Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.

Pinnacle Research Institute, Inc.

Pacific Shinfu Technologies Co., Ltd.

James P Nelson

Robert R Tong

James M Poplett

Ronald L Anderson

Mark L Goodwin

Gary E Mason

K C Tsai

Alan B McEwen

Jesse W Hartley

Nicholas J Stessman

Scott A Reedstrom

Steven D Check

Marc H Cohen

Jeffrey E Stahmann

Donald Lee Hopper

Bruce R Jones

Nazir Ahmad

Douglas Cromack

Davy Wu

David K Swanson

Douglas J Lang

A dry preunit ( ), includes a plurality of cells ( ) in a true bipolar configuration, which are stacked and bonded together, to impart to the device an integral and unitary construction. Each cell ( ) includes two electrically conductive electrodes ( A, B) that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. The cell ( ) also includes two identical dielectric gaskets ( ) that are interposed, in registration with each other, between the electrodes ( A, B), for separating and electrically insulating these electrodes. When the electrodes ( A, B), and the gaskets ( ) are bonded together, at least one fill gap ( ) is formed for each cell. Each cell ( ) also includes a porous and conductive coating layer ( ) that is formed on one surface of each electrode. The coating layer ( ) includes a set of closely spaced-apart peripheral microprotrusions ( ), and a set of distally spaced-apart central microprotrusions ( ). These microprotrusions ( ) impart structural support to the cells, and provide additional insulation between the electrodes. An energy storage device ( A) such as a capacitor, is created with the addition of an electrolyte to the gap ( ) of the dry preunit ( ) and subsequent sealing of the fill ports.

Method of making energy storage device having electrodes coated with insulating microprotrusions

A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device detects transthoracic impedance, extracts ventilation or other information, and adjusts a delivery rate of the CRM therapy accordingly. A four-phase sequence of alternating direction current pulse stimuli is periodically delivered to a patient's thorax. A transthoracic impedance signal is extracted using a weighted demodulation. Signal processing extracts ventilation information and removes cardiac stroke information using an adaptive lowpass filter. The adaptive filter cutoff frequency is based on the patient's heart rate; a higher cutoff frequency is provided for higher heart rates. Peak/valley detection indicates tidal volume, which is integrated to extract minute ventilation (MV). Short and long term averages are formed and compared to establish a MV indicated rate. Rate adjustment ignores MV information when a noise-measurement exceeds a threshold. An interference avoidance circuit delays delivery of the stimuli when telemetry pulses or other interfering signals are detected.

Rate adaptive cardiac rhythm management device using transthoracic impedance

A method and apparatus for providing congestive heart failure therapy status. An electronic device, preferably a cardiac rhythm management device, capable of measuring transthoracic impedance and for sensing a level of physical activity is implanted in a patient. The transthoracic impedance signal is processed to obtain an estimate of the subject's minute ventilation, respiratory rate, tidal volume, inspiratory rate and expiratory rate. From accelerometer measured activity, an estimate is obtained of oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production and work rate. Ratios of tidal volume to respiratory rate, tidal volume to inspiratory time, tidal volume to expiratory time, heart rate to minute ventilation, respiratory rate to minute ventilation, tidal volume to minute ventilation, minute ventilation to oxygen uptake, minute ventilation to carbon dioxide production, minute ventilation to work rate, heart rate to work rate, oxygen uptake to heart rate and other ratios are meaningful status indicators for assessing the efficacy of particular therapy regimens to CHF patients.

Implantable cardiac rhythm management device for assessing status of CHF patients

A method and apparatus for providing congestive heart failure therapy status. An electronic device, preferably a cardiac rhythm management device, capable of measuring transthoracic impedance and for sensing a level of physical activity is implanted in a patient. The transthoracic impedance signal is processed to obtain an estimate of the subject's minute ventilation, respiratory rate and tidal volume. From accelerometer measured activity, an estimate is obtained of oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production. Ratios of tidal volume to respiratory rate, tidal volume to inspiratory time, minute ventilation to carbon dioxide production and oxygen uptake to heart rate are meaningftil status indicators for assessing the efficacy of particular therapy regimens to CHF patients.

Rate adaptive cardiac rhythm management device using transthoracic

The present invention relates to an improved method to produce an electrical storage device having useful characteristics such as higher charge density, small volume, long-term reliable charge/discharge cycles, low leakage current, and the like. The dry preunit has useful properties in that it can be stored for long periods prior to contact with a non-aqueous or aqueous electrolyte. When the electrode surfaces are contacted with a non-aqueous or aqueous electrolyte, the novel capacitors produced are useful as a portable power supply in applications such as in defibrillator, electrical vehicles, radiotelephones etc.

Method to fabricate a reliable electrical storage device and the device

A dry preunit (10), includes a plurality of cells (110, 112, 114) in a true bipolar configuration, which are stacked and bonded together, to impart to the device an integral and unitary construction. Each cell (114) includes two electrically conductive electrodes (111A, 111B) that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. The cell (114) also includes two identical dielectric gaskets (121, 123) that are interposed, in registration with each other, between the electrodes (111A, 111B), for separating and electrically insulating these electrodes. When the electrodes (111A, 111B), and the gaskets (121, 123) are bonded together, at least one fill gap (130) is formed for each cell. Each cell (114) also includes a porous and conductive coating layer (119, 120) that is formed on one surface of each electrode. The coating layer (119) includes a set of closely spaced-apart peripheral microprotrusions (125), and a set of distally spaced-apart central microprotrusions (127). These microprotrusions (125, 127) impart structural support to the cells, and provide additional insulation between the electrodes. An energy storage device (10A) such as a capacitor, is created with the addition of an electrolyte to the gap (130) of the dry preunit (10) and subsequent sealing of the fill ports.

Energy storage device

An implantable defibrillator/cardioverter which generates a biphasic waveform having a duration of at least 15-80 msec and a small 'tilt' between the leading edge and trailing edge voltages of each phase. In one embodiment, two capacitors are connected in parallel to create an effectively large capacitance to generate a slowly decaying waveform. In another embodiment, a high capacitance bipolar capacitor is used, which capacitance is at least 200 microFarads.

Defibrillator waveform generator for generating waveform of long duration

Electrodes of an electrical charge storage device are separated by forming on the surfaces of the electrodes arrays of substantially uniform electrically insulating microprotrusions made preferably of an organic epoxide polymer. The electrodes are thin, flat electrically conducting metal sheets coated on one or both flat surfaces with electrically conducting porous carbon or a porous metal oxide. The microprotrusions are applied to the coated electrodes through a stencil by screen printing and essentially retain their shape and dimensions after curing.

Screen printing of microprotrusions for use as a space separator in an

A thermocouple-based cardiac blood flow sensor for allowing discrimination between physiologic rhythms and pathologic rhythms of the heart. The sensor is built on a cardiac catheter or lead from a union of two dissimilar metals. The thermocouple junction is radially activated by blood flowing past the junction while situated in a blood vessel such as the superior vena cava. Temperature differences measured at axially displaced sites are related to blood flow and blood velocity. The thermocouple-based blood flow sensor is easy to use and unobtrusive. A further feature incorporates electrodes whereby impedance plethysmography can be used to determine blood vessel cross-sectional area so that blood flow through vessels which change in size can be assessed.

Growing community of inventors

Shoreview, MN, United States of America

James P Nelson