System and method for preventing sudden cardiac death by nerve sprouting from right stellate ganglion

摘要

A system or apparatus is described for reducing the likelihood of the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmia in the heart of a patient having a myocardial infarction and an atrioventricular block, particularly a ventricular arrhythmia of the type potentially leading to Sudden Cardiac Death. The likelihood of the occurrence of the ventricular arrhythmia is reduced by stimulating myocardial hyperinnervation in the sinus node and right ventricle of the heart of the patient. Myocardial hyperinnervation in the sinus node and right ventricle is stimulated by applying electrical stimulation to the right stellate ganglion of the patient or by applying Nerve Growth Factor or other neurotrophic substance to the right stellate ganglion. The apparatus can also be advantageously exploited for use with patients having myocardial infarction but no atrioventricular block and for patients have other heart conditions such as Brugada syndrome.