Injectable subcutaneous string heart device

Inventors

Strommer, Gera M. • Fishel, Robert S. • Broder, Avi

Assignees

Newpace Ltd

Abstract

Injectable subcutaneous heart device (ISHD) for regulating arrhythmias in a heart of a patient, including a plurality of linked structures, each one of the linked structures being hollow, an interconnecting bus, a biocompatible coating, at least two electrodes and a plurality of sensors, the interconnecting bus for electrically coupling the linked structures and the biocompatible coating for hermetically sealing and electrically insulating the linked structures, one of the linked structures encapsulating a power source, another one of the linked structures encapsulating at least one capacitor and a third one of the linked structures encapsulating electronics, the electrodes and the sensors being respectively placed on an outer surface of the linked structures located at opposite ends of the ISH D, for detecting arrhythmias and providing electrical shocks to the heart, the electrodes and the sensors being electrically coupled with the interconnecting bus and the ISHD being positioned subcutaneously around the heart.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to an implantable subcutaneous heart device (ISHD) for regulating arrhythmias in a heart of a patient. The ISHD comprises a plurality of similarly shaped linked structures, each with a substantially symmetric cross-section, and an interconnecting bus for electrically coupling the plurality. A biocompatible coating hermetically seals and electrically insulates the plurality of similarly shaped linked structures, while at least two electrodes and a plurality of sensors are included.

The plurality of similarly shaped linked structures are arranged so that a first one encapsulates a power source, a second one encapsulates at least one capacitor, and a third one encapsulates electronics. The interconnecting bus electrically couples the at least two electrodes and the plurality of sensors with the electronics. The power source provides power to the electronics and provides electrical energy to the at least one capacitor, and the at least one capacitor stores electrical energy and discharges it to the at least two electrodes when an arrhythmia is detected.

The ISHD places the at least two electrodes on an outer surface of at least two different ones of the plurality of similarly shaped linked structures located at opposite ends of the ISHD, and the electrodes each have a substantially symmetric circular cross-section. The ISHD also places at least two of the plurality of sensors on an outer surface at opposite ends of the ISHD, with the sensors each having a substantially symmetric circular cross-section. The substantially symmetric circular cross-sections enable the ISHD to be indifferent to its roll position.

The ISHD is completely positioned subcutaneously around the heart, outside of a ribcage of the patient, and the larger portion is positioned subcutaneously in an abdominal region. The plurality of similarly shaped linked structures provides flexibility in at least three directions. In one embodiment of the device architecture, the similarly shaped linked structures are vertebrae-like structures.

Claims Coverage

The document provides two independent claim coverages, each describing an implantable subcutaneous heart device architecture with multiple similarly shaped linked or vertebrae-like structures, an interconnecting bus, hermetically sealing and electrically insulating biocompatible coating, at least two electrodes and a plurality of sensors, and specific placement and geometry features. Across the independent claims, the inventive features emphasize modular encapsulation of power source, capacitor, and electronics in separate structures, and opposite-end outer-surface electrode and sensor placement with substantially symmetric circular cross-sections enabling roll-indifference, along with complete subcutaneous positioning outside the ribcage and a larger abdominal portion.

The independent claims cover a subcutaneous implant architecture using multiple similarly shaped linked or vertebrae-like structures with hermetically sealing and electrically insulating biocompatible coating, an interconnecting bus coupling electrodes and sensors, and modular encapsulation of the power source, capacitor, and electronics in distinct structures. The claims further require opposite-end outer-surface placement of substantially symmetric circular cross-section electrodes and sensors to provide shock delivery and arrhythmia detection while enabling roll-indifference, together with complete subcutaneous placement around the heart outside the ribcage and a larger abdominal portion, and flexibility in at least three directions.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications