Method of Reducing the Occurrence of Arrhythmias Via Photobiomodulation and Apparatus for Same

Abstract

In response to local or systemic inflammation in a patient, photobiomodulation therapy is applied to a cardiac location to reduce the risk and/or occurrence of cardiac arrhythmia. Once inflammation is identified, photobiomodulation therapy can be applied in any suitable fashion (e.g., via a catheter- or transesophageal probe-mounted photoemitter, via an externally-applied photoemitter, or via photoemitter incorporated into an implantable medical device). Photobiomodulation therapy can also be employed to good advantage in conjunction with non-photobiomodulation therapy (e.g., traditional cardiac rhythm management therapies).

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for cardiovascular treatment, comprising:
 a photoemitter; and   at least one of a sensor to monitor a physiologic characteristic of a cardiovascular tissue and a therapy delivery element to deliver a non-photobiomodulation therapy to the cardiovascular tissue.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the therapy delivery element comprises an ablation element. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 21 , further comprising an elongate body, and wherein the photoemitter is mounted to a distal portion of the elongate body. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the elongate body comprises a catheter. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the elongate body comprises a transesophageal probe. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 21 , further comprising a control system, and wherein the control system is configured:
 to receive an input from the sensor;   to detect, from the input, a physiologic characteristic of the cardiovascular tissue indicative of an arrhythmia risk; and   to activate the photoemitter to deliver photobiomodulation therapy to the cardiovascular tissue to mitigate the physiologic characteristic indicative of the arrhythmia risk.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the physiologic characteristic indicative of the arrhythmia risk comprises local inflammation of the cardiovascular tissue. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the cardiovascular tissue comprises cardiac tissue. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus for cardiovascular treatment, comprising:
 a sensor to monitor a physiologic characteristic;   a photoemitter; and   a control system that receives an output of the sensor as an input and that is configured to activate the photoemitter to deliver photobiomodulation therapy to a cardiovascular tissue in response to the output of the sensor.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , further comprising an elongate body, and wherein the photoemitter is carried by the elongate body. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the elongate body is one of a catheter and a transesophageal probe. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the physiologic characteristic comprises inflammation of the cardiovascular tissue. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein the cardiovascular tissue comprises cardiac tissue. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , further comprising a therapy delivery element to deliver a non-photobiomodulation therapy to the cardiovascular tissue. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the therapy delivery element comprises an ablation element. 
     
     
         36 . A method of cardiovascular treatment, comprising:
 identifying a physiologic characteristic indicative of a risk of the patient developing a cardiovascular abnormality; and   applying photobiomodulation therapy to a cardiovascular tissue in order to mitigate the physiologic characteristic and inhibit the development of the cardiovascular abnormality.   
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein:
 the cardiovascular abnormality comprises cardiac arrhythmia; and   the physiologic characteristic comprises inflammation of the cardiovascular tissue.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the cardiovascular tissue comprises cardiac tissue. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 36 , further comprising delivering non-photobiomodulation therapy to the cardiovascular tissue. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein delivering non-photobiomodulation therapy to the cardiovascular tissue comprises ablating the cardiovascular tissue.