Abstract:
An electrical female connector for affixing a contact pin of an electrode cable in a connector part of a heart stimulator has a sleeve which is elastic and which has a curved shape in a relaxed condition. The sleeve is straightened to a substantially straight configuration when the contact pin is inserted into the sleeve, and thereupon rebounds back to a partially curved configuration so as to clamp the contact pin inside the sleeve.
Abstract:
An evoked response detector for a heart stimulator determines evoked response in the presence of polarization. The heart stimulator has a pulse generator which produces stimulation pulses of varying amplitudes, and a lead adapted for introduction into the heart of a patient is connected to the pulse generator for delivering stimulation pulses to the heart. The evoked response detector includes measuring and memory circuitry for measuring and storing the electrode signals picked up by the lead in response to the delivered stimulation pulses, at least one of these stimulation pulses having a sufficiently high amplitude for obtaining capture. Each measured electrode signal contains two signal components, one of these signal components being proportional to the amplitude of the associated stimulation pulse and the other signal component being substantially constant, independent of the associated stimulation pulse amplitude. An analyzing unit determines the evoked response signal from a predetermined relation between the amplitudes of at least two stimulation pulses of different amplitudes and the resulting measured electrode signals.
Abstract:
An implantable medical device has a pulse generator for generating electrical pulses, an electrical energy storage element connectable to an output stage, and an electrode arrangement for conducting the electrical pulses to tissue, the electrode arrangement having an input end and an output end. The output means of the pulse generator is connectable to the input end of the electrode arrangement, and the capacitance of the output stage is less than 1 .mu.F and the electrode arrangement has a capacitor with a capacitance greater than 1 .mu.F.
Abstract:
An intracardiac blood flow velocity measurement device has a catheter adapted to be inserted through a blood vessel into the heart, at least two electrodes made of two different biocompatible materials mounted on the catheter at a detecting position which is located in a selected detecting area when the catheter is inserted into the heart for detecting blood flow velocity, with at least one of the electrodes being formed as a polarizable electrode and being disposed in the detecting position, and another of the electrodes being located on the catheter at an axially spaced distance from the polarizable electrode. Variation in an over-voltage or in a galvanic voltage is detected, and is used as a blood flow velocity signal.
Abstract:
An electrode device which has a proximal end and distal end, contains of a number of thin, insulated electrical conductors each with a proximal end and a distal end, the conductors being equipped with implantable electrode contacts means which are electrically connected to the conductors. These contacts are designed to be brought into electrical contact with tissue in one or more cavities in a human body. Each conductor in the cable device is supported by a pre-shaped stiffening element which runs along and is connected to the conductor, made of an elastic polymer material, resorbable in vivo, which is biodegradable and biocompatible. The stiffening element imparts an arched shaped to the conductor, at least in the area in which its contact is located, to cause the contact to press against the adjacent cavity wall. The cable device also includes a longitudinal channel in which a stylet can be inserted for temporary, linear stretching of the cable device and the arched sections of its conductors.
Abstract:
An implantable defibrillator has an electrode lead system a sensing unit for sensing the condition of the heart and emitting a condition signal corresponding to that condition, a control unit for determining the heart's condition from the condition signal and, if a state of fibrillation is present, sending a command signal to a shock pulse generator, which, depending on the command signal, delivers at least one defibrillation shock to the heart via the electrode lead system. The shock being formal of one or more low-energy pulses with an energy less than 2 Joules and a very high voltage, i.e. more than 1,000 Volts. Each low-energy pulse thus has a voltage greatly exceeding the voltage in a conventional defibrillation shock and less energy than the energy in a conventional defibrillation shock.
Abstract:
An appliance for fastening one or more electrode leads in a connector unit of an implantable medical device, for example a heart stimulator, is formed of a wire- or strip-shaped resilient locking member, which is arranged to be inserted and fixed in a cavity in a connector unit, and which is shaped to clampingly engage diametrically opposed circumferential parts of the casing of each electrode lead.
Abstract:
A cardiac electrotherapy device comprises an elongated elastic lead body having a distal electrode adapted to be connected to the heart; lead body including a sensor portion at a location adapted to undergo deformations responsive to heart muscles contractions when the lead body is connected to the heart. The lead body forms a high frequency transmission line, having two conductors which are provided with terminals at the proximal end of the lead and which are adapted to transmit high frequency signals from the terminals to the sensor portion of the lead and vice versa. The sensor portion varies its high frequency electric parameters when being subjected to said deformations.
Abstract:
An electrode contact device for medical application as a contact device at one end of an electrically insulated conductor or electrode cable for a cardiac pacemaker, has a rotationally symmetrical main body of ceramic material with at least one contact portion of electrically conductive material being formed on the exterior of the main body, and which is in electrical communication with a conductor which can be attached to the contact device. The electrically conductive contact portions on the exterior of the ceramic main body are radially and/or axialy separated from each other and at leaest one of these contact portions is formed by a thin layer of material produced by application of electrically conductive material on a surface area of the main body.
Abstract:
A heart stimulator has a pulse generator which periodically emits stimulation pulses, least one electrode connectable to the pulse generator and to the heart for transmitting said pulses to the heart and a respiration monitor for monitoring the respiration of the pacemaker user. The heart stimulator adapts the energy to be delivered in a stimulation pulse in response to the information acquired by the respiration monitor which indicates the current stage in the user's respiration cycle.