Electrical muscle controller using a non-excitatory electric field

A method of performing cardiac surgery comprising applying to the Right Ventriculum of the heart a non-excitatory electric field of a magnitude, shape, duty cycle, phase, frequency and duration suitable to control the electro-mechanical activity of the tissue in the area on which surgery is to be performed, wherein said field is inhibitory of a propagating action potential, and thereafter performing the required surgical procedure on said area.

A method of treating an abnormal activation of the heart, particularly fibrillation, comprising applying to the Right Ventriculum of said heart a non-excitatory electric field of a magnitude, shape and duration suitable to treat the abnormal activation condition, wherein said field is unable to generate a propagating action potential.

A method of performing cardio-vascular surgery comprising applying to the Right Ventriculum of the heart a non-excitatory electric field of a magnitude, shape, duty cycle, phase, frequency and duration suitable to reduce the output flow, contractility, or pressure thereof, when surgery is performed on tissue perfused by the flow of said chamber, wherein said field is unable to generate a propagating action potential, and thereafter performing the required surgical procedure on said area.

A method of reducing the output of the Right Ventriculum of a heart, comprising applying to a portion of said Right Ventriculum a non-excitatory electric field of a magnitude, shape, duty cycle, phase, frequency and duration suitable to obtain a desired change, wherein said field is applied at a time at which it is unable to generate a propagating action potential, and wherein reducing the output of the chamber is obtained by reducing the reactivity of said portion, or its sensitivity, to an activation signal, or by reversibly blocking its conduction pathway.

A method of modifying the electro-mechanical activation of the Right Ventriculum of a heart, comprising mapping the activation profile of the Right Ventriculum, determining a desired change in the activation, and modifying the conduction velocity in a non-arrhythmic segment of the Right Ventriculum using a non-excitatory electric field, wherein the non-excitatory electric field is of a magnitude, shape, duty cycle, phase, frequency and duration suitable to obtain the desired change.

A method of treating a segment of the Right Ventriculum of the heart which induces arrhythmias due to an abnormally low excitation threshold, comprising identifying the segment and applying thereto a desensitizing electric field such that said excitation threshold is increased to a normal range of values.

A method of modifying the activation profile of the Right Ventriculumof a heart, comprising mapping the activation profile of said Right Ventriculum, determining the desired change in the activation profile and changing the refractory period of at least a segment of the Right Ventriculum using a non-excitatory electric field, wherein the non-excitatory electric field is of a magnitude, shape, duty cycle, phase, frequency and duration suitable to obtain a desired change, and wherein said segment is selected from a segment that is not part of a reentry circuit or an arrhythmia focus in the heart, a segment that is a part of a reentry circuit or an arrhythmia focus in the heart, or an ischemic segment.

A method of modifying the activation profile of the Right Ventriculum of a heart, comprising mapping the activation profile of said Right Ventriculum, determining the desired change in the activation profile and reversibly blocking the activation of at least a segment of the Right Ventriculum using a non-excitatory electric field, wherein the non-excitatory electric field is of a magnitude, shape, duty cycle, phase, frequency and duration suitable to obtain a desired change, and wherein said segment is selected from a segment that is not part of a reentry circuit or an arrhythmia focus in the heart, a segment that is a part of a reentry circuit or an arrhythmia focus in the heart, or an ischemic segment.

A method of controlling a heart, comprising applying a non-excitatory electric field to a first portion of a the Right Ventriculum of said heart, such that a force of contraction of the first portion is lessened, and applying a non-excitatory electric field to a second portion of the Right Ventriculum, such that a force of contraction of the second portion is increased.