Patent · US Expired

Method and implantable medical device for stimulating tissue contractions

US5042480A · kind A · utility

49Cited by
12References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 10, 1990
Grant dateAug 27, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 10, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N1/365
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A medical device implantable into the body of a patient with which spontaneous tissue contractions can be detected and tissue contractions can be stimulated, generates a stimulation after the expiration of an adjustable first time interval, started by the respective detection or the stimulation of a tissue contraction, if a spontaneous tissue contraction is not detected before the expiration of the first time interval and if a shorter, second time interval, started by the detection or stimulation of a tissue contraction, has not yet expired. Detection of a spontaneous tissue contraction during the second time interval starts a new second time interval. The duration of the second time interval is automatically set such that it is always shorter by a defined amount than the duration of the first time interval.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.