Claims
- 1. An implantable heart treatment system having anti-arrhythmia pacemaking, cardioversion, and defibrillation capabilities for maintaining proper function of the heart, said system comprising:
- an implantable pulse generator means for producing an anti-arrhythmia waveform;
- a pulse generator housing enclosing and containing said pulse generator means, said pulse generator housing comprising an electrically conductive electrode removably attached to the housing and capable of electrical connection to said pulse generator;
- an electrode for implantation in or about the heart and being electrically connected to said pulse generator for delivering electrical energy to the heart against said conductive surface of said pulse generator housing.
- 2. The implantable heart treatment system of claim 1, and further comprising sensor means for determining whether the pulse generator housing is inside a body of a patient or outside the body of a patient, said sensor means for disconnecting the conductive electrode of the pulse generator housing from the pulse generator means when the housing is outside the body of a patient.
- 3. An implantable heart treatment system having anti-arrhythmia pacemaking, cardioversion, and defibrillation capabilities for maintaining proper function of the heart, said system comprising:
- an implantable pulse generator means for producing an anti-arrhythmia waveform;
- a pulse generator housing enclosing and containing said pulse generator means, an electrically conductive electrode removably attached to said pulse generator housing and electrically connected to said pulse generator means;
- a first electrode implanted in or about the heart and being electrically connected to said pulse generator;
- a second electrode implanted in or about the heart and being electrically connected to said pulse generator;
- switching means for directing said anti-arrhythmia waveform on the one hand, between at least one of said first and second electrodes and said conductive surface of said pulse generator housing upon a first condition of said heart, and on the other hand directing said anti-arrhythmia waveform to said first and second electrodes electrically connected in common against said conductive surface of said pulse generator housing upon a second condition of the heart.
- 4. An implantable heart treatment system for maintaining proper function of the heart, said system comprising:
- an implantable pulse generator means for producing an anti-arrhythmia waveform;
- a pulse generator housing enclosing and containing said pulse generator means and having a conductive portion, said conductive portion comprising an electrically conductive outer surface which is electrically connected to said pulse generator means and an electrically conductive electrode removably attached to said pulse generator housing and electrically connected to said pulse generator means;
- a first heart electrode implanted in contact with the heart and being electrically connected to said pulse generator;
- a second heart electrode implanted in contact with the heart and being electrically connected to said pulse generator;
- switching means for directing said anti-arrhythmia waveform on the one hand, between at least one of said first and second heart electrodes and said conductive portion of said pulse generator housing upon a first condition of said heart, and on the other hand directing said anti-arrhythmia waveform to said first and second heart electrodes electrically connected in common against said conductive portion of said pulse generator housing upon a second condition of the heart.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/380,538, filed Jan. 30, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,926, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/917,899, filed Jul. 24, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,574, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/514,251, filed Apr. 25, 1990, now U.S. Pat. 5,133,353.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Jones, D.L., et al., "Internal Cardiac Defibrillation in Man: Pronounced Improvement with Sequential Pulse Delivery to Two Different Lead Orientations", Circulation, vol. 73, No. 3, pp. 484-491, (Mar. 1986). |
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
380538 |
Jan 1995 |
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Parent |
917899 |
Jul 1992 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
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514251 |
Apr 1990 |
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