Elongated implant having an external energy coupling
Electrotherapeutic implant for stimulation of body tissue, comprising at least two electrode poles ( 14 ) which are connected to electric feeder lines, a demodulation unit ( 22 ), at least one electric feeder line ( 20 ), which is designed as an antenna and contacts the demodulation unit ( 22 ), wherein the implant ( 10 ) is fabricated from one piece, can be affixed ( 16 ) at the treatment site and is equipped with a biocompatible insulation, whereby the components of the implant ( 10 ) are designed so that a therapeutic energy which can be injected from the outside over the antenna ( 20 ) during the treatment is delivered to the therapeutic target region without intermediate storage.
1. An electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) for stimulation of body tissue, comprising:
at least one electric feeder line ( 20 );
at least two electrode poles ( 14 ) which are connected to the at least one electric feeder line ( 20 );
a demodulation unit ( 22 );
wherein the at least one electric feeder line ( 20 ) is configured as an antenna and is in contact with the demodulation unit ( 22 );
wherein the electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) comprises one piece configured as a closed external form and which is further configured to affix at a treatment site and wherein the electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) further comprises a biocompatible insulation; and,
at least one terminal ( 34 ) configured to electrically and mechanically connect with a heart pacemaker wherein said at least one terminal ( 34 ) is electrically coupled with said at least two electrode poles ( 14 ) and configured to remain coupled between said electrode poles ( 14 ) and heart pacemaker after implantation of said electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 );
wherein said electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) is configured to deliver therapeutic energy received from said pacemaker via said at least one terminal ( 34 ), and
from outside of the electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) over the antenna without storage of the therapeutic energy,
to treat a therapeutic target region via the at least two electrode poles ( 14 ).
2. The electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising an enable device ( 23 ) configured to allow delivery of the therapeutic energy via the at least two electrode poles ( 14 ) only when an enable code is received.
3. The electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a second antenna ( 24 ) which is configured to
receive the enable code required to enable the at least two electrode poles ( 14 ) and/or
receive control signals; and,
wherein
an enable code signal frequency
differs from
a therapeutic energy frequency.
4. The electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) according to claim 3 , further comprising a control unit ( 30 ) that is configured to control a therapeutic sequence wherein a required energy to supply power to the control unit ( 30 ) is received over
the antenna that is configured to receive the therapeutic energy, or
the second antenna ( 24 ) that is configured to receive the control signals and/or the enable code.
5. The electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the enable code required to enable the at least two electrode poles ( 14 ) contains an implant-specific individual identifier.
6. The electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit ( 30 ) that is configured to control a therapeutic sequence.
7. The electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , further comprising a temporary energy storage mechanism that supplies power to the control unit ( 30 ) during the treatment.
8. The electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , having a ratio of longitudinal dimension to transverse dimension of greater than or equal to 10.
9. The electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit coupled with said at least one electric feeder line wherein said control unit is configured for placement within a body comprising the body tissue.
10. The electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the therapeutic energy received is delivered directly to the therapeutic target region with the antenna in contact with the demodulation unit ( 22 ) at a first end of the antenna and with the antenna in contact with one of the at least two electrode poles ( 14 ) at a second end of the antenna.
11. The electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the demodulation unit ( 22 ) is a diode.
12. The electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second antenna ( 24 ); and,
a measurement device ( 32 ) that is connected to the antenna or second antenna and wherein the measurement device ( 32 ) is configured to transmit patient-specific and/or device-specific measured data to the outside of the electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) over the antenna or second antenna.
13. A pulse generator for external supply of therapeutic energy to an electrotherapeutic implant according to claim 1 , comprising:
a high-frequency generator configured to generate a high-frequency alternating voltage;
at least one antenna over which the therapeutic energy is transmitted as the high-frequency alternating voltage; and,
a control unit configured to generate a control signal that contains information about a desired therapeutic sequence, and,
an enable code to enable the electrotherapeutic implant.
14. The pulse generator according to claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to receive and analyze and/or store patient-specific measured data and/or instrument-specific measured data sent by the electrotherapeutic implant wherein the electrotherapeutic implant further comprises:
a second antenna ( 24 ); and,
a measurement device ( 32 ) that is connected to the antenna or second antenna and wherein the measurement device ( 32 ) is configured to transmit patient-specific and/or device-specific measured data to the outside of the electrotherapeutic implant ( 10 ) over the antenna or second antenna.