Optical Trigger for Leadless Pacemaker Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implantable pacemakers without transvenous leads face challenges in synchronizing pacing pulses across heart chambers, particularly in delivering cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) due to limited sensing capabilities and physical connection requirements.
Innovation Solution
An implantable medical device system utilizing an optically-triggered therapy delivery device, where a sensing device generates a control signal to emit an optical trigger signal, detected by a light detector in the therapy delivery device, allowing for automatic and synchronized therapy delivery without physical connection between the devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transvenous leads are used to connect pacemaker to heart chambers, then reliable electrical connection and therapy delivery is achieved, but risk of infection, lead fracture, and surgical complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the transvenous lead component from the pacemaker system. The leadless pacemaker device is implanted directly into the heart chamber without requiring transvenous leads, thereby removing the source of infections and lead-related complications while maintaining therapeutic functionality through direct cardiac wall contact
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical trigger signal as an intermediary communication mechanism between the sensing device and therapy delivery device. This optical mediation enables synchronized therapy delivery without requiring direct physical electrical connections between components, solving the contradiction between connection reliability and infection risk
2Object-affected harmful factors
If leadless intracardiac pacemaker is used to eliminate transvenous leads, then infection risk and surgical complexity are reduced, but capability to synchronize pacing pulses across heart chambers is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an optical trigger signal as an intermediary communication channel between the sensing device and therapy delivery device. This optical mediation enables the leadless pacemaker to receive timing signals from the sensing device and deliver synchronized pacing pulses across different heart chambers, achieving CRT functionality without transvenous leads
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical connection system (transvenous leads) with an optical signaling system. The optical trigger signals transmit timing information through tissue without requiring physical electrical connections, enabling synchronized therapy delivery while maintaining the benefits of a leadless design
3Object-affected harmful factors
If optical trigger signal system is implemented for synchronized therapy delivery, then leadless design and reduced infection risk are maintained, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the optical trigger reception functionality from a complex external system and integrates it into a compact leadless device. The therapy delivery device contains an integrated optical sensor that detects optical trigger signals and automatically delivers therapy based on the detected timing, simplifying the overall system architecture despite the advanced functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The therapy delivery device is designed to autonomously detect optical trigger signals and deliver pacing pulses without requiring external control wiring or complex real-time communication systems. The device self-regulates therapy delivery based on detected optical signals, reducing system complexity while maintaining synchronized CRT capability
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 minimally invasive implant procedures, reduces device size, and eliminates the need for medical leads and RF amplifiers, facilitating precise and synchronized cardiac pacing therapies.
Implementation Method 1
an optical emitting device emits an optical trigger signal that is detected by the therapy delivery device
Implementation Method 2
a second device comprising a light detector for receiving the optical trigger signal. The second device is configured to detect the optical trigger signal
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device system is configured to sense a physiological signal by a first device and generate a control signal by the first device in response to the physiological signal. An optical transducer is controlled by the first device to emit an optical trigger signal in response to the control signal. A second device receives the optical trigger signal and delivers an automatic therapy to a patient in response to detecting the optical trigger signal.