This invention pertains to ventricular pacing. More particularly, this invention pertains to synchronous pacing of a patient's left ventricle by electrodes residing in the patient's right ventricle.
Percutaneously placed pacing electrodes are commonly positioned only in the right-side chambers (right atrium or right ventricle) of the heart. Access to such chambers is readily available. Such access is through the superior vena cavity into the right atrium and then into the right ventricle.
Electrode placement into the left ventricle is normally avoided. Access is not as direct as in right ventricle placement. More important, emboli risk in the left ventricle is greater than in the right ventricle. Emboli which might develop in the left ventricle by reason of the electrode placement have direct access to the brain via the aorta from the left ventricle. This presents a significant risk of stroke.
Historically, pacing electrodes were placed only in the right ventricle to treat bradycardia (slow heart rate). Right atrium pacing was less understood and was more complex.
With advances in electro-physiology, pacing of both the right atrium and right ventricle was developed. Such dual chamber pacing resulted in better hemodynamic output than right ventricle-only pacing.
In addition to treating bradycardia, dual chamber pacing maintained synchrony between the chambers. Recent clinical evidence suggests that conventional ventricular pacing from the right ventricle creates asynchronous contraction of the left ventricle, leading to inefficient mechanical contraction and reduced hemodynamic performance. Long term right ventricular pacing has even been found to be associated with an increased risk of developing or worsening heart failure.
At first, combined pacing of the right ventricle and right atrium was performed by advancing two electrode leads through the superior vena cava into the right atrium. The first of these terminated at one or more electrodes which were attached to the endocardium of the atrium. The second lead (also having one or more electrodes) was advanced into the right ventricle with the electrode attached to the endocardium of the right ventricle.
Such historical dual chamber pacing was not without complications. The use of two leads resulting in a doubling of volume of the vasculature (e.g., the superior vena cava and jugular vein) occupied by such leads. Further, attachment of an electrode to the atrial wall was unreliable.
The historical problems of the dual chamber pacing led to the development of so-called “single pass” leads. Such leads have both the atrial and ventricle electrodes on a common lead.
Beginning in the 1990's, cardiac pacing has been considered for treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF). CHF patients suffer from low left ventricular output.
CHF is an extremely serious and progressive disease. While drug treatments exist, they may delay but do not stop or reverse the disease.
CHF patients face a progression of a debilitating condition which drastically alters lifestyle and will ultimately be fatal in the absence of heart transplant. Unfortunately, many patients do not qualify for such transplants and the available number of donor hearts is inadequate to treat those who do qualify.
Many CHF patients have low left ventricular output due to a mismatch between contractile forces produced by muscles of the left ventricle free wall (the external wall of the left ventricle) and the opposing septum (the wall dividing the right and left ventricles). Ideally, the free wall and septum contract in synchrony during systole to urge blood through the aortic valve. When out of synchrony, the septal wall may be contracting while the free wall is relaxed. Instead of urging blood flow, at least a portion of the contractile energy of the septum is wasted.
The mismatch of free wall and septal contractility is believed to be due to disorders in the electrical conduction systems of the heart. This conduction system includes the A-V node, the Bundle of His and the Purkinje fibers.
Located at the upper end of the septum, the sinus node creates the synchronized neuraly-mediated signal for cardiac pacing. These signals are conducted by the specialized fibers comprising the A-V node and the Bundle of His (extending along the length of the septum) and further conducted to the muscle of the heart through the Purkinje fibers. The Purkinje fibers originate in the septum and extend through the apex of the heart and to the exterior walls of the heart including into and up the free wall of the left ventricle.
In a healthy heart, the signal flow from the A-V node to the free wall of the left ventricle is rapid to insure the free wall and septum contract in synchrony. For example, a stimulating signal may flow to the free wall in about 70-90 milli-seconds. In patients with conduction abnormalities, this timing may be significantly delayed (to 150 milli-seconds or more) resulting in asynchronous contraction.
In some patients, the conduction path through the Purkinje fibers may be blocked. The location of the block may be highly localized (as in the case of so-called “left bundle branch block” or LBBB) or may include an enlarged area of dysfunctional tissue (which can result from infarction). In such cases, all or a portion of the free wall of the left ventricle is flaccid while the septum is contracting. In addition to contributing to asynchronous contraction, the contraction force of the free wall is weakened.
To address asynchronous contraction, CHF patients can be treated with cardiac pacing of the left ventricle. Such pacing includes applying a stimulus to the septal muscles in synchrony with stimulation applied to the muscles of the free wall of the left ventricle. While infracted tissue will not respond to such stimulus, non-infarcted tissue will contract thereby heightening the output of the left ventricle.
