Controllable, wearable MRI-compatible cardiac pacemaker with pulse carrying photonic catheter and VOO functionality

摘要

A controllable, wearable MRI-compatible, fixed-rate (VOO) pacemaker includes a self-contained power source and a pulse generator housed at the proximal end of a photonic catheter in a first enclosure designed to operate externally of a patient's body. Electrical pulses output by the pulse generator are converted into light energy and directed into the proximal end of the photonic catheter. The photonic catheter includes an optical conduction pathway over which is formed a covering of biocompatible material. Light entering the proximal end of the photonic catheter is transmitted through the optical conduction pathway, where it is collected and converted back to electrical energy at a second enclosure located at the distal end of the photonic catheter. The second enclosure houses an opto-electrical transducer that converts the optical pulses to electrical pulses and delivers them to bipolar heart electrodes. One of the electrodes may comprise the second enclosure housing the opto-electrical transducer and the other electrode can be provided by another enclosure that is spaced from the second enclosure.