Cardiomems, Inc.

St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings Ii S.a.r.l. (“Sjm Lux 11”)

St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings Ii S.a.r.l. (“Sjm Lux Ii”)

Tc1 LLC

Icon Medical Corporation

St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings Ii S.a.r.l.

David O'Brien

Michael Fonseca

Florent Cros

Jin Woo Park

Mark G Allen

Angad Singh

Matthew Abercrombie

Jason White

David Stern

Liang You

Jason Kroh

Christophe Courcimault

Jay Yadav

Yeun-Ho Joung

A system and method are provided for determining a pressure associated with a lumen of a body. A wireless sensor is positioned in the lumen of the body. The sensor comprises an LC resonant circuit having a resonant frequency configured to vary in response to changes in pressure in the lumen. One or more sensor calibration parameters are stored at an external base unit. The external based unit generates and transmits an energizing signal. A ring down response is received from the wireless sensor. The system and method determine the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit from the ring down response and calculate the pressure in the lumen from the resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit utilizing the one or more sensor calibration parameters associated with the LC resonant circuit.

System and method for calculating a lumen pressure utilizing sensor calibration parameters

A system and method are provided to deploy an implant assembly in a vessel. The implant assembly comprises a pressure sensor having a body, and first and second anchoring members coupled to the body of the pressure sensor. A delivery apparatus comprises a shaft having proximal and distal ends, the shaft including a main lumen and a secondary lumen, the main lumen extending along at least a portion of the shaft. The secondary lumen extends along at least a portion of the length of the shaft, the secondary lumen joined with first and second ports provided in a sidewall of the shaft. A tether wire is configured to be slidably positioned within the secondary lumen, the tether wire having a distal portion configured to secure the implant assembly against the sidewall.

System for deploying an implant assembly in a vessel

A method and system are provided for determining a pressure associated with a lumen of a patient. A wireless sensor is positioned in the lumen of the patient. The sensor has a body with a pressure sensitive surface, including a sealed cavity that holds an inductive-capacitive (LC) resonant circuit. A capacitance of the LC resonant circuit is configured to vary in response to changes in pressure in the lumen. The LC resonant circuit has a charge time related to a quality factor (Q) of the LC resonant circuit. The LC resonant circuit is energized with an energizing signal during a measurement cycle. The energizing signal has a duty cycle with an on-time that is set, in part, based on the charge time. A ring down response is received from the wireless sensor. The ring down response is utilized to calculate the pressure associated with the lumen of the patient.

Method and system for determining a lumen pressure

An implantable wireless sensor is provided that comprises a plurality of substrates joined together to form a body with a hermetically sealed cavity therein. A capacitor (C) is provided within the cavity. A first capacitor plate is formed on an internal surface of the first substrate. An inductor (L) is provided within the cavity and coupled to form an LC resonant circuit. At least a portion of the first substrate comprises a deflectable region mechanically coupled to the first capacitor plate. The deflectable region is configured to deflect in response to changes in pressure in the artery altering a spacing between the capacitor plates and altering a resonant frequency of the LC resonant circuit. First and second anchoring elements are coupled to the body and include flexible wire loops configured to extend outward from the body to lodge within a lumen of the artery.

Wireless sensor for measuring pressure

A pressure sensor is provided that comprises an upper wafer formed from a dielectric material, the upper wafer having channels. The upper wafer includes a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate formed on a lower surface of the upper wafer. An inductor is contained within the channels in the upper wafer in fixed relation to the first and second capacitor plates. A lower wafer is formed from the dielectric material. A third capacitor plate is formed on an inner surface of the lower wafer. The upper and lower wafers are fused together to form a monolithic housing such that the first and second capacitor plates are arranged in parallel, spaced-apart relation from the third capacitor plate. The lower wafer comprising a pressure sensitive deflective region underlying the third capacitor plate. The deflective region deflects in response to changes in ambient pressure in the medium.

A method of manufacturing a sensor for in vivo applications includes the steps of providing two wafers of an electrically insulating material. A recess is formed in the first wafer, and a capacitor plate is formed in the recess of the first wafer. A second capacitor plate is formed in a corresponding region of the second wafer, and the two wafers are affixed to one another such that the first and second capacitor plates are arranged in parallel, spaced-apart relation.