The prior art has developed various techniques for accomplishing left ventricle stimulation. For reasons noted above (i.e., emboli formation), endocardially positioned electrodes in the left ventricle are avoided. However, electrodes can be placed on the epicardial surface of the heart through surgical placement. The epicardial electrodes are positioned on the free wall of the left ventricle and are paced in synchrony with electrodes placed near the septum in the right ventricle.
Since epicardial electrodes require a surgical placement, the patient is subjected to two procedures—percutaneous placement of right ventricle electrodes (normally performed in a catheter lab by an electrophysiologist) and surgical placement of epicardial electrodes on the left ventricle (normally placed by a cardiac surgeon in a surgical suite). Also, such dual procedure is a burden on medical resources.
Percutaneous procedures have been developed for placement of an electrode to stimulate the free wall of the left ventricle. In such a procedure, an electrode lead is advanced through the coronary sinus. Part of the venous system, the coronary sinus extends from the right atrium and wraps around the heart on or near the epicardial surface and partially overlies the left ventricle free wall. In this percutaneous procedure, the electrode remains positioned in the coronary sinus overlying the left ventricle free wall with the lead passing through the coronary sinus and through the right atrium to the implantable pulse generator.
Unfortunately, a coronary sinus electrode is frequently less than optimal. The portion of the free wall most directly influenced by the electrode is the tissue directly underlying the coronary sinus at the location of the electrode. For many patients, this may not be the location of the free wall most in need of a stimulating therapy. Accordingly, the resulting therapy is sub-optimal. Also, some patients may have an extremely small diameter coronary sinus or the coronary sinus may have such a tortuous shape that percutaneous positioning of an electrode within the coronary sinus is impossible or very difficult. Not uncommonly, advancing a lead from the right atrium into the coronary sinus is extremely time-consuming. Even if successful, such a procedure consumes significant health care resources (including precious catheter lab time). Finally, there are now up to three leads passing through and occupying the space of the superior vena cava (i.e., leads for the electrodes in the right ventricle, right atrium and the coronary sinus). U.S. patent application Publ. No. 2005/0125041 published Jun. 9, 2005 shows (in
As will be described with reference to a preferred embodiment, aspects of the present invention are directed to a cardiac pacing system and method. As will be described, these aspects include electrodes in the right ventricle near the septal wall. These electrodes create a pulsed electrical field which stimulates both the septum and at least a portion of the free wall of the left ventricle.
According to a specific example embodiment of the present invention, a method and apparatus are disclosed for treating a condition of a patient's heart. The method includes placing a first electrode and a second electrode in a right ventricle of the heart. A reference electrode may be used, e.g., placed within the patient and internal or external to the heart. A pacing signal is generated including a first signal component and a second signal component to provide energy at levels relative to a reference level, with the first and second signal components having opposite polarity and with both of the first and second components having a potential relative to the reference level. The pacing signal and the placement of the electrodes are selected to alter a contraction of a left ventricle of the heart as further characterized in the examples hereinafter.
The above summary is limited to characterizing certain aspects and is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. The figures and detailed description that follow, including that described in the appended claims, more particularly exemplify these embodiments.
The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the detailed description of various embodiments of the invention that follows in connection with the accompanying drawings as follows:
Referring now to the various drawing figures, a description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be provided. Incorporated herein by reference are the disclosures of U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,061 B1 to Hartung issued May 8, 2001 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,285 to Denker, et al., dated Jun. 14, 2004; U.S. patent application Publ. No. 2004/0153127 published Aug. 5, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,643,546 B2 to Mathis et al. dated Nov. 4, 2003.
Generally speaking, the present invention is directed to creating a pulsed electrical field in the right ventricle with the field stimulating the musculature of the septum and free wall of the left ventricle to create coordinated contraction of the septum and free wall.
The present invention can be practiced with currently commercially available electrode leads and can also be enhanced with novel leads.
In
In
The lead body LB1 is flexible and includes a bio-compatible, electrically insulating coating surrounding first and second conductors C1, C2 separately connected to the first and second electrodes E1, E2. In the various Figures, the lead bodies are broken at a line at the SVC to reveal the internal conductors C1, C2 extending to an implantable pulse generator IPG. In fact, the conductors C1, C2 are contained within the material of the lead body LB1 along their length. The term “implantable pulse generator IPG” is intended to include pacemakers, implantable converter defibrillators (ICD) and cardia resynchronization therapies (CRT), all known in the art.
The proximal end of the lead body terminates at a pin connector (not shown) as is customary. The pin connector has exposed electrical contacts uniquely connected to each of the conductors C1, C2. The pin connector may be releasably connected to the pulse generator IPG with the exposed contacts making electrical connection with unique contacts of the circuitry of the pulse generator IPG.
