Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.

St Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc

Haris Sih

Scott A Meyer

Paul Allan Haefner

Jaeho Kim

Joseph M Bocek

Darrell Orvin Wagner

Jihong Qu

Joseph M Pastore

Tamara Colette Baynham

Don Curtis Deno

Mark Schwartz

Stephan Paul Miller

Yuriy Malinin

Lewis C Hill

Rodney W Salo

Anthony V Caparso

Ronald W Heil, Jr

Steven D Girouard

Craig Michael Stolen

Jeffrey Ross

Jihong Ou

Prashant Sinha

Methods and devices for classifying a cardiac pacing response involve using a first electrode combination for pacing and a second electrode combination for sensing a cardiac signal following pacing. The cardiac response to pacing may be classified using the sensed cardiac signal. One process involves using the sensed cardiac signal to detect the cardiac response as a fusion/pseudofusion beat. Another process involves using the sensed cardiac signal to classify the cardiac response to pacing as one of at least three cardiac response types.

Cardiac response classification using multisite sensing and pacing

A system and method for assessing a degree of coupling between an electrode and tissue in a body is provided. Values for first and second components of a complex impedance (e.g., resistance and reactance or impedance magnitude and phase angle) between the electrode and the tissue are obtained. These values are used together with a standardization value indicative of a deviation from a reference standard by a parameter associated with at least one of the body, the electrode and another component of the system to calculate a coupling index that is indicative of a degree of coupling between the electrode and the tissue. The coupling index may be displayed to a clinician in a variety of ways to indicate the degree of coupling to the clinician. The system and method find particular application in ablation of tissue by permitting a clinician to create lesions in the tissue more effectively and safely.

System and method for assessing coupling between an electrode and tissue

A system and device are provided which include a gene regulatory system controlling expression of one or more expression cassettes present in or released by the device, by emitting one or more stimulations. An expression cassette includes a regulatable transcription control element that is responsive to the emitted stimulations linked to an open reading frame of interest. The system optionally includes a sensor to sense a parameter indicative of a need, a telemetry module to receive an external command, or a programmable device, for regulating gene expression of the open reading frame.

Method of using a lead to regulate protein expression

Implantable devices containing extracellular matrix and methods of using the devices are provided.

Implantable medical devices comprising isolated extracellular matrix

A stimulation system delivers stimulation to protect an ischemic region of a body from tissue damage caused by ischemia. The stimulation is delivered to one or more stimulation sites remote from the ischemic region to elicit a physiological effect that protects the ischemic region from the tissue damage caused by ischemia. In one embodiment, the stimulation system delivers cardioprotective stimulation to one or more stimulation sites remote from the heart to protect the heart from injuries associated with cardiac ischemic events. In another embodiment, the stimulation system delivers remote conditioning stimulation to one or more stimulation sites in or on the heart to protect a non-cardiac region from injuries associated with non-cardiac ischemic events.

Method and apparatus for tissue protection against ischemia using remote conditioning

Methods and devices for classifying a cardiac response to pacing involve establishing a plurality of classification windows relative to and following a pacing pulse. One or more characteristics of a cardiac signal sensed following the pacing pulse are detected within one or more particular classification windows. The characteristics may be compared to one or more references. Classification of the cardiac response may be performed based on the comparison of the one or more characteristics to the one or more references and the particular classification windows in which the one or more characteristics are detected.

Cardiac response classification using multiple classification windows

Devices to treat nerves which innervate blood vessels are provided.

Neurotoxic agents and medical devices therefor

A system for controlling the location of a therapeutic agent administered to a mammal is provided. The system employs a device that is capable of generating a magnetic field and a therapeutic agent labeled with a magnetically responsive moiety. Methods which employ the device and the therapeutic agent are also provided.

Methods to position therapeutic agents using a magnetic field

The invention provides a cardiac rhythm management system which includes a tachyarrhythmia detection and classification circuit programmed to detect and classify a tachyarrhythmia, a biologic therapy delivery device configured to deliver or regulate an expression cassette suitable for terminating or preventing atrial fibrillation (AF), and a control circuit coupled to the tachyarrhythmia detection and classification circuit and the biologic therapy delivery device. Also provided is an implantable medical device for use in a body having a cardiovascular system, which includes an implantable device body including at least a cardiovascular portion configured to be in the cardiovascular system, and an expression cassette incorporated into the cardiovascular portion of the implantable device body, the expression cassette selected to express a gene product that terminates or prevents AF. Further provided are methods which employ particular expression cassettes to prevent, inhibit or treat AF.

Methods and apparatus to treat and prevent atrial tachyarrhythmias

Devices and methods to treat atrial fibrillation via inhibition of nerves which innervate the pulmonary vein are provided.

Neurotoxic agents and devices to treat atrial fibrillation

A method and device provide for determining capture in multiple chambers of a patient's heart using an electrode inserted into a coronary vein of the patient's heart. The coronary vein electrode is positioned adjacent to multiple heart chambers and is responsive to cardiac signals originating in the multiple chambers. The coronary vein electrode may be coupled to a single sense amplifier to detect the cardiac signals. Pace pulses may be applied to multiple heart chambers simultaneously or according to a phased timing sequence. Cardiac signals responsive to the pace pulses sensed using the coronary vein electrode may be used to verify capture in the multiple chambers of the heart.

Method and system for detecting capture using a coronary vein electrode

The invention relates to methods and devices for treating and/or preventing atrial fibrillation. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method of treating and/or preventing atrial fibrillation including applying an oscillating electrical stimulus to a tissue of a patient, the oscillating electrical stimulus sufficient to block transmission of electrical signals through the tissue. In an embodiment, the invention includes an implantable medical device including a stimulator configured to generate an oscillating electrical stimulus at a frequency and amplitude sufficient to block transmission of electrical signals through a tissue, a stimulation electrode in communication with the stimulator, the stimulation electrode configured to deliver the oscillating electrical stimulus to the tissue, and control circuitry in communication with the stimulator, the control circuitry configured to selectively deliver the oscillating electrical stimulus to treat and/or prevent atrial fibrillation. Other embodiments are also described herein.

Growing community of inventors

Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

Haris Sih