Control for an extracorporeal circulatory support

A control unit for an extracorporeal circulatory support, the control unit configured to:

• receive a measurement of an ECG signal of a supported patient over a predefined period of time, wherein the ECG signal comprises multiple data points for each time point within a cardiac cycle;
• wherein the control unit comprises an evaluation unit which is configured to evaluate the data points spatially and/or temporally for at least one time point and to determine at least one amplitude change within the cardiac cycle from the evaluated data points;
• and
• wherein the control unit is further configured to output a control signal for the extracorporeal circulatory support at a predefined time point after the at least one amplitude change.

A system for extracorporeal circulatory support of a patient, the system comprising:

• a device for extracorporeal circulatory support, comprising a blood pump which is fluidically connectable to a venous patient access and an arterial patient access and is adapted to provide a blood flow from the venous patient access to the arterial patient access;
• an interface for receiving an ECG signal from the patient;
• and
• a control unit communicatively coupled to the device and configured to:
• receive a measurement of the ECG signal of the patient over a predefined period of time, wherein the ECG signal comprises multiple data points for each time point within a cardiac cycle;
• wherein the control unit comprises an evaluation unit which is configured to evaluate the data points spatially and/or temporally for at least one time point and to determine at least one amplitude change within the cardiac cycle from the evaluated data points;
• and
• wherein the control unit is further configured to output a control signal for the extracorporeal circulatory support at a predefined time point after the at least one amplitude change, wherein the control signal is a control signal for setting the blood pump.

A method for monitoring a temporal trigger stability of an extracorporeal circulatory support, the method comprising:

• receiving a measurement of an ECG signal of a supported patient over a predefined period of time, wherein the ECG signal comprises multiple data points for each time point within a cardiac cycle;
• evaluating the data points for at least one time point, wherein the evaluation is performed spatially and/or temporally and wherein at least one amplitude change within the cardiac cycle is determined from the evaluated data points, wherein at least one amplitude change is determined for at least two cardiac cycles;
• determining a time interval and/or frequency of the amplitude changes;
• and
• outputting a signal when the time interval and/or frequency of the amplitude changes exceeds a predefined threshold.