It will be appreciated that the prior art contains numerous examples of cardiac leads for placement in a chamber of the heart where the leads have, as described above, two or more electrodes spaced along a length of the lead, attachment mechanisms such as passive or active fixation and conductors and connector pins as described. The current invention is not limited to pacing leads only, but rather is equally deployable with prior art ICD leads where it is customary to contain at least two electrodes in the RV. Such leads are selected of biocompatible material and treated (such as sterilized) for chronic placement in the patient.
The implantable pulse generator IPG is a small metallic container sealed for implantation in the patient and protecting internal circuitry. Commonly, such pulse generators are placed subcutaneously (e.g., in a dissected space between the skin and muscle layers of the patient). For cardiac pacing, such pulse generators are positioned in the upper chest on either the left or right front side of the patient near a shoulder. However, placement need not be so restricted and such pulse generators could be placed in any convenient location selected by the physician.
Pulse generators contain internal circuitry for creating electrical impulses which are applied to the electrodes after the lead is connected to the pulse generator. Also, such circuitry may include sensing and amplification circuitry so that electrodes E1, E2 may be used as sensing electrodes to sense and have the IPG report on the patient's electrophysiology.
The lead may be introduced to the vasculature through a small incision and advanced through the vasculature and into the right atrium RA and right ventricle to the position shown in
The pulse generator contains a battery as a power supply. With subcutaneous placement, replacement of a battery is well-known procedure. However, improvements in battery designs have resulted in longer-lasting batteries with the benefit of reducing the frequency of battery replacement. Alternatively, such batteries may be rechargeable in situ as is known in the art.
The pulse generator circuitry controls the parameters of the signals coupled to the electrodes E1, E2. These parameters can include pulse amplitude, timing, pulse duration by way of example. The internal circuitry further includes circuit logic permitting reprogramming of the pulse generator to permit a physician to alter pacing parameters to suit the need of a particular patient. Such programming can be affected by inputting programming instructions to the pulse generator via wireless transmission from an external programmer. Pulse generators commonly include an exposed contact on the exterior of the generator housing. Such pulse generators may also be partially covered with an insulator such as silicone with a window formed in the silicone to expose a portion of the metallic housing which functions as a return electrode in so-called unipolar pacing. In conventional bipolar pacing, the window is not necessary. Most commonly, the electrode is connected by the circuitry of the housing to an electrical ground. It will be appreciated that pulse generators as thus described are well known in the art and form no part of this invention per se.
While an implantable pulse generator is described in a preferred embodiment, the pulse generator may be external and coupled to the electrodes by percutaneous leads or wireless transmission. For example, a control of an implanted electrode is known for phrenic nerve stimulation and is described more fully in a product brochure “ATROSTIM PHRENIC NERVE STIMULATOR”, AtroTech Oy, P.O. Box 28, FIN-33721, Tampere, Finland (June 2004). The Atrostim device sends signals from an external controller to an implanted antenna.
External pacing devices are typically used for providing temporary pacing therapy. The current invention is also believed to have advantages for this application as critically-ill patients requiring emergency, temporary pacing may also suffer further from asynchronous cardiac contraction associated with conventional RV pacing. If desired, an external unit can be used to test a patient's suitability for the treatment. Patient's who benefit from the therapy can then receive an implantable pulse generator for longer-term use.
While conventional bipolar leads are acceptable for use with the present invention, a wider spacing between electrodes E1, E2 can increase the field but can sacrifice some sensing capability. This trade-off can be mitigated by use of a three-electrode lead in the right ventricle RV. Such a lead would have a tip electrode and two ring electrodes, one located near the tip in the RV apex and one in the high part of the atrium, near the tricuspid valve. The sensing is performed between the tip and closer electrode. This will provide good so-called “near field” sensing and avoid so-called “far field” sensing of the atrium or skeletal muscle activity. The pacing could be between the ring electrodes to the return electrode located distally to the heart (as will be described). One could also combine the tip and nearest ring as one electrode to the return electrode and the other ring electrode to the return electrode at the opposite polarity.
The pulse generator IPG generates a first and a second pulsed waveform W1, W2 applied, respectively, to the first and second electrodes E1, E2.
