abstract |
A bifurcated lead adapter or lead used with an implantable stimulation device, such as a pacemaker, forms part of a stimulation system and method that senses depolarization of the ventricular muscle tissue, and in response thereto, generates a stimulus (composed of a single pulse or multiple closely-spaced pulses) that is delivered to translocated muscle tissue wrapped around the ventricle of the heart, thereby causing the translocated muscle tissue to contract in synchrony with the sensed ventricular depolarization. In one embodiment, a pacemaker operates in the single-chamber triggered stimulation mode analogous to VVT mode. A bifurcated bipolar lead adapter has a proximal connector that is connected to the pacemaker's bipolar female input/output connector. The adapter couples the anode electrode of the pacemaker's bipolar input/output connector to a first female distal connector, and couples the cathode electrode of such bipolar input/output connector to a second female distal connector. Two conventional unipolar stimulation leads, with or without active fixation means, are connected to the female distal connectors of the adapter. The tip electrode of one lead is coupled to ventricular tissue in conventional manner. The tip electrode of the other lead is coupled to the translocated muscle tissue. |