Patent · US Expired

Fast recovery sensor amplifier circuit for implantable medical device

US6411844B1 · kind B1 · utility

176Cited by
16References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 19, 1999
Grant dateJun 25, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 19, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N1/3931
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Therapeutic shocks generated by implantable cardiac stimulators, such as implantable cardioverter-defibrillator devices, may result in residual charges being deposited on the defibrillation electrodes and/or polarization of the tissues surrounding the defibrillation electrodes. These parasitic charges and polarization may mask a possible ventricular fibrillation of the heart following the application of the therapeutic shocks because such a ventricular fibrillation is characterized by intrinsic signals of very small amplitudes. A small duration pulse is applied to the electrodes right after a therapeutic shock. In addition, or alternatively, the electrodes can also be shorted together to dissipate the parasitic charges and the polarization of the tissue. As a result, a ventricular fibrillation can be detected earlier than in previous cardiac stimulators.

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