Apparatus for reducing polarization potentials in a pacemaker
US4498478A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 13, 1982 |
| Grant date | Feb 12, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 13, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61N1/3716
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus embodied in a pacemaker for attenuating polarization currents or voltages at the output terminals of the pulse generator. A heart pacemaker typically possesses a source of supply voltage, an output capacitor, an output terminal adapted to be coupled to heart tissue. A voltage source is coupled to the output capacitor during a first time interval for charging the output capacitor to a certain voltage. The output capacitor is coupled to the output terminals during a second time interval to discharge its voltage into the heart tissue. A resistor is coupled across the output terminals for providing a current path for the discharging and recharging of the effective capacitance of the stimulated heart tissue. The resistor may be coupled across the output terminals only during the first time interval and not during the discharge of the output capacitor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.