Patent ID: 8244352

Claim:
A system for cardioprotective pacing during revascularization of a blood vessel having a vascular wall, the system comprising: a percutaneous transluminal vascular intervention (PTVI) device including: a proximal end portion: a distal end portion configured to be placed in the blood vessel and including a pacing electrode and a drip balloon, the drip balloon including a wall forming a chamber, the wall including one or more exit ports configured to allow dripping of a conductive liquid from the chamber to the blood vessel to provide a conductive medium between the pacing electrode and the vascular wall; and an elongate shaft coupled between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion, the elongate shaft defining a lumen in fluid communication with the chamber, the lumen extending within the shaft and containing the conductive liquid; and a pacemaker configured to be coupled to the PTVI device, the pacemaker comprising: a pacing output circuit configured to deliver pacing pulses through the pacing electrode; and a control circuit coupled to the pacing output circuit and configured to execute a cardioprotective pacing protocol specifying one or more cardiac protection pacing sequences each including alternating pacing and non-pacing periods, the pacing periods each having a pacing duration during which a plurality of the pacing pulses is delivered, the non-pacing periods each having a non-pacing duration during which none of the pacing pulses is delivered.