Pacesetter, Inc.

Benedict L Gomperz

Sergey Safarevich

Russell Klehn

Phong D Doan

Mark W Kroll

Shahram Moaddeb

Kevin L Morgan

Buehl E Truex

Serdar Unal

Steve Norling

A body-implantable lead suitable for use in conjunction with implantable cardiac devices and method for assembling a body-implantable lead suitable for use in conjunction with implantable cardiac devices. The body-implantable lead includes a lead body having at least one inner lumen and at least one elongated conductor cable residing within the inner lumen. An end portion of the conductor cable is joined by an aligned weld joint directly to an end portion of a lead component. Exemplary lead components include, but are not limited to, an electrode member, an elongated conductive connector pin of a proximal connector, a conductor extending from a proximal end of a distal tip of the lead, and a second elongated conductor cable residing within a second inner lumen of the lead body.

Reduced-diameter body-implantable leads and methods of assembly

An implantable endocardial lead for use with a cardiac stimulation device includes an electrically active housing including a tubular end region extending to a terminal rim at the distal end of the lead and an electrical conductor within the lead extending between proximal and distal ends. An active fixation electrode within and spaced from the electrically active housing includes an electrically active helix coaxial with the endocardial lead coupled to the distal end of the electrical conductor and movable between a retracted position fully within the housing and an extended position advanced beyond the terminal rim of the housing for effecting penetration into the myocardial tissue. A guide system located proximally of the active fixation electrode serves to rotate the electrically active helix about the longitudinal axis as the helix is moved between the retracted and extended positions.

Extendable/retractable screw-in tip design with an improved thread/screw mechanism

A technique for removing from a body an implanted lead including an active fixation electrode includes the operation of releasably attaching an elongated stylet to the distal end of the implanted lead, specifically, to the electrode at the distal end of the lead. This results in a reasonably unified stylet and implanted lead structure whereby withdrawal of the stylet and of the implanted lead as a unit facilitates the complete removal of the implanted lead from the body. A threaded tip end of the stylet is used for threaded engagement with a tapped bore in the electrode. The threaded tip end of the stylet becomes locked to the electrode by rotating in one direction the threaded portion into the threaded bore and the stylet is removable by counter-rotating the threaded tip end of the stylet relative to the electrode.

Lead extraction mechanism for active fixation leads

A method of joining a wound element, or coiled wire strand, and a mating component, or integral ledge member, of a body implantable lead assembly wherein the former has a interior passage and an end portion adapted to be received by the latter. In one embodiment, the integral ledge member is formed with an integral collar spaced from a terminal end thereof. The wound element is placed about the receiving portion and over the terminal end of the mating component and against the collar. The components are then joined by thermally fusing them together, preferably by means of a laser. If the collar and the wound element are fabricated of the same alloy, the thickness of the collar and the diameter of the coiled wire strand are designed to be substantially equal. If the components are fabricated of dissimilar alloys, then the thickness of the collar is relatively dimensioned with respect to the diameter of the strand in proportion to the relative thermal diffusivity of the alloy of the collar and of the alloy of the coiled wire strand. In another embodiment, a ring member is placed about, and in engagement with, the receiving portion of the mating component. Then the components are joined, by thermally fusing them together, preferably by targeting a laser beam directly on the ring member, without regard to whether the components are fabricated of the same alloy or of different alloys.

Laser welded joint for implantable lead

A technique for removing an implanted lead from a body includes the steps of releasably attaching a stylet to both the distal end of the implanted lead and to the proximal end of the implanted lead. This results in a substantially unified stylet and implanted lead structure whereby withdrawal of the stylet and of the implanted lead as a unit facilitates the complete removal of the implanted lead from the body. A threaded tip end may be used for threaded engagement with a tapped bore at the distal end of the implanted lead and at the proximal end, attachment being provided by a threaded region on the stylet distant from the threaded tip end for threaded engagement with a tapped bore of a connector pin integral with the implanted lead. In this instance, the diameter of the proximal threaded region on the stylet is greater than that of the threaded tip end. In one embodiment, the implanted lead is resiliently extensible and the stylet is greater in length than the implanted lead in its relaxed condition and tension is applied to the proximal end of the implanted lead to thereby stretch it so that the proximal end of the implanted lead is generally coextensive with the proximal end of the stylet.

Double threaded stylet for extraction of leads with a threaded electrode

An electrode assembly including a tip electrode and a longitudinally extending axially aligned weld electrode egageably receiving a distal end of a coiled wire strand conductor at a proximal end. A connector member includes a fastener having an enlarged head and a threaded shank, the weld electrode includes an integral weld sleeve with an annular locking tab engageable with the enlarged head to prevent longitudinal movement while permitting rotational movement. The weld electrode has an internal bore for receiving an elongated stylet selectively engageable therewith for implanting and explanting the electrode assembly. The tip electrode includes an integral attachment sleeve having an outer peripheral surface extending in a direction away from the tip and having a longitudinally extending tapped bore for engagement with the threaded shank of the connector member. The weld sleeve and attachment sleeve are mutually stepped to prevent their relative rotation when in the locked position.

Electrode assembly with a detachable distal tip

A transvenous endocardial lead comprises an elongated flexible body member encompassing an electrical conductor which has an electrode at its distal end. A stabilizer adjacent the distal electrode extends outwardly from the flexible body member by a distance no greater than approximately one-half of the shortest distance between a longitudinal axis and the outer peripheral surface for minimizing dislodgment of the distal end from an intended implanted position into the myocardial tissue of the heart and for preventing penetration of the distal end of the flexible body member into the myocardial tissue. The stabilizer may be employed in conjunction with conventional active or passive fixation members and may take a variety of forms.

Growing community of inventors

North Hollywood, CA, United States of America

Benedict L Gomperz