Patent ID: 6925328

Claim:
A cardiac assist device comprising means for delivery of electrical current from said cardiac assist device to a heart wherein said means for delivery of electrical current is in electrical communication with said cardiac assist device and said heart, means for transmitting electrical current from said heart to said cardiac assist device wherein said means for transmitting electrical current is in electrical communication with said cardiac assist device and said heart, a control circuit adapted to be responsive to an activation source selected from the group consisting of an optical activation source, a direct current activation source, and combinations thereof and means for ceasing the flow of electrical current through a first circuit wherein said first circuit is selected from the group consisting of said means for delivery of electrical current, said means for transmitting electrical current, and combinations thereof, wherein said means for ceasing the flow of electrical current is controlled by said control circuit, wherein said means for ceasing the flow of electrical current is disposed between said cardiac assist device and said means for delivery of electrical current and said means for transmitting electrical current, and means for receiving pulsed radio frequency fields from an electromagnetic source external to said cardiac assist device, wherein, said means for receiving is selected from the group consisting of said means for delivery of electrical current, said means for transmitting electrical current, said means for ceasing the flow of electrical current, and combinations thereof, wherein said control circuit comprises an optical switch.