Patent ID: 8512254
Filing Date: 2013-08-20
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. An implantable medical device for monitoring blood flow pulsatility in a volume of body tissue in a patient, the device comprising: at least two electrodes for sensing a cardiac electrical signal; a light source for emitting a modulated light signal; a filter for filtering the wavelengths of the modulated light signal scattered by the volume of body tissue; a light detector for receiving the filtered modulated light signal and emitting a current signal having an alternating current component correlated to pulsatility of blood flow within the volume of body tissue; a processor for receiving the cardiac electrical signal, detecting an arrhythmia in response to the cardiac electrical signal, receiving the light detector signal, determining a pulsatility metric in response to the alternating current component of the light detector signal, comparing the pulsatility metric to a heart rate determined from the cardiac electrical signal, confirming the arrhythmia in response to the comparison, and detecting T-wave oversensing in response to the cardiac electrical signal being greater than the pulsatility metric, wherein the pulsatility metric is a frequency of the alternating current component and; and a therapy control module coupled to the processor and delivering an anti-arrhythmia therapy in response to the arrhythmia confirmation.