[54] APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR
TEMPORARY ATRIAL DEFIBRILLATION
WITH EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR AND
IMPLANTED TRANSVENOUS CATHETER
AND ELECTRODES
[76] Inventor: Eckhard Alt, Eichendorffstrasse 52,
Ottobrunn, Germany, 85521
[21] Appl. No.: 08/906,352 [22] Filed: Aug. 5, 1997
Related U.S. Application Data
[63] Continuation-in-part of application No. 08/630,907, Apr. 4, 1996, Pat. No. 5,653,734, which is a continuation of application No. 08/222,242, Apr. 4, 1994, Pat. No. 5,571,159.
[51] Int. CI. A61N 1/39
[52] U.S. CI 607/5
[58] Field of Search 607/5, 6, 132
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,403,353 4/1995 Alferness et al 607/5
Apparatus is disclosed for temporary treatment ol atrial fibrillation ol a patient's heart for limited periods ol time. An external control unit generates electrical shock impulses; and is electrically connected to spaced-apart defibrillation electrodes ol a flexible catheter adapted for temporary implantation in the body ol a patient. One ol the defibrillation electrodes is positioned in the right atrium ol the patient's heart and the other defibrillation electrode is positioned elsewhere proximate the heart to establish a vector through the atrial chambers. A shock impulse is selectively applied from the control unit across the electrodes with a magnitude to establish an adequate field gradient between them so as to cardiovert atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm. Monitoring ol intracardiac and/or surface ECG activity enables detection ol the QRS complex to trigger the selective application for delivery ol a shock impulse in synchronization with the QRS complex.
18 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
