Patent ID: 7957820
Filing Date: 2011-06-07
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. A method of verifying a conduction block in heart tissue of a patient, comprising: placing a bipolar conduction block verification probe in contact with an epicardial surface of the patient's heart, the conduction block verification probe having an elongate probe shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a first pacing electrode and a second pacing electrode exposed on a distal-facing surface at the distal end of the elongate probe shaft; a first wire connected to the first pacing electrode and extending through the elongate probe shaft to a first electrical connector and a second wire connected to the second pacing electrode and extending through the elongate probe shaft to a second electrical connector; connecting the first and second electrical connectors to an external bipolar pacing pulse generator; generating pacing pulses with the external bipolar pacing pulse generator at a rate higher than the intrinsic pulse rate of the patient's heart and conducting the pacing pulses to the epicardial surface through the first and second pacing electrodes; and determining the pacing threshold of the heart.