Implantable stimulator

US6115633A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Biotronik Mess -und Therapiegeraede GmbH & Co. Ingenieurbuero Berlin · DE

Inventors

• Volker Lang · Gauting, DE
• Armin Bolz · Buckenhof, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 27, 1997
• Grant date: Sep 5, 2000
• Expiry date: Oct 27, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61N1/36571
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An implantable stimulator for treating arrhythmic function disturbances of a heart, comprising; a stimulation electrode for transmitting stimulation pulses to the heart, a pulse generator that is connected to the stimulation electrode for generating the stimulation pulses, a control unit connected to the pulse generator for controlling the pulse emissions, a hemodynamic sensor for controlling the pulse emission as a function of the cardiac pumping performance, the hemodynamic sensor including; two measuring electrodes located in or in electrical contact with a blood vessel, for measuring the blood impedance dependent on the blood throughput, a signal generator that generates an AC voltage for generating a test signal for impedance measurement, an electrical measuring device connected to the twvo measuring electrodes for determining the blood throughput as a function of the measured electrical signal; and a blood throughput signal-analysis unit for recognizing an arrhythmic cardiac finction disturbance using the measured throughput quantity.