and an external or implantable controller-transmitter. Systems are implanted by testing external or implantable devices at different tissue sites, observing physiologic and device responses, and selecting sites with preferred performance for implanting the systems. In these systems, a controller-transmitter is activated at a remote tissue location to transmit/deliver acoustic energy through the body to a receiver-stimulator at a target tissue location. The receiver-stimulator converts the acoustic energy to electrical energy for electrical stimulation of the body tissue. The tissue locations(s) can be optimized by moving either or both of the controller-transmitter and the receiver-stimulator to determine the best patient and device responses.