US1913595A - Artificial pace maker for the heart - Google Patents

Description

June 13, 1933. c. H. HYMAN l-:r AL

ARTIFICIAL PACE MAKER FOR THE HEART 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 12, 1930 June 13, 1933. C;l H HYMAN -r AL 1,913,595'

ARTIFICIAL PACE MAKER FOR THE HEART Filed March 12, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented June 13, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES HENRY HYMAN AND ALBERT S. HYMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ARTIFICIAL PACE MAKER FOR THE HEART Application filed March 12, 1930. Serial No. 435,253.

This invention relates to the method of an apparatus for stimulating the heart which has ceased to function as a result of accident, electrocution, gas poisoning, ether anesthesia or shock of any kind, andfwhich may be found in infants that are still born, by a special electric current approximating in strength, frequency and distribution the normal current of the heart.

Various methods have been utilized in the treatment of the normal heart which has' stopped for any of the reasons pointed out above, and such known methods usually employ injections of certain cardiac remedies in the heart muscle or its environs. This treatment is proving successful in a substantial percentage of cases, but response appears to be due not so much to the special cardiac remedy used, as to the reaction of the heart muscle following directly upon the prick of the needle which precedes the injection. We base this assumption upon the fact that an almost endless number and variety of substances have resulted in practically the same response.

With the foregoing in mind, it is the principal object of this invention to stimulate the stopped heart by means of an electric current introduced into the heart whereby an artificial pacemaker is set up in the heart without the use of organic or inorganic substances. We accomplish this object by means of a method of procedure employing an instrument which is capable of being set into motion at an instants notice to produce a special electric current flowing at any desired frequency and .strength into a specially constructed needle for distribution directly into the resting heart to stimulate the same to normal and continued action.

One embodiment of the instrument which we contemplate using to carry out the steps of our invention is illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a substantially sectional-view of a complete kit and the instrumentalities used to produce and distribute the special electric currentr to the heart of the corpse; Figure 2 isa plan `view' of the kit showing parts broken away to disclose otherwise hidden parts; Figure 3 is a substantially transverse sectional view taken on lines of Figure l; Figure 4 is a wiring diagram of theelectric current generator and conductors; Figure 5 is a substantially longitudinal secfi tional View of the discharge end of the needle used to conduct the electric current; and Figure 6 is an elevational View of one side of the interrupter.

Referring to the method of carrying out our invention, it will be assui'ned that the practitioner is confronted with the problem of restoring a stopped heart to its noi-mai functioning. The heart which has stopped is in healthy condition but because of severe shock or other unusual cause has ceased to beat. In other words, the human pace maker is no longer setting `up the electrical impulses in the heart. Let it be assumed that these electric current impulses at a certain potential are normally discharged at the rate of seventy-two times a minute. Having ascertained these facts by known methods which form no part of this invention, the pulsator regulator of the instrument is set at 72 and the speed of the generator element is set to produce the required current. The end of the' needle, from which these current impulses are discharged, is then injected into the heart, with the current turned on. As a result the needle which carries the desired current begins to stimulate the heart to action and maintain the necessary flow of electric impulses to the organ until its natural pace maker has regained capacity sufficient to again .set up normal electrical impulses'in the heart.

Referring now to the drawings, and to the embodiment of an instrument for carrying out the steps of our invention and the production of an artificial pacemaker for the heart, l0 denotes a suitable case having a deep body receptacle and a cover 1l hinged thereto along one side of the open end. The top of the body 1 0 is provided with an instrument board l2. Mounted upon the floor of the body portion 10 and located against one side wall is a spring motor 13, which has not been detailed because any type of motor may be used, but which is preferably wound up by means of a needle 48. The glow is on in the lamp 42 when the current is cut off from the needle and vic-e versa, and it is these impulses discharging into the needle which must be regulated by the manipulation of the lever or arm 37 to approximate in frequency the normal current in the heart. By thrusting the point of the needle into the stopped heart this eurrent generated in the generator is transmitted at the proper impulse into the heart and becomes an artificial pacemaker therefor.

Having now described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An instrument for producing a special electric current for the purpose described, comprising a source of electric current, an interrupter for the flow of said current in a circuit, means for regulating the said interruptions and an electrode needle for first piercing the human heart and then introducing and discharging the impulses of said current directly into the heartstructure, said interrupter comprising a rotary metal disc in the circuit from the source of current, said disc having insulated areas on opposite faces eut away to expose segmental sections of the disc, the exposed sections on one side thereof corresponding in position and area to the insulated area of the other side, a pair of brushes in contact with opposite faces of the disc and insulated from each other to pick up the interrupted flow of current from both sides of the disc, a signal in the circuit from one brush, the other brush supplying current in impulses to said introducing and discharging means.

2. An instrument for producing a special electric current for the purpose described, comprising a source of electric current, an interrupter for the flow of said current in a circuit, means for regulating the said interruptions, and an electrode needle for first piercing the human heart and then introducing and discharging the impulses of said current directly into the heart structure, in which the means for discharging the current into the heart comprises a needle having a metal core to carry one current, an insulating sheath embracing said core, and a metal sleeve embracing the sheath and carrying the other current, said core and sleeve being eX- posed at the end of the needle for contact and discharge of their currents into the heart.

3. An electric needle for the purpose described, comprising a shank to receive negative and positive currents, a metal tubular member mounted in said shank and connected with one of the currents, a metal core within said tubular member and connected with the other current through the shank, and an insulating sheath between the two metal parts, said parts being pointed at the free end of the needle and exposed for contact with the heart.

4. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a spring motor, a current generator driven by said motor, for creating a source of current, a circuit from the generator, an interrupter in said circuit comprising a rotary disc driven from said motor, and having segmental contacting surfaces on one face and corresponding insulated surfaces on the other face, said contacting surfaces being of varying lengths from the center of the disc, a brush picking up the interrupted electric current from each side of the disc, means for adjusting the relation of the brushes to their respective contacting surfaces to regulate the durations of said interruptions in the current, a signal lamp in the circuit from the one brush, and an electrical needle in the circuit from the other brush for introducing and discharging negative and positive currents into the heart.

In testimony whereof they have aixed their signatures. y

ALBERT S. HYMAN. CHARLES HENRY HYMAN.

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