Stimulation system for a skeletal muscle

An apparatus for stimulating a surgically prepared skeletal muscle of a patient coupled to a human heart of the patient, the skeletal muscle functionally replacing lost cardiac muscle, the patient having a pacemaker, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of electrodes implanted in the surgically prepared skeletal muscle coupled to the human heart of the patient;
• programmable signal processing means, coupled to the plurality of electrodes, for generating and outputting electrical stimulation pulses;
• a programmable evaluation unit coupled to the pacemaker for receiving a signal representative of a heart rate of the patient, and coupled to the programmable signal processing means for providing stimulation pulse power control and electrode selection settings thereto, and for generating heart rate division factors;
• adjustable synchronization means, coupled to the programmable evaluation unit for receiving the heart rate division factors therefrom, coupled to the pacemaker for receiving a moment of stimulation signal therefrom, and coupled to the programmable signal processing means for providing a synchronization signal thereto in accordance with the heart rate division factors and the moment of stimulation signal;
• and
• a programming unit, coupled to the pacemaker and to the programmable evaluation unit for providing respective programming settings thereto, and coupled to the programmable signal processing means for providing burst length settings, pulse interval settings, and connect/disconnect control settings thereto;
• wherein said programmable signal processing means comprises:
• output means, coupled to the programmable evaluation unit for receiving the electrode selection settings therefrom, and coupled to the plurality of electrodes, for selectively providing the electrical stimulation pulses to the electrodes in response to the electrode selection settings;
• power stage means, coupled to the programmable evaluation unit for receiving the stimulation pulse power control signals therefrom, and coupled to the output means, for providing the electrical stimulation pulses thereto, the pulse duration and/or the pulse amplitude of the electrical stimulation pulses being controlled by the stimulation pulse power control signals and a pulse interval signal;
• a programmable start-stop oscillator, coupled to the programming unit for receiving the pulse interval settings therefrom, and coupled to the power stage means, for providing the pulse interval signal thereto in accordance with the pulse interval settings and a burst length signal;
• a burst timer, coupled to the adjustable synchronization means, for receiving the synchronization signal therefrom, and to the programmable start-stop oscillator for providing the burst length signal thereto in accordance with the synchronization signal and a stimulation mode ratio;
• programmable burst length means, coupled to the programming unit for receiving the burst length settings therefrom, and to the burst timer for providing the stimulation mode ratio thereto;
• voltage doubling means for providing a voltage to the power stage means to use in producing the electrical stimulation pulses;
• and
• control means, coupled to the programming unit for receiving the connect/disconnect control setting therefrom, and coupled to control the voltage doubling means, the programmable burst length means, and the burst timer.