Method of manufacturing implantable wireless sensor for pressure measurement

A wireless sensor for indicating a physical state within an environment includes a housing defining a hermetically sealed cavity. A structure located within the cavity of the housing has elements providing capacitance, the elements being arranged such that the distance and thereby the capacitance of the structure changes when a physical state of the environment changes. The structure has a resonant frequency based at least in part on the capacitance of the structure when in the presence of a fluctuating electromagnetic field. When the sensor is positioned within an environment and is subjected to a fluctuating electromagnetic field, the resonant frequency indicates the physical state of the environment.

Implantable wireless sensor

Method of manufacturing implantable wireless sensor for in vivo pressure measurement

An electrode array has a flexible body supporting a plurality of electrodes. Each electrode comprises an exposed connector pad at the upper end of the body, an exposed recording/stimulating pad at the lower end of the body, and a conductor located within the body and electrically connecting the connector pad and the recording/stimulating pad. In one embodiment the electrode array has an elongated recording/stimulating portion coiled or folded to distribute the exposed recording/stimulating pads in three dimensions. An implantation method employs an introducer with a helical portion to which an end of the flexible electrode is attached. The helical portion straightens to pass through a small-diameter cannula and then resumes its helical configuration to place the recording/stimulating portion of the attached electrode in a helix within the patient's tissues.

Flexible electrode

A pressure cavity is durable, stable, and biocompatible and configured in such a way that it constitutes pico to nanoliter-scale volume. The pressure cavity is hermetically sealed from the exterior environment while maintaining the ability to communicate with other devices. Micromachined, hermetically-sealed sensors are configured to receive power and return information through direct electrical contact with external electronics. The pressure cavity and sensor components disposed therein are hermetically sealed from the ambient in order to reduce drift and instability within the sensor. The sensor is designed for harsh and biological environments, e.g. intracorporeal implantation and in vivo use. Additionally, novel manufacturing methods are employed to construct the sensors.

Hermetic chamber with electrical feedthroughs

An exemplary pressure cavity is disclosed that is durable, stable, and biocompatible and configured in such a way that it constitutes pico to nanoliter-scale volume. The exemplary pressure cavity is hermetically sealed from the exterior environment while maintaining the ability to communicate with other devices. Micromachined, hermetically-sealed sensors are configured to receive power and return information through direct electrical contact with external electronics. The pressure cavity and sensor components disposed therein are hermetically sealed from ambient pressure in order to reduce drift and instability within the sensor. The sensor is designed for harsh and biological environments, e.g., intracorporeal implantation and in vivo use. Additionally, novel manufacturing methods are employed to construct the sensors.

A method of manufacturing a hermetically-sealed chamber with an electrical feedthrough includes the step of hermetically fixing an electrode to a substrate in a predetermined location on the substrate. A passage is formed through the substrate through the predetermined location such that at least a portion of the electrode is exposed to the passage. The passage is then at least partially filled with an electrically conductive material. A housing is then formed including the substrate such that the housing defines a chamber, with the electrode being disposed within the housing and the chamber being hermetically sealed. The electrode within the chamber can be placed in electrical communication with an exterior electrical component by way of the electrically conductive material in the passage.

Method of manufacturing a hermetic chamber with electrical feedthroughs

A ventricular assist device comprises a sheet of hydraulically actuated material that can be affixed to prescribed locations on the surface of the heart to assist areas of the heart that do not contract normally. The material is comprised of a network of contractible unit cells that individually contract when fluid is pumped into them. These unit cells are connected together in a network that causes the sheet to contract radially inward. This contraction causes the sheet to transmit forces to the heart to assist in its natural contraction. A sensing function coordinates the contraction of the sheet with the contraction of the heart. The change in shape of the device is accomplished by distributing pressurized fluid throughout the spaces of the device by way of a network of channels. When pressure is removed from the fluid system, it assumes a deenergized 'rest' position in which it does not transmit any forces to the surface of the heart. This property of the device prevents the device from inhibiting the heart's natural contractions in the event of a failure of the device or a loss of hydraulic power.

Growing community of inventors

Norcross, GA, United States of America

David O'Brien