Device and method to slow or stop the heart temporarily

Abstract

Implantable cardiac drug delivery systems. The systems are installed endocardially into a chamber in the heart, and are variously capable of delivering anti-arrhythmia agents into the heart wall, and into the epicardial space outside the heart, and into other chambers in the heart through the septa of the heart.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A system for providing controlled asystole of a heart undergoing cardiac surgery, the heart having a heart wall, said system comprising: 
 a first catheter for local infusion of block producing agents into a site within the heart wall, the first catheter having a distal end, the distal end capable of being fixed to and penetrating within the heart wall;    a second catheter for electrical pacing of the heart; and    a controlling system that enables the combined control of the delivery of pacing energy and infusion of the block producing agents.    
     
     
         2 . A system for providing controlled bradycardia of a heart undergoing cardiac surgery, the heart having a heart wall, said system comprising: 
 a first catheter for local infusion of block producing agents into a site within the heart wall, the first catheter having a distal end, the distal end capable of being fixed to and penetrating within the heart wall;    a second catheter for electrical pacing of the heart; and    a controlling system that enables the combined control of the delivery of pacing energy and infusion of the block producing agents.    
     
     
         3 . A method for controlling the motion of a heart of a patient, the heart having a heart wall and a myocardial conduction system including an HIS bundle, said method comprising the steps of: 
 inserting a catheter into the heart, the catheter having a distal end;    attaching the distal end of the catheter to the heart wall using a fixation structure;    injecting cardioplegic fluids into a site in the myocardial conduction system adjacent the HIS bundle through the catheter to produce a transient conduction block locally at the site in the myocardial conduction system to stop normal contraction of the heart; and    pacing the heart to induce contraction of the heart.    
     
     
         4 . A method for controlling the motion of a heart of a patient, the heart having a heart wall and a myocardial conduction system including an atrioventricular node, said method comprising the steps of: 
 inserting a catheter into the heart, the catheter having a distal end;    attaching the distal end of the catheter to the heart wall using a fixation structure;    injecting cardioplegic fluids into a site in the myocardial conduction system adjacent the atrioventricular node through the catheter to produce a transient conduction block locally at the site in the myocardial conduction system to stop normal contraction of the heart; and    pacing the heart to induce contraction of the heart.    
     
     
         5 . A method for controlling the motion of a heart of a patient, the heart having a right ventricle, a heart wall and a myocardial conduction system including an HIS bundle, said method comprising the steps of: 
 inserting a catheter into the heart into the right ventricle;    attaching the distal end of the catheter to the heart wall using a fixation structure;    injecting cardioplegic fluids into a site in the myocardial conduction system adjacent the HIS bundle through the catheter to produce a transient conduction block locally at the site in the myocardial conduction system to stop normal contraction of the heart; and    pacing the heart to induce contraction of the heart.    
     
     
         6 . A method for controlling the motion of a heart of a patient, the heart having a right ventricle, a heart wall and a myocardial conduction system including an atrioventricular node, said method comprising the steps of: 
 inserting a catheter into the heart into the right ventricle;    attaching the distal end of the catheter to the heart wall using a fixation structure;    injecting cardioplegic fluids into a site in the myocardial conduction system adjacent the atrioventricular node through the catheter to produce a transient conduction block locally at the site in the myocardial conduction system to stop normal contraction of the heart; and    pacing the heart to induce contraction of the heart.