Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.

John E Heil

Ronald W Heil, Jr

Roger W Dahl

David K Swanson

Avram Scheiner

Stephen John Hahn

Douglas J Lang

Peter T Kelley

Qingsheng Zhu

David M Flynn

Yayun Lin

Curtis Charles Lindstrom

Randy W Westlund

William Hsu

Jeffrey T Bartig

Robert S Booker, Iii

Gerrard Merrill Carlson

Jay A Warren

Mary Lee Cole

Randall M Peterfeso

Carol Werlein

Aaron W Janke

Gary W Goebel

Douglas A Heitkamp

Stuart R Chastain

Gwen Crevensten

Lyle A Bye

Robert W Wickham, Jr

Graydon E Beatty

James D Kadera

J John Lattuca

J Michael Hoch

A cardiac rhythm management system provides an endocardial cardiac rhythm management lead with an at least partially dissolvable coating at least partially on insulating portions of the lead body at or near its distal end. Upon dissolution, the coating promotes tissue ingrowth to secure the lead in place within fragile vascular structures or elsewhere. Dissolution of one such coating releases a therapeutic agent, such as a steroid that modifies the fibrotic scar tissue content of tissue ingrowth, such that the resulting bond between the tissue and the lead is weak, so that the lead can be easily extracted if desired. One such lead includes an insulating elongate body carrying at least. The lead also includes an at least partially dissolvable coating on an insulating portion of the peripheral distal lead surface. The coating provides one or more of a rough surface, a porous surface, or a swollen surface after being exposed to an aqueous substance.

Implantable lead with dissolvable coating for improved fixation and extraction

Single pass lead system

A cardiac lead designed for implantation in the vasculature of the left side of the heart comprising a flexible lead body having a central lumen, a removable terminal pin, electrodes electrically coupled to the removable terminal pin, a mechanism for securing the electrodes in the proper position in the vasculature and a mechanism for sealing the central lumen after implantation to prevent body fluids from invading the lumen. The cardiac lead can be implanted or explanted using either a guidewire, a guide catheter or both.

Low profile, ventricular, transvenous, epicardial defibrillation lead

Single pass lead having retractable, actively attached electrode for pacing and sensing

A single-pass endocardial lead electrode adapted for implantation on or about the heart and for connection to a system for monitoring or stimulating cardiac activity includes a lead body with a circumferential outer surface. The lead includes a first distal end electrode which has a first electrical conducting surface. The lead body also has a second electrode which has a second electrical conducting surface. The second electrode is adapted for positioning and fixation to the wall of the atrium of the heart. A passive fixation element may be used as part of the second electrode. The lead body also includes a curved portion which facilitates the positioning and passive fixation of the second electrode.

Single pass defibrillation/pacing lead with passively attached electrode for pacing and sensing

An endocardial lead comprising an elongate body having a first defibrillation coil electrode, a second defibrillation coil electrode and a first pacing/sensing electrode. The first defibrillation coil electrode has a first end and a second end, where the first end is at or near the distal end of the elongate body and the second end spaced longitudinally from the distal end. The first pacing/sensing electrode is spaced longitudinally along the peripheral surface from the second end of the first defibrillation coil electrode. The second defibrillation coil electrode is spaced longitudinally along the peripheral surface from the first pacing/sensing electrode to afford positioning the first defibrillation coil longitudinally adjacent an apical location of the right ventricle of a heart with the first pacing/sensing electrode within the right ventricle of the heart and the second defibrillation coil within the right atrial chamber or a major vein leading to the right atrial chamber of the heart. The elongate body further includes a curved portion on which the first pacing/sensing electrode is positioned such that the first pacing/sensing electrode extends beyond the peripheral surface of the elongate body to engage the tissue of the heart. The first pacing/sensing electrode further includes a retaining element, where the retaining element is adapted to be embedded in the right ventricle of the heart to secure the first pacing/sensing electrode and the elongate body of the endocardial lead to the right ventricle of the heart.

