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Abstract

A technique for monitoring the performance of a skeletal muscle used in a cardiac assist sytem. The skeletal muscle is surgically wrapped about the heart, the descending aorta, or a chamber connected in series with or parallel to the descending aorta to provide direct assistance when electrically stimulated to correspond with naturally or artifically paced heart contractions. An alternate system provides indirect assistance by improving coronary perfusion when the skeletal muscle is electrically stimulated to contract about an artificial chamber during relaxation of the myocardium. In either type or cardiac assist system, the skeletal muscle must be conditioned to perform constant contraction/relaxation within the range of normal heart rates. This conditioning occurs over a length of time which is too long to be directly managed by medical personnel in a sterile environment except experimentally. The present invention provides apparatus and techniques for managing the conditioning process automatically. The same apparatus and techniques are applicable to many other functions involving real time monitoring to include coordinating the timing of skeletal muscle contraction with myocardial contractions. Such other functions are muscle contraction monitoring, muscle pacing threshold determination and monitoring, and muscle contraction timing analysis for improving biomechanical efficiency.

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First Claim