Temporary Electrode Connections for Wireless Pacing Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pacemakers with leads face challenges in determining suitable implant locations for wireless cardiac stimulation systems, as existing methods lack direct connection for monitoring electrogram signals and assessing tissue excitability, leading to potential inefficiencies and inaccuracies in energy conversion and pacing thresholds.
Innovation Solution
A wireless receiver-stimulator system with temporary electrical connections allows for monitoring of heart tissue activity and energy conversion efficiency before permanent implantation, using a delivery system with a cathode and anode to assess excitable tissue and determine optimal implant locations, and a disconnect mechanism to prevent conductive pathways that could reduce stimulation effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wireless receiver-stimulator is implanted without temporary electrical connections, then implantation procedure is simplified, but ability to monitor electrogram signals and assess tissue excitability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing temporary electrical connections during the implantation procedure to enable monitoring of electrogram signals and assessment of tissue excitability before final implantation. This allows the surgeon to verify proper electrode placement and tissue responsiveness prior to permanent implantation, ensuring optimal positioning while maintaining procedural simplicity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple leads are used for multi-site pacing, then more heart sites can be stimulated, but cross section of veins and cavities is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lead/wire component from the pacing system by using wireless receiver-stimulators that can be implanted directly into the heart wall without requiring leads to traverse veins and cavities. This eliminates the blockage problem while maintaining the ability to pace multiple sites through separate wireless electrode implantations.
3Reliability
If disconnect mechanism is not used after temporary connections, then electrical contact is maintained for monitoring, but secondary conductive paths reduce stimulation effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The disconnect mechanism is designed to automatically sever temporary electrical connections after the assessment phase is complete, preventing the formation of secondary conductive paths that would interfere with stimulation effectiveness. This automatic disconnection ensures that monitoring capabilities are available when needed but do not persist to cause harmful effects.
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 accurate determination of suitable implant locations and efficient energy conversion, ensuring effective cardiac stimulation by allowing pre-implantation assessment of tissue viability and energy efficiency, while preventing secondary conductive paths that could undermine stimulation.
Implementation Method 1
The inventors of this patent application have proposed systems using implantable wireless electrodes that receive acoustic energy and convert it into electrical energy for electrically stimulating the heart
Implementation Method 2
U.S. Patent Application No. (Publication No.) 2006/0085039 discloses a system using implantable wireless electrodes that receive energy via inductive coupling of a coil in the electrode to a radio frequency antenna attached to a central pacing controller
Data Source
AI summary
Delivery of an implantable wireless receiver-stimulator (R-S) into the heart using delivery catheter is described. R-S comprises a cathode and an anode and wirelessly receives and converts energy, such as acoustic ultrasound energy, to electrical energy to stimulate the heart. Conductive wires routed through the delivery system temporarily connect R-S electrodes to external monitor and pacing controller. R-S comprises a first temporary electrical connection from the catheter to the cathode, and a second temporary electrical connection from the catheter to the anode. Temporary electrical connections allow external monitoring of heart's electrical activity as sensed by R-S electrodes to determine tissue viability for excitation as well as to assess energy conversion efficiency.