Methods and systems for heart failure prevention and treatments using ultrasound and leadless implantable devices
View Patent ↗The present invention relies on a controller-transmitter device to deliver ultrasound energy into cardiac tissue in order to directly improve cardiac function and/or to energize one or more implanted receiver-stimulator devices that transduce the ultrasound energy to electrical energy to perform excitatory and/or non-excitatory treatments for heart failure. The acoustic energy can be applied as a single burst or as multiple bursts.
1. A system for the delivery of electrical current to a patient's heart to improve and/or prevent deterioration of heart function, comprising:
one or more acoustic receiver-stimulators having an electrode assembly wherein at least one of the electrodes is adapted to be implanted in direct contact with cardiac tissue; and
an acoustic controller-transmitter, wherein the acoustic controller-transmitter is adapted to transmit acoustic energy into a patient's body and which provides both energy and signal information to the receiver-stimulator and the receiver-stimulator further comprises an acoustic receiver which receives the acoustic energy and generates alternating current, means for converting the alternating current to a direct current or waveform to provide a non-excitatory electrical current to the electrodes adapted to deliver the direct current or waveform to the cardiac tissue,
wherein the implantable receiver-stimulator is adapted to be placed and secured at a location in the heart sufficient to deliver electrical energy to the cardiac tissue and wherein the controller-transmitter is adapted to transmit acoustic energy such that the receiver-stimulator delivers non-excitatory electrical current which prolongs action potential duration.
2. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the non-excitatory electrical current further improves tissue contractility.
3. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the one or more implantable receiver-stimulators are adapted to be placed and secured at one or more ventricular locations.
4. A system as in claim 3 , wherein the one or more implantable receiver-stimulators are adapted to be placed and secured in the right ventricle.
5. A system as in claim 3 , wherein the one or more implantable receiver-stimulators are adapted to be placed and secured in the left ventricle.
6. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the acoustic energy is transmitted during an absolute refractory period.
7. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the acoustic energy is transmitted at the time of or delayed from a detected physiologic event.
8. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the acoustic energy is transmitted on command from an external communication source.
9. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the controller-transmitter is applied externally on the patient's body.
10. A system as in claim 1 , wherein the controller-transmitter is implantable in the patient's body in a subcutaneous region and directs acoustic energy to the receiver-stimulator.
11. A method for treating a patient suffering from heart failure (HF) by prolonging action potential duration in cardiac tissue, said method comprising:
transmitting from a controller-transmitter an acoustic signal in a patient's body to a receiver-stimulator implanted in a patient's heart,
receiving the acoustic signal using the implantable receiver stimulator, wherein the receiver-stimulator generates an alternating current in response to the acoustic signal and converts the alternating current to a direct current and/or waveform to stimulate cardiac tissue,
delivering the direct current to cardiac tissue, wherein the acoustic signal provides both energy and signal information to deliver non-excitatory electrical current to cardiac tissue.
12. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the direct current is delivered to the cardiac tissue by electrodes disposed on the receiver-stimulator.
13. A method as in claim 12 , wherein the receiver stimulators are implanted in the left and/or right ventricles.
14. A method as in any one of claims 11 , 12 and 13 , wherein the direct current is converted to non-excitatory current which improves tissue contractility.
15. A method as in claim 14 , wherein the non-excitatory current is delivered during an absolute refractory period.
16. A method as in claim 14 , wherein the non-excitatory current is delivered at a time of or delayed from a detected physiologic event.
17. A method as in claim 14 , wherein the non-excitatory current is delivered on command from an external communication source.
18. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the controller-transmitter is applied externally on the patient's body.
19. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the controller-transmitter is implantable in the patient's body in a subcutaneous region that directs acoustic energy to the heart.
20. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the patient has been diagnosed as suffering from heart failure (HF).