Implantable Sensor Lead With Distributed Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing implantable sensor leads for cardiac activity sensing are prone to disturbances from local forces, limiting their effectiveness in accurately measuring mechanical cardiac activity, particularly when placed in specific locations like the coronary vein or right ventricle.
Innovation Solution
An implantable sensor lead with multiple sensing elements distributed along its body, emitting electrical signals that average out local disturbances, allowing for global sensing of cardiac activity over a larger volume of the heart, with options for parallel connection to reduce out-of-phase signals or individual conductors to analyze signal patterns for propagation speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a single sensor element is placed in a specific location (e.g., coronary vein or right ventricle), then the sensor can detect mechanical cardiac activity, but the sensor signals are heavily influenced by local forces acting on the sensor element, reducing measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sensing function into multiple sensor elements distributed along the lead body instead of using a single sensor element. This segmentation allows the system to capture mechanical cardiac activity from multiple locations, thereby reducing the influence of local forces on any individual sensor and improving overall measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensing elements are distributed along the lead body, then the sensor signals are averaged to reduce local disturbance influence, but the device complexity increases due to multiple sensing elements and conductors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor elements and their conductors into an integrated lead structure. The sensor elements are distributed along the lead body and electrically connected through conductors that are part of the lead assembly, merging the sensing function with the lead structure itself. This approach reduces the overall device complexity compared to having separate sensing components.
3Measurement precision
If sensor elements are connected in parallel between two common conductors, then signal averaging is obtained to enhance global sensing, but the ability to analyze signal propagation patterns is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the lead with multiple conductors that can serve multiple functions. The same conductor infrastructure supports both parallel connection for signal averaging and individual conductor arrangements for propagation analysis. This multi-functional design allows the system to adapt to different sensing requirements without requiring separate dedicated structures.
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 approach provides more accurate and synchronized signals from a larger heart volume, minimizing local disturbance influence and enabling the determination of cardiac activity propagation speed.
Implementation Method 1
The tensiometric element consists of piezoelectric material or a variable resistivity material, the mechanical stresses to which the tensiometric element is subjected causing the element to produce a voltage or resistivity variation.
Data Source
AI summary
In an implantable sensor lead for sensing mechanical cardiac activity of a heart, as well as a sensing method and a cardiac stimulator embodying such a sensor lead, multiple cardiac activity sensing elements are distributed along a portion of a length of the lead body of the implantable lead. The sensing elements sense or detect mechanical cardiac activity and respectively emit electrical signals corresponding to the detected mechanical cardiac activity. The delivery of cardiac stimulation pulses can be controlled dependent on an analysis of the detected mechanical cardiac activity.