Method and system for implantable pressure transducer for regulating blood pressure
An apparatus and a system can chronically and automatically measure a physiologic parameter associated with the high pressure side of the vasculature and/or regulate blood pressure based upon the measured parameter. The apparatus may be made up of a transducer, a baroreflex activation device having one or more electrodes, and a lead having two or more conductors. The system can measure a physiologic parameter and selectively administer a therapy, such as, for example, electro-stimulation of baroreceptors, based upon the measurement. The transducer for measuring the physiologic parameter can be chronically implanted in the high-pressure side of the vasculature. The implantation method may include intravascularly positioning the transducer in the external carotid artery in such a way that the transducer is first introduced into the arterial vasculature through the superior thyroid artery.
1. A method of initiating a baroreflex response, the method comprising:
accessing a first blood vessel having a region capable of initiating the baroreflex response;
creating an opening in a second blood vessel proximate the region and branching from the first blood vessel;
inserting a transducer operably carried by a distal end of an apparatus into the opening in the second blood vessel;
positioning an electrode operably carried by the distal end of the apparatus proximate the region of the first blood vessel; and
operably connecting the transducer and the electrode to a control unit; and
causing the control unit to selectively generate a therapy signal delivered to the electrode;
wherein the first blood vessel and the second blood vessel are both arteries.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein creating the opening in the second arterial blood vessel is accomplished by sacrificing the second arterial blood vessel.
3. The method of claim 1 , the method is performed on the high-pressure side of the vasculature.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein creating the opening in the second blood vessel branching from the first blood vessel is performed on a superior thyroid artery branching from a carotid sinus.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the electrode positions the electrode about an exterior portion of the first blood vessel.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the electrode positions the electrode about a nerve proximate the first blood vessel.
7. A method of initiating a baroreflex response, the method comprising:
providing a control unit and at least one apparatus adapted to be implanted in a patient; and
providing instructions for implanting the at least one apparatus including:
accessing a first blood vessel having a region capable of initiating a baroreflex response;
creating an opening in a second blood vessel proximate the region and branching from the first blood vessel;
inserting a transducer operably carried by a distal end of an apparatus into the opening in the second blood vessel;
positioning an electrode operably carried by the distal end of the apparatus proximate the region of the first blood vessel; and
operably connecting the transducer and the electrode to a control unit; and
causing the control unit to selectively generate a therapy signal delivered to the electrode in response to a sensor signal representative of the physiologic parameter measured by the transducer;
wherein the first blood vessel and the second blood vessel are both arteries.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein creating the opening in the second arterial blood vessel is accomplished by sacrificing the second arterial blood vessel.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method is performed on the high-pressure side of the vasculature.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein creating the opening in the second blood vessel branching from the first blood vessel is performed on a superior thyroid artery branching from an external carotid artery.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein positioning the electrode positions the electrode about an exterior portion of the first blood vessel.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein positioning the electrode positions the electrode about a nerve proximate the first blood vessel.