Micro integrated cardiac pacemaker and distributed cardiac pacing system

A first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker adapted to be part of a distributed cardiac pacing system comprising at least one second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker, wherein the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker is adapted to be implanted into a heart of a patient, the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker comprising:

• a) a control unit that outputs at least one control signal;
• b) a heart stimulating means that responds to the control signal and electrically stimulates heart tissue;
• c) an electrocardiographic information detecting means that detects a plurality of electrocardiographic information and outputs the electrocardiographic information to the control unit;
• d) a transmitting means to modulate the electrocardiographic information and control signal and to send the modulated electrocardiographic information and the modulated control signal outside of the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker via a plurality of carrier waves to at least one of the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers adapted to be implanted into the heart of the patient;
• e) a receiving means to demodulate information transmitted from at least one of the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers adapted to be implanted into the heart;
• and
• f) a power unit that supplies the driving power;
• wherein the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker requires no chest incision, and can be implanted into a heart by attaching the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker to a tip of a catheter and extracting the catheter after implantation;
• wherein the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker is designed such that information sent from at least one of the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers is input into the control unit after the information is demodulated by the receiving means;
• wherein the control unit of the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker outputs the control signal based on information selected from the group consisting of a) information sent from at least one of the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers;
• b) electrocardiographic information;
• and c) a combination of a) and b);
• wherein the control unit of the first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker outputs the control signal based on the information sent from at least one of the second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemakers to pace the heart and mimic a natural physiological state of the heart;
• wherein the control unit includes a stimulation timing determining means that determines the timing of stimulation to generate control signals, and a stimulation timing changing means that changes the timing of stimulation to generate control signals;
• wherein the control unit changes the stimulation timing when certain conditions are fulfilled;
• wherein the power unit is a biological fuel cell that extracts electrons from oxidative reactions of biological fuels;
• wherein the biological fuel cell is composed of an anode and a cathode;
• wherein the anode comprises an anode electrode and an immobile layer formed on a surface of the anode electrode by immobilization of mediators and oxidative enzymes for biological fuels, wherein said immobile layer prevents oxygen existing in a biological body from contacting said anode electrode;
• wherein the cathode comprises a cathode electrode and a coating material formed on a surface of the cathode electrode, wherein the cathode electrode is composed of a catalyst to enhance a reaction involving reduction of oxygen, and wherein said coating material is capable of preventing permeation of reactive substances other than oxygen and allowing permeation of oxygen and hydrogen ions;
• wherein the biological fuel cell uses an electrolyte solution selected from the group consisting of blood;
• body fluid;
• and blood and body fluid, and utilizes biological fuels and oxygen in the electrolyte solution without the need for a container to contain the electrolyte solution or a metabolic product;
• and
• wherein said anode and said cathode are adapted to contact the electrolyte solution.