Leadless Pacemaker Impedance Volume Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current implantable medical devices for treating heart conditions often require leads that can be cumbersome and may not effectively monitor ventricular volume changes, leading to inefficient cardiac pacing and therapy delivery.
Innovation Solution
A leadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP) with electrodes and circuitry that measures impedance between electrodes at multiple times during a cardiac cycle to determine ventricular volume, allowing for timed pacing pulses based on volume measurements and potentially incorporating additional electrodes and fixation mechanisms for secure implantation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If leads are used to connect implantable medical devices to the heart, then electrical connection and monitoring are achieved, but device complexity and patient discomfort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the lead component entirely from the implantable medical device system. The device is implanted leadlessly directly into the heart chamber, eliminating the need for leads while maintaining electrical connection functionality through direct electrode-to-tissue contact. This extraction of the lead solves the contradiction by removing the source of complexity while preserving the essential electrical connection function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple functions (pacing, sensing, impedance measurement) into a single leadless device unit. By integrating all necessary components within the housing and eliminating separate lead structures, the device merges what would traditionally require multiple components into one unified implantable unit, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of operation
If traditional pacemakers are used, then cardiac pacing is provided, but ventricular volume monitoring capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the implantable device universal by enabling it to perform multiple functions: cardiac pacing, ventricular volume monitoring via impedance measurement, and cardiac cycle timing. The device can operate in different modes and adapt its functionality based on patient needs, providing both reliable pacing and precise volume monitoring through integrated impedance sensing capabilities between electrodes.
3Measurement precision
If impedance measurement is performed between electrodes, then ventricular volume information is obtained, but additional circuitry and electrodes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs existing electrodes that are already part of the pacing system to perform impedance measurement for volume monitoring. The same electrodes used for electrical pacing and sensing are utilized to measure impedance, allowing the device to self-monitor volume without requiring separate dedicated sensing electrodes or additional measurement circuits, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
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
Enables efficient cardiac pacing and therapy delivery by accurately monitoring ventricular volume changes, improving synchronization and therapy effectiveness without the need for leads, enhancing patient outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
The circuitry may be configured to identify a measure of impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode at each of a plurality of times during a cardiac cycle
Data Source
AI summary
An Implantable Medical Device (IMD) configured to be implantable in a ventricle of a patient's heart may include a housing, a first electrode secured relative to the housing, a second electrode secured relative to the housing, the second electrode spaced from the first electrode, and circuitry in the housing operatively coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. The circuitry may be configured to identify a measure of impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode at each of a plurality of times during a cardiac cycle. Each measure of impedance may represent a measure of volume of the ventricle in which the IMD is implanted. In some cases, the circuitry may generate a pacing pulse, the timing of which is based at least in part on the measure of volume of the ventricle at two or more of the plurality of times during the cardiac cycle.