The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 03, 2002
Filed:
May. 18, 2000
Christopher M. Manrodt, Blaine, MN (US);
H. Toby Markowitz, Roseville, MN (US);
Bradley C. Peck, Ham Lake, MN (US);
Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for detecting micro-dislodgment at a heart tissue/pacing lead electrode interface involves measuring a first pacing threshold parameter at a first time in a patient's cardiac cycle and measuring a second pacing threshold parameter at a second time in the patient's cardiac cycle. Micro-dislodgment occurring at the heart tissue/pacing lead electrode interface is detected using the first and second pacing threshold parameters. Micro-dislodgment may be detected by comparing a difference between, or a ratio of, the first and second pacing threshold parameters to a preestablished maximum allowable deviation value. A difference between the first and second pacing threshold parameters or a ratio in excess of the preestablished maximum allowable deviation value indicates a problem at the heart tissue/pacing lead interface. The first and second pacing threshold parameters are preferably pacing threshold voltages, and the preestablished maximum allowable deviation value is either a voltage ranging from about 0.2 volts to about 2 volts or a percentage ranging from about 5% to about 100%. The micro-dislodgment procedure may be performed in-situ an implantable pulse generator (IPG), with data indicative of a detected change at the heart tissue/pacing electrode interface being stored in a memory coupled to the IPG and subsequently read out of memory for evaluation. Alternatively, the micro-dislodgment procedure may be performed using an external programmer and may further be performed during implantation of a pacing lead electrode at the heart tissue/pacing lead electrode interface to assure a physician of proper lead attachment.