St. Jude Medical Ab

Eva Micski

Rolf Hill

Martin Obel

Johan Eckerdal

Mats Nygren

Henrik Djurling

Olof Stegfeldt

Andreas Örnberg

Martin Hörnfeldt

Björn Sjögren

Eva Skoog Andersson

Mark William Kroll

A connector for an implantable medical lead that is electrically and mechanically connectable to an implantable medical device, has a connector pin made of a first conducting material. A tubular insulator made of an insulating material concentrically surrounds at least a portion of the pin. A connector ring made of a second conducting material is concentrically positioned around at least a portion of the insulator. The insulator is connected to the connector ring by spark plasma sintering in the case of an active fixation lead, and is connected to the ring and the pin by spark plasma sintering in the case of a passive fixation lead.

Method of producing a proximal connector end of an implantable lead

In an implantable medical device and a manufacturing method therefore, the implantable medical device has at least an electronics module and a battery module, each contributing functionally as well as to the shape of the outer enclosure of the implantable medical device. Different modules, and different versions of different modules, can be combined in different combinations, according to a device specification, to form different medical devices.

Modular implantable medical device and manufacturing method therefor

An implantable heart stimulator has an electrically conductive housing containing a pulse generator, with an electrode lead connected to the housing. The electrode lead has a proximal portion extending substantially from the housing to a location, after implantation, which is beyond the entry of the lead into the venous system and before the entry of the lead into the superior vena cava. A current source supplies an infection control current between the housing and an electrically conductive surface on the exterior of the proximal portion of the electrode lead, for counteracting bacterial growth. The housing may have a header to which the electrode lead is connected, in which case the header is provided with an electrically conductive surface as well, which can serve as an electrode for the infection control current.

Implantable heart stimulator with electrodes for an infection control current

An implantable heart stimulator has a pulse generator, implantable in a subcutaneous pocket, and an electrode lead connected thereto for delivering stimulation pulses to a patient's heart. The pulse generator has an electrically conductive housing, and the electrode lead has a proximal portion which after implantation, extends substantially from the housing to a location situated beyond entry into the venous system and before entry into the superior vena cava. The proximal portion has an exterior with an electrically conductive surface, which together with the housing, form an infection control current electrode. A counter electrode is disposed outside of the subcutaneous pocket, and a current source supplies an infection control current between the infection control current electrode and the counter electrode for counteracting bacterial growth at least on an exterior of the housing.

Implantable heart stimulator with infection control current, employing counter electrode

In a cardiac stimulating device, an infection control current is generated and applied to a subject in whom a medical device is implanted by completing a circuit including an entirely electrically conductive exterior of a housing of the device, an electrode carried by an electrode lead of the device, and an electrically conductive surface of a proximal portion of the electrode lead, extending from the housing to a location, after implantation, situated beyond entry of the electrode lead into the venous system and before entry of the electrode lead into the superior vena cava. The infection control current can be a current with a square waveform, and the circuit can be completed at selected times, such as only during the refractory period of the subject's heart.

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Huddinge, Sweden

Eva Micski