Implantable cardioverter with patient communication

Claim 2

A patient communication system for use in a cardioverter encased in a housing implanted in a patient, the cardioverter including a detector for detecting the onset of fibrillation, a discharge device operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy in the form of a defibrillating shock through the heart of the patient, and a charging device made active subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging the discharge device with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, said patient communication system comprising: implanted communication means for issuing a communication signal capable of detection by the patient, said communication means including a pair of implanted electrodes arranged to deliver a mild shock to the patient, at least one of said electrodes being disposed on an exterior surface of said implanted housing; and implanted triggering means for actuating said communication means in response to a given condition of the implanted cardioverter.

Claim 3

The system recited in claim 1, and further comprising: delay means for delaying the issuance of said communication signal for a predetermined time after recognition of said condition.

Claim 4

The system recited in claim 2, wherein said delay means delays the issuance of said communication signal for a time longer than twelve seconds.

Claim 5

The system recited in claim 2, wherein said delay means delays the issuance of said communication signal for a time longer than twenty seconds.

Claim 6

The system recited in claim 1, further comprising means for insulating said at least one electrode from said exterior surface.

Claim 7

The system recited in claim 1, wherein each one of said pair of implanted electrodes is a button electrode.

Claim 8

In combination, an implantable defibrillator and an implantable patient communication system, said implantable defibrillator comprising detector means for detecting the onset of fibrillation, discharge means operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy through the heart of a wearer in need of defibrillation, and charging means activated subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging said discharge means with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, and said patient communication system comprising implanted signal-generating means, responsive to the activation of said charging means, for producing a communication signal at a time prior to the end of said first time interval but after the activation of said charging means; and implanted communication means responsive to said communication signal for producing an alert capable of detection by the patient, said alert indicating that the defibrillating energy is about to be delivered.

Claim 9

In combination, an implantable defibrillator and an implantable patient communication system, said implantable defibrillator comprising detector means for detecting the onset of fibrillation, discharge means operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy through the heart of a wearer in need of defibrillation, and charging means activated subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging said discharge means with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, and said patient communication system comprising implanted signal-generating means, responsive to the activation of said charging means, for producing a communication signal at a time prior to the end of said first time interval but after the activation of said charging means; and implanted communication means responsive to said communication signal for producing an alert capable of detection by the patient, said alert indicating that the defibrillating energy is about to be delivered.

Claim 10

The system of claim 7, wherein said communication means includes a pair of implanted electrodes arranged to deliver a mild shock to the patient, at least one of said electrodes being disposed on an exterior surface of said implanted housing.

Claim 11

The system recited in claim 8, further comprising means for insulating said at least one electrode from said exterior surface.

Claim 12

The system recited in claim 8, wherein each one of said pair of implanted electrodes is a button electrode.

Claim 13

A patient communication system for use in a cardioverter encased in a housing implanted in a patient, the cardioverter including a detector for detecting the onset of fibrillation, a discharge device operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy in the form of a defibrillating shock through the heart of the patient, and a charging device made active subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging the discharge device with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, said patient communication system comprising: implanted signal-generating means, responsive to the activation of said charging device, for producing a communication signal at a time prior to the end of said first time interval but after the activation of said charging device; and implanted communication means responsive to said communication signal for producing an alert capable of detection by the patient, said alert indicating that the defibrillating shock is about to be delivered.

Claim 14

A patient communication system for use in a cardioverter encased in a housing implanted in a patient, the cardioverter including a detector for detecting the onset of fibrillation, a discharge device operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy in the form of a defibrillating shock through the heart of the patient, and a charging device made active subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging the discharge device with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, said patient communication system comprising: implanted signal-generating means, responsive to the activation of said charging device, for producing a communication signal at a time prior to the end of said first time interval but after the activation of said charging device; and implanted communication means responsive to said communication signal for producing an alert capable of detection by the patient, said alert indicating that the defibrillating shock is about to be delivered.

Claim 15

The system recited in claim 11, wherein said alert is electrical stimulation.

Claim 16

The system recited in claim 11, wherein said alert is acoustical stimulation.

Claim 17

The system recited in claim 11, wherein said alert is mechanical stimulation.

Claim 18

The system recited in claim 11, and further comprising: disenable means for preventing the discharge of energy from said discharge means; and external command means for actuating said disenable means.

Claim 19

The system of claim 11, wherein said communication means includes a pair of implanted electrodes arranged to deliver a mild shock to the patient, at least one of said electrodes being disposed on an exterior surface of said implanted housing.

Claim 20

The system recited in claim 16 further comprising means for insulating said at least one electrode from said exterior surface.

Claim 21

The system recited in claim 16, wherein each one of said pair of implanted electrodes is a button electrode.

Claim 22

A patient communication system for use in a cardioverter encased in a housing implanted in a patient, the cardioverter being operative, first, in a fibrillation detecting mode and, then, in a defibrillation shock delivering mode, the cardioverter including a detector for detecting the onset of fibrillation, a discharge device operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy in the form of a defibrillating shock through the heart of the patient, and a charging device made active subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging the discharge device with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, said patient communication system comprising: implanted signal-generating means, responsive to the detection of said fibrillation, for producing a communication signal at a time prior to the end of said first time interval but after the activation of said charging device, wherein said communication signal indicates that the cardioverter has entered said defibrillation shock delivering mode; and implanted communication means responsive to said communication signal for producing an alert capable of detection by the patient, said alert indicating that the defibrillating shock is about to be delivered.

Claim 23

A patient communication system for use in a cardioverter encased in a housing implanted in a patient, the cardioverter being operative, first, in a fibrillation detecting mode and, then, in a defibrillation shock delivering mode, the cardioverter including a detector for detecting the onset of fibrillation, a discharge device operative at the expiration of a first time interval subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for discharging defibrillating energy in the form of a defibrillating shock through the heart of the patient, and a charging device made active subsequent to the detection of said fibrillation for charging the discharge device with sufficient energy to effect defibrillation, said patient communication system comprising: implanted signal-generating means, responsive to the detection of said fibrillation, for producing a communication signal at a time prior to the end of said first time interval but after the activation of said charging device, wherein said communication signal indicates that the cardioverter has entered said defibrillation shock delivering mode; and implanted communication means responsive to said communication signal for producing an alert capable of detection by the patient, said alert indicating that the defibrillating shock is about to be delivered.