Tachyarrhythmia Detection Counter Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical devices face challenges in accurately detecting tachyarrhythmia due to cardiac signal amplitude variability and noise, such as electromagnetic interference, leading to false alarms and inappropriate therapies.

Innovation Solution

A method for detecting tachyarrhythmia involves sensing R-waves, determining RR intervals, and adjusting a tachyarrhythmia interval counter based on normal sinus rhythm beats to prevent false detections, using a medical device configured to sense cardiac events and deliver appropriate therapies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cardiac electrical signals are sensed to detect tachyarrhythmia, then tachyarrhythmia detection capability is improved, but false detection increases due to signal noise and amplitude variability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetachyarrhythmia detection accuracyVSAvoidcardiac event sensing precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the tachyarrhythmia interval counter adjustable rather than fixed. The counter value is dynamically modified based on detected normal sinus rhythm beats, allowing the detection system to adapt to varying cardiac signal conditions and reduce false detections while maintaining sensitivity to true tachyarrhythmia events

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of the tachyarrhythmia interval counter value based on detected normal sinus rhythm beats. By modifying this counter parameter dynamically, the system adjusts its detection sensitivity to distinguish between true tachyarrhythmia and false signals caused by noise or amplitude variability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If detection sensitivity is increased to capture all potential tachyarrhythmia events, then detection coverage is improved, but false alarm rate increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetachyarrhythmia detection coverageVSAvoidfalse alarm rate
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by using detected normal sinus rhythm beats to modify the tachyarrhythmia interval counter value. This feedback mechanism allows the system to learn from observed cardiac patterns and adjust its detection threshold, reducing false alarms while maintaining comprehensive detection coverage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by detecting and counting normal sinus rhythm beats before making final tachyarrhythmia determination. This preliminary analysis of rhythmic patterns helps establish a baseline that prevents false alarms while maintaining sensitivity to true events

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4054707B1Medical device for tachyarrhythmia detection
Publication Date: 2024.03.20 MEDTRONIC INC
  • EP4054707B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4054707B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4054707B1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

A medical device is configured to determine time intervals between consecutive cardiac events sensed from a cardiac electrical signal, increase a value of a tachyarrhythmia interval count in response to each of the determine time intervals detected as a tachyarrhythmia interval. The device is further configured to detect normal sinus rhythm events and the decrease the value of the tachyarrhythmia interval count in response to a threshold number of detected normal sinus rhythm events.