Cardiac Pacing Threshold Monitoring for Potassium Imbalance Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for monitoring cardiac homeostasis are inadequate for early detection and accurate monitoring of potentially life-threatening arrhythmia conditions and progressive cardiac disease states, particularly in maintaining potassium balance within the heart.

Innovation Solution

A medical device system that includes an implantable medical device (IMD) connected to leads and a programmer, which senses electrical signals and delivers therapy, using a processor to detect homeostasis variations by adjusting pacing therapy parameters based on changes in pacing thresholds, thereby detecting hypokalemia or hyperkalemia.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional cardiac monitoring methods are used, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision for detecting homeostasis variations and potassium balance disruptions is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection accuracy of homeostasis variationsVSAvoidcomplexity of monitoring system

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors pacing thresholds and compares them against baseline values, using this feedback to detect homeostasis variations. The processor analyzes changes in pacing thresholds over time and generates alerts when deviations indicate potential arrhythmia risks or potassium imbalances, enabling early detection without requiring complex additional hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The implantable medical device uses its existing pacing functionality to simultaneously monitor cardiac homeostasis. By analyzing changes in its own pacing threshold requirements, the device self-diagnoses potential issues with potassium balance and cardiac health, eliminating the need for separate monitoring systems and reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If continuous monitoring of cardiac homeostasis is implemented, then the reliability of arrhythmia detection is improved, but the use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of arrhythmia detectionVSAvoidenergy consumption of monitoring device

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs monitoring at periodic intervals by measuring pacing thresholds during routine pacing therapy delivery. Rather than continuous high-power monitoring, the device periodically assesses homeostasis by analyzing pacing threshold changes, maintaining reliable detection capability while minimizing energy consumption through intermittent measurement cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The pacing therapy delivery system serves multiple functions: it provides cardiac pacing treatment and simultaneously monitors homeostasis by analyzing pacing threshold variations. This multi-functionality allows the same hardware and energy resources to fulfill both therapeutic and diagnostic roles, improving reliability without proportionally increasing energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If early detection of homeostasis variations is achieved through pacing threshold analysis, then the productivity of cardiac care is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of cardiac disease monitoringVSAvoidcomplexity of threshold analysis

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The processor acts as an intermediary that translates complex physiological changes into interpretable pacing threshold measurements. By using pacing threshold as an intermediate indicator of cardiac homeostasis, the system converts difficult-to-measure electrolyte and cellular changes into quantifiable electrical parameters that can be easily monitored and analyzed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces direct mechanical or chemical measurement of potassium levels and cellular homeostasis with electrical measurement of pacing thresholds. This substitution uses electrical field interactions to indirectly assess physiological states, simplifying the measurement process while improving detection efficiency and enabling remote monitoring capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9131865B2Method and apparatus for cardiac function monitoring

Publication Date: 2015.09.15 MEDTRONIC INC

AI summary

A method and medical device for monitoring cardiac function in a patient that includes a plurality of electrodes to deliver cardiac pacing therapy, and a processor configured to determine a pacing threshold in response to initial delivery of the pacing therapy, determine whether there is a change in the pacing threshold during initial delivery of the pacing therapy, adjust a delivery parameter of the pacing therapy in response to determining whether there is a change in the pacing threshold during initial delivery of the pacing therapy, determine whether there is a decrease in the pacing threshold during delivery of the adjusted pacing therapy, and determine hyperkalemia in response to the decrease in the pacing threshold during delivery of the adjusted pacing therapy being present.