LV Electrode Selection via Activation Time Summation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for selecting the optimal left ventricular electrode for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) lack comprehensive criteria for optimizing biventricular pacing, leading to suboptimal cardiac resynchronization in patients.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that utilize criteria stored in a programmer to automatically select the optimal left ventricular electrode and optimize atrioventricular and interventricular delays based on weighted electrical dyssynchrony indices, determined by measuring electrical activation times and adjusting electrode configurations to maximize cardiac resynchronization therapy response.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If current methods for selecting left ventricular electrode are used, then the selection process is simple, but the cardiac resynchronization effect is suboptimal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecardiac resynchronization effectVSAvoidselection process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurements of electrical activation times at multiple LV electrodes before final electrode selection. This allows the device to pre-evaluate which electrodes would provide optimal resynchronization效果, thereby improving reliability while maintaining a systematic rather than overly complex selection process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system measures electrical activation times and uses this feedback information to determine the optimal LV electrode configuration. By continuously monitoring and adjusting based on measured electrical dyssynchrony indices, the system improves cardiac resynchronization effectiveness without requiring excessively complex manual selection procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If multiple electrodes are used for measurement, then the accuracy of electrode selection improves, but the complexity of the system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrode selection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the measurement process into segments by using multiple discrete LV electrodes (first, second, third electrodes) along the lead. Each electrode provides localized electrical activation time measurements, and the system processes these segmented measurements to determine the optimal electrode configuration, thereby improving selection accuracy through distributed measurement points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If automatic selection based on weighted electrical dyssynchrony is implemented, then the optimization of biventricular pacing is improved, but the computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptimization efficiencyVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter being optimized from simple activation time to a weighted electrical dyssynchrony index. By calculating weighted sums of electrical activation times at different electrodes, the system efficiently determines the optimal LV electrode configuration that maximizes biventricular pacing effectiveness, improving productivity through parameter-based optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2814566B1Criteria for optimal electrical resynchronization derived from multipolar leads or multiple electrodes during biventricular pacing
Publication Date: 2020.04.15 MEDTRONIC INC
  • EP2814566B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2814566B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2814566B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Generally, the disclosure is directed one or more methods or systems of cardiac pacing employing a right ventricular electrode and a plurality of left ventricular electrodes. Pacing using the right ventricular electrode and a first one of the left ventricular electrodes and measuring activation times at other ones of the left ventricular electrodes. Pacing using the right ventricular electrode and a second one of the ventricular electrodes and measuring activation times at other ones of the left ventricular electrodes. Employing sums of the measured activation times to select one of the left ventricular electrodes for delivery of subsequent pacing pulses.