System and method for stimulating a heart having undergone cardiac myoplasty using a single-chamber pacemaker

A stimulation system for controlling a patient's heart having translocated muscle tissue wrapped therearound by cardiac myoplasty, comprising:

• stimulation/sensing means, having an input/output connector having a cathodic and an anodic terminal, for sensing the depolarization of the ventricle and for generating a stimulus in response thereto;
• first conducting means having a distal end for contact with the ventricle of a heart and a proximal end electrically connected to the anodic terminal;
• and
• second conducting means having a distal end for contact with the translocated muscle tissue and a proximal end electrically connected to the cathodic terminal, the translocated tissue being widely-spaced from the ventricular tissue;
• whereby cardiac signals are sensed and a stimulus is delivered between two widely-spaced tissue sites.

A stimulation system for controlling a patient's heart having translocated muscle tissue wrapped therearound by cardiac myoplasty, comprising:

• stimulation/sensing means, having an input/output connector having a cathodic and an anodic terminal, for sensing the depolarization of the ventricle and for generating a stimulus in response thereto;
• and
• a delivery means having a first tip electrode for contact with translocated muscle tissue and a second tip electrode for contact with ventricular tissue, the first and second tip electrode being electrically connected to the cathode, the delivery means further having a distal ring electrode for contact with the ventricular tissue and electrically connected to the anode;
• whereby the delivery means enables the implantable pulse generator to generate a stimulus simultaneously to the translocated muscle tissue and to the ventricular tissue in response to a sensed cardiac signal.

A method of stimulating a heart having undergone cardiac myoplasty using a pacemaker, the pacemaker having an output connector with a first and a second terminal, the cardiac myoplasty including translating muscle tissue from one body location and wrapping it around the outside of the ventricle of the heart, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) implanting a first electrode so as to contact ventricular tissue;
• (b) implanting a second electrode so as to be coupled to the translocated muscle tissue;
• (c) electrically connecting the first electrode to the first terminal of the output connector of the pacemaker;
• (d) electrically connecting the second electrode to the second terminal of the output connector of the pacemaker;
• (e) programming the pacemaker to sense cardiac signals and to provide a stimulus across the first and second electrode in response thereto so that the translocated muscle contracts in synchrony with sensing the ventricular depolarization.

A stimulation system for stimulating translocated muscle tissue in a patient having cardiac myoplasty, comprising:

• an implantable pulse generator having means for sensing cardiac signals and pulse generating means for synchronously triggering a stimulus in response thereto, the implantable pulse generator having a bipolar output channel, the bipolar output channel having first and second output terminals, the sensing means being coupled to eh first and second output terminals so that cardiac signals are sensed therebetween, the pulse generating means being coupled to the first and second output terminals so that the first and second output terminals act as a cathode and an anode terminal, respectively;
• and
• delivery means having a ring and a first tip electrode for contact with ventricular tissue and a second tip electrode for contact with the translocated muscle tissue, the first and second tip electrode in electrical contact with the first output terminal, the ring electrode in electrical contact with the second output terminal;
• whereby the delivery means enables the implantable pulse generator to sense cardiac signals and to trigger an electrical stimulus simultaneously to the translocated muscle tissue and to the ventricular tissue.

A stimulation system for stimulating translocated muscle tissue in a patient having cardiac myoplasty, comprising:

• an implantable pulse generator having means for sensing cardiac signals and pulse generating means for synchronously triggering a stimulus in response thereto, the implantable pulse generator having a bipolar output channel with first and second output terminals, the implantable pulse generator further having a case electrode, the pulse generating means being coupled to the first output terminal and one of the case electrode or the second output terminal so that the first output terminal acts as a cathode, the sensing means being coupled to the second output terminal and one of the case electrode or the fist output terminal;
• and
• delivery means having a first distal electrode for contact with the a first tissue location and a second distal electrode for contract with a second, widely-spaced, tissue location, the first tissue location including translocated muscle tissue, the second, widely-spaced, tissue location including ventricular tissue, the first and second distal electrode in electrical contact with the first and second output terminals, respectively;
• whereby the delivery means enables the implantable pulse generator to sense cardiac signals at a first tissue location and provide electrical stimulus to a second, widely-spaced, tissue location.