Augmented Two-Channel Arrhythmia Detection: An Efficient Diagnostic Method for Implantable Devices

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75624/1/j.1540-8159.1996.tb03164.x.pd

Implantable Drug Delivery Apparatus

An implantable drug delivery apparatus including a housing that has a housing chamber. An outer deformable body having a reserve chamber is mounted within the housing chamber. An inner deformable body having a dispensing chamber is mounted within the reserve chamber. A dispensing valve is actuated to an open position to allow a fluidic drug to flow from the dispensing chamber, through the dispensing valve and through a catheter into a body of a patient. The fluidic drug is discharged from the dispensing chamber at a dispensing mass flowrate which is greater than a refilling mass flowrate of the fluidic drug passing from the reserve chamber to the dispensing chamber, when the dispensing valve is in an open position. When the dispensing valve is in a closed position, the fluidic drug is prevented from discharging from the dispensing chamber while a recharging amount of the fluidic drug is capable of flowing from the reserve chamber to the dispensing chamber, until the dispensing chamber is at least partially filled. The outer deformable body is normally forced or urged in a direction or manner that tends to reduce a volume of the reserve chamber.Sponsorship: Illinois institute of TechnologyUnited States Paten

MEPs as an Energy Efficiency Channel

Though the Small-to-Medium Industrial (SMI) sector accounts for 42% of US manufacturing energy use, this sector has historically been a difficult group to engage in energy efficiency. The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) has begun expanding approaches in the SMI sector through a number of efforts. NEEA's most recent effort is the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Support Project. This paper provides an overview of the MEP Support Project, including results and findings from engagement with Idaho TechHelp, Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Montana Manufacturing Extension Center and Impact Washington, as well as Impact Washington's partner, the Washington State Department of Ecology. The paper also outlines the core energy savings approaches deployed. Finally, the paper provides recommendations on how to engage MEP consultants as energy agents for the benefit of the SMI sector in the Northwest region as well as in other parts of the country

Pharmacological Atrial Defibrillator and Method

A method and an implantable apparatus for automatically delivering a defibrillating drug to a patient upon detection of the onset of atrial fibrillation. Atrial activity of a heart is detected and monitored. A delivery time is continuously computed and a delivery signal is emitted as a function of the monitored level of the atrial activity. When the delivery signal is emitted, an infusion pump discharges a defibrillating drug into the bloodstream of the patient. The atrial activity is also continuously monitored for computing a pacing time at which a pacing signal is emitted as a second function of the monitored level of atrial activity. When the pacing signal is emitted a pacer paces the atrium of the heart.Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of TechnologyUnited States Paten

Discrimination of Retrograde from Anterograde Atrial Activation Using Intracardiac Electrogram Waveform Analysis

The prevention of pacemaker-mediated tachycardias requires a safe, reliable method for distinguishing retrograde from anterograde atrial activation by dual chamber pacemakers. In this study, a technique was developed to detect the morphological change that occurs in the waveform of the intra-atrial electrogram during retrograde atrial activation. The method employed for waveform analysis is based upon statistical correlation. In 19 patients undergoing electrophysiological studies, atrial electrograms were recorded from bipolar endocardial electrodes during sinus rhythm and 1:1 retrograde atrial depolarization while undergoing right ventricular pacing. Data were digitally sampled at 750, 1,000, and 1,500 Hz. Templates of anterograde atrial depolarization were constructed by signal averaging waveforms from an initial sinus rhythm passage. These were used for analysis of anterograde depolarizations from a subsequent passage of sinus rhythm and a passage of known retrograde atrial depolarization. In all 19 cases, a patient-specific threshold could be derived to separate anterograde from retrograde atrial depolarizations using 1,000 Hz and 1,500 Hz sampling rates. However, at a sampling rate of 750 Hz, separation of anterograde from retrograde atrial activation was possible in only 16/19 patients (84%). We conclude that correlation waveform analysis of a suitably sampled atrial electrogram is a reliable method of discriminating retrograde atrial depolarization from anterograde atrial depolarization in intracardiac electrograms.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74438/1/j.1540-8159.1989.tb01841.x.pd