Patent · US Expired

Suboptimal output device to manage cardiac tachyarrhythmias

US5782883A · kind A · utility

72Cited by
7References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 25, 1995
Grant dateJul 21, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 25, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N1/395
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An implantable device for, in the event of ventricular fibrillation, temporarily electrically forcing cardiac output to maintain life and consciousness in a patient until the patient is rescued by an external defibrillator. The device uses moderate voltage output pulses of 30-200 V which are sufficient to cause a partial contraction of the heart even if it is fibrillating. These pulses are not typically sufficient to defibrillate the heart and this device cannot substitute as a defibrillator. However, the moderate voltage pulsing will generate enough cardiac output to keep the patient alive. The system is designed with sufficient battery power for years of monitoring and hours of cardiac output forcing operation.

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