Endocardial lead having defibrillation and sensing electrodes with septal anchoring

A single-pass endocardial lead electrode adapted for implantation in, on or about the heart and for connection to a system for monitoring or stimulating cardiac activity includes a lead body which is adapted for implantation within a single chamber of the heart, or multiple chambers of the heart. The lead includes a first distal end electrode which has a first electrical conducting surface. The lead body also has a second electrode which has a second electrical conducting surface. The first and second electrodes are either passively or actively attached to the wall of the heart. The lead body also includes a curved portion which facilitates the positioning of the second electrode. The main lead body alternatively includes a recess into which an atrial lead body and an active fixation element attached to one end can travel from a recessed position to a position for fixation to the wall of the heart. The active fixation element can also be moved by turning the terminal pin. The lead body can also include multiple legs, each leg carrying an electrode. The lead is attached to a pulse generator for producing pulses to the multiple sites within the heart. A movement assembly for advancing a helix is also included within the legs and comprises an externally threaded collar which engages with an internally threaded housing or housing insert. The lead further includes a helical tip which has high impedance. The electrode has at least one features of the group: the helix having a coating of an insulating material on its surface, the helix having its surface beyond the distal end of the electrode and the distal end of the electrode having a porous conductive surface at a base of the helix, a porous conductive element at a base of the helix, and a porous conductive element at the end of the electrode having an insulating coating cover from 5-95% of the surface of the porous conductive element. The porous element may further provide a guiding mechanism for the helix as it travels out of the electrode for securing the electrode to the heart.

A single-pass endocardial lead electrode adapted for implantation on or about the heart and for connection to a system for monitoring or stimulating cardiac activity including a lead body with a circumferential outer surface. The lead includes a first distal end electrode which has a first electrical conducting surface which is for positioning within the ventricle of the heart. The lead body also has a second electrode which has a second electrical conducting surface adapted for positioning within the atrium of the heart. Both of the first and the second electrodes are adapted for positioning and fixation to the wall. An active fixation element is used as part of the second electrode. The lead body also includes a curved portion which facilitates the positioning and fixing of the second electrode. In another embodiment, the main lead body includes a recess into which an atrial lead body and the active fixation element attached to one end can travel from a recessed position to a position for fixation to the wall of the heart. The active fixation element which can also be moved by turning the terminal pin.

Single pass lead having retractable, actively attached electrode for

Implantable electrodes for defibrillation are formed of pluralities of electrode segments. Each of the segments is relatively long and narrow. The electrode segments can be parallel and spaced apart from one another a distance at least ten times the nominal width, with one end of each segment mounted to a transverse distal portion of an electrically conductive lead coupling the electrode to a defibrillation pulse generator. Alternatively, segments can branch or radiate outwardly from a common junction. In yet another arrangement, electrode segments are portions of a single conductive path at the distal end of a lead from a pulse generator, arranged in either a spiral configuration or a serpentine configuration which can align electrode segments side by side, parallel and spaced apart. The electrode segments can be formed of composite conductors in the form of titanium ribbons or wires with a sputtered outer layer of platinum, or a silver core in a stainless steel tube, with a platinum layer formed onto the tube. The electrodes are highly compliant yet can provide large effective areas for defibrillation, enabling a transthoracic pulsing arrangement of two electrodes on opposite sides of the heart, implanted subcutaneously outside of the thoracic region.

Subcutaneous defibrillation electrodes

Body implantable defibrillation system

A tool for subcutaneously implanting a subcutaneous electrode comprising several wire patch electrode segments by way of a single surgical incision. The tunneling tool comprises a stylet and a peel-away sheath. The tunneling tool is inserted into an incision, in a direction which corresponds to the desired placement of an electrode segment. Once the tunneling tool reaches a desired position, the stylet is withdrawn, thereby revealing the interior of the peel-away sheath and a resulting subcutaneous tunnel. The corresponding electrode segment is then inserted into this subcutaneous tunnel, and subsequently implanted in the patient. The implantation procedure is then repeated as many times as is necessary, using the same incision, until all the electrode segments for the particular electrode configuration have been implanted. In addition, the tunneling tool can be adapted to conform to varying electrode segment sizes, which thereby allows the tool to conform to the varying needs of each individual patient. As an even further feature, the tunneling tool can be constructed in a curved configuration to facilitate electrode implantation in the lateral thoracic region of the body.

Insertion and tunneling tool for a subcutaneous wire patch electrode

Growing community of inventors

White Bear Lake, MN, United States of America

John E Heil