In
With the electrodes E1, E2 charged with opposite pulses, it is Applicants' current understanding that an electrical field is created between the electrodes E1, E2 with a field axis FA (
In the embodiment of
The present invention utilizes a reference electrode RE in combination with the electrodes E1, E2 in the right ventricle to result in effective pacing of the left ventricle LV. Although the physics and physiology of the mechanism of action are not fully understood, it is presently believed that the reference electrode RE distorts the electromagnetic field otherwise created between the right ventricle electrodes E1, E2 to urge an intensity of the electromagnetic field deeper into the septal wall S of the left ventricle LV. It is believed this occurs by creating a third high current density spot (or spots) away from the two electrodes in the wall and towards the reference electrode at the point where the current flows between the electrode E1 and the reference electrode RE and between the electrode E2 and the reference electrode RE coincide in space and time. This is illustrated in
The reference electrode may be physically attached to the housing of the implantable pulse generator IPG (and thereby having a neutral charge). Such an electrode RE is shown in
As shown in
It has been found that within energy levels associated with available implantable pulse generators (up to 10 or 20 volts) effective activation of the left ventricle LV can be achieved with the pacing arrangement of
While positioning of the electrodes E1, E2 within the volume of the right ventricle RV is effective in combination with a reference electrode RE (
In
The positioning of the reference electrode RE may be directly on the housing of the implantable pulse generator IPG or may be separate from the internal pulse generator as previously mentioned. While not preferred, the reference electrode RE can be placed in the left ventricle (
Positioning the reference electrode RE relative to the heart can affect the distortion of the field in the area of the left ventricle free wall FW subject to pacing. Particularly for a subcutaneously placed reference electrode (which is preferred to minimize the invasive nature of the procedure), the electrical conduction path from the right ventricle RV to the reference electrode will vary considerably between patients.
Also, the direction of field distortion may alter the region of the left ventricle LV subject to pacing. For example,
While the reference electrode could be a single electrode, multiple electrodes could be provided for subcutaneous placement and each connected by a switch circuitry SW of the implantable pulse generator as illustrated in
In addition, the catheter LB5 within the right ventricle can have multiple electrodes along its length (as shown in
The stimulation device has three output terminals that are connected to three electrodes E1, E2, RE in the body. Electrodes E1, E2 are positioned in the right ventricle RV with it being preferred that at least one of these electrodes be in direct contact with the septum S.
The reference electrode RE is an indifferent electrode which can be connected electronically to the housing of the implantable pulse generator IPG. The reference electrode RE may be an electrode directly on the implantable pulse generator or any other electrode for placement inside or outside of the heart as described above.
In the preferred embodiment, the reference electrode is grounded to the housing of the implantable pulse generator.
In the Figure, the amplitude of the waveforms from
As is customary with implantable pulse generators, the device may be programmable to achieve either conventional bipolar or unipolar stimulation or to achieve the stimulation of the present invention through an external programmer or controlled automatically by the device. The selection can be based on user preference or be driven by physiological factors such as widths of the patient's QRS complex or the conduction interval between the stimulus to a far away region in the heart. In addition switching between the pacing of the present invention and conventional pacing can also be determined by the percentage of pacing with a preference for a higher percentage with the pacing of the present invention. Further, the switching from the conventional pacing to the present invention pacing can be used when there exists an exit block or the pacing electrode is located in infracted myocardium when conventional pacing can not effect the depolarization of the myocardium at the high output level. The automatic determination can be effected through the deployment of any automatic capture detection technology that exists in the prior art. Additionally, wireless network enabled switching function for therapy optimization can also be implemented with the present invention. In such case, certain patient physiologic data are gathered by the implantable device and sent to a remote server/monitor through a wireless communication network.
The present invention can also be extended to the defibrillation therapy where high-energy pulses with various waveforms are delivered through electrode systems to treat tachycardia and fibrillation (both atrium and ventricle). The present invention is believed to be able to achieve lower defibrillation threshold due to better distribution of the electrical field, causing higher voltage gradient at least in certain parts of the heart compared to that by the conventional defibrillation configuration as seen in
While cardiac applications are a most preferred embodiment, the present application is applicable to other therapies where high current density spot(s) away from the electrodes are beneficial for stimulating the target, including but not limited to nerves, muscle, gastric and intestine system, and cortex). For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,569 to Wernicke et al. issued Apr. 5, 1994 (and incorporated herein by reference is one of a number of patents assigned to Cyberonics, Inc. describes pacing the vagus nerve to treat a wide variety of disorders. Pacing electrodes are applied directly to the vagus nerve in, for example, the neck. Application of an electrode directly to the vagus nerve creates risk of mechanical injury (e.g., pressure necrosis) to the nerve.
It has been shown how the objects of the invention have been achieved in a preferred embodiment. Modifications and equivalents of the disclosed concepts are intended to be included within the scope of the claims appended hereto.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
20040104782 | Dec 2004 | AR | national |
This patent document is a continuation under 35 U.S.C. §120 of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 11/300,611 filed on Dec. 13, 2005, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,512,440, which claims foreign priority to Argentina Patent Application No. 20040104782 filed on Dec. 20, 2004 by inventors Daniel Felipe Ortega and Alberto German Giniger and entitled “A New Pacemaker Which Reestablishes Or Keeps The Physiological Electric Conduction Of The Heart And A Method Of Application.”
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