Method and system for detecting dislodgment of an implanted right atrial endocardial lead

A method of detecting dislodgment of a right atrial endocardial lead implanted within a heart right atrium, the lead including an electrode, the method including the steps of:

• sensing heart activity of the right atrium of the heart during a time period;
• sensing heart activity of the right ventricle of the heart during the time period;
• sensing heart activity with the endocardial lead electrode during the time period;
• storing the sensed heart activity of the right atrium and of the right ventricle, and the heart activity sensed with the endocardial lead electrode;
• analyzing the stored heart activity to establish a first time window from the sensed heart activity of the right atrium and a second time window from the sensed heart activity of the right ventricle;
• and
• detecting dislodgement of the right atrial endocardial lead by comparing the heart activity sensed with the endocardial lead electrode during the first time window to the heart activity sensed with the endocardial lead electrode during the second time window.

A system for detecting dislodgment of an implanted right atrial endocardial lead having at least one electrode, the system comprising:

• means including a first electrode for sensing atrial activity of the heart within the right atrium of the heart;
• means including a second electrode for sensing ventricular activity of the heart within the right ventricle of the heart;
• means for establishing a first sensing period responsive to the atrial activity sensed with the means including a first electrode;
• means for establishing a second sensing period responsive to the ventricular activity sensed with the means including a second electrode;
• means for sensing activity of the heart with the at least one electrode of the implanted endocardial lead during the first sensing period and the second sensing period;
• and
• means for comparing the heart activity sensed with the at least one electrode during the first sensing period to the heart activity sensed with the at least one electrode during the second sensing period to detect dislodgement of the right atrial endocardial lead.