You are here: Home :: Area NEM :: Medical science

Stefan Müller, Martin Hexamer, Jürgen Werner

A fiber optic sensor system for control of rate-adaptive cardiac pacemakers and implantable defibrillators

Keywords: cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, fiber optic sensor

Commercially available cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverters/defibrillators (ICDs) predominantly use an intracardiac-derived electrocardiogram (ECG) for the detection of arrhythmias. To achieve automatic control of the heart frequency in accordance with cardiovascular strain and improved detection of life-threatening arrhythmias, it is desirable to monitor the heart by an input signal correlated with the hemodynamic state. One possible approach to derive such a signal is to measure the inotropy (mechanical contraction strength of the heart muscle). For this purpose, an optoelectronic measurement system has been designed. The fundamental function of the system has been shown in earlier investigations using an isolated beating pig heart. In this paper the design of two algorithms for use in pacemakers and ICDs based on a fiber optic sensor signal is presented.

Biomedizinische Technik, Walter de Gruyter

Print ISSN: 0013-5585
Volume: 51, 12/2006
Pages: 331 - 336

Show full article (external site)

Show all available items of this journal

 

Area NEM