C10844: Gentler Method for Termination of Cardiac ArrhythmiasNovelty:
A method to prevent cardiac sudden death by delivering a high frequency current or electric field to the myocardium, with less associated damage to the heart.
Value Proposition:
Currently the only reliable way to terminate fibrillation is by delivering a high voltage DC shock to cause defibrillation of the heart. These types of high energy shocks cause myocardial damage, ventricular dysfunction and arrhythmias, and are painful. The current method and device terminate cardiac fibrillation using significantly less, energy and may provide a way to treat arrhythmias painlessly. Other advantages include:
• The frequency range used in this method is 50 Hz to 20 kHz which is devoid of proarrhythmia and has never been used in defibrillators currently available.
• The device can be implanted internally or applied externally and can be both manually and automatically operated for flexibility of use to meet the specific needs of the individual cardiac patient.
Technical Details:
Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a method and device for the treatment of arrhythmias with drastically improved comfort to the cardiac patient. The device and method involves application of high frequency (HF) current or electrical field though the cardiac tissue in tachyarrhythmia. HF electric current or field may be applied manually at the discretion of a health care worker, either by an internally implanted or externally applied device, or may be applied automatically in response to a detected tachyarrhythmia, either by an implanted or external device. The device and methodology may be used to treat ventricular tachyarrhythmias including ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation, and can be used to treat atrial tachyarrhythmias including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.
Looking for Partners:
This technology can be developed into a device or implemented in existing implanted and external defibrillator devices, including both manual and automatic.
Data Availability:
Preliminary experiments indicating reduced electrical damage to myocardium from HFAC compared with standard defibrillation shocks.
Publications/Associated Cases:
Not available at this time
