Medtronic, Inc.

Kenneth B Stokes

Rick D McVenes

Keith J Proctor

Josée Morissette

Jos&eacute;e Morissette

Christopher M Hobot

Michael Jay Ebert

Peter J Pohndorf

Richard H Comben

James T Gates

Philip H Lee

Wendy A Berthelsen

Mary M Morris

Tommy Dean Bennett

Joseph F Lessar

Mark D Breyen

Adrianus P Donders

Richard D Sandstrom

Arthur J Coury

Kenneth R Brennen

James E Upton

Jennifer P Miller

Wendell L King

Michael A Colson

Gene A Bornzin

Naim S Istephanous

Phong D Doan

Gary M Johnson

Nicholas P Smyth

Edward D Di Domenico

Fred Lindemans

James M Anderson

John R Helland

Jeanne M Lesniak

Vincent Giele

A biostable polymeric substrate of an implantable medical device unit includes a demand-release bioactive composition including one or more bioactive agents covalently bound to surface-modifying end groups of the substrate. Certain cellular activities, in proximity to the polymeric substrate, release substances reacting with the end groups such that the end groups release the one or more bioactive agents, which modify the certain cellular activities.

Demand-release bioactive composition for implantable medical devices

The present invention provides delivery systems for and methods of delivering conduction protein genetic material to cardiac cells in localized areas of the heart to improve the conductance therein. More specifically, there is provided a system and method for delivering connexin proteins or nucleic acid molecules encoding connexin proteins to a site in the heart which has been determined by mapping procedures to have a conduction disturbance. For cases where conduction is impaired, selected genetic material is delivered to cells around the disturbance area, in order to enhance overall conductivity patterns; in other cases, genetic material is selected to slow conduction in affected areas, so as to prevent, e.g., brady-tachy syndrome.

System and method for genetically treating cardiac conduction disturbances

The present invention provides delivery systems for and methods of delivering ion channel protein genetic material to cardiac cells in areas adjacent to where an electrode is to be positioned in a patient's heart to improve or correct the signal to noise ratio of cardiac signals, such as the P-wave. More specifically, there is provided a system and method for delivering sodium ion channel proteins or nucleic acid molecules encoding sodium ion channel proteins to a site in the heart adjacent to an electrode to increase the expression of the same, thereby enhancing the cardiac signal amplitude and enabling improved sensing of cardiac signals by an implanted pacemaker.

System and method for enhancing cardiac signal sensing by cardiac pacemakers through genetic treatment

An implantable medical lead is provided with a distal guidewire extension. A flexible distal guidewire extension, which may take the form of a helically wound wire around a tapered core, extends from the distal end of a lead body. The extension may exit a tip electrode, which may be a generally rounded electrode or an active fixation electrode. The distal guidewire extension is preferably insulated, but may be provided with an uninsulated segment for serving as an electrode.

Medical lead with flexible distal guidewire extension

An implantable medical device, perhaps a pacemaker lead, has a medical unit and a casing at least partially enclosing the medical unit. The casing is formed of a base polymer having surface modifying pendant groups formed of an acrylamide polymer or an acrylamide copolymer, perhaps polyisopropyl acrylamide. The base polymer may be a polyurethane, polyimide, fluoropolymer or polyolefin, for example.

Enhanced chronic lead removal

An implantable medical device has a medical unit, such as a pacemaker lead, and a casing at least partially enclosing the medical unit. The casing is formed of a base polymer such as a polyurethane, a polyurethane copolymer, a fluoropolymer and a polyolefin or a silicone rubber. The casing has biologically active agents covalently bonded to the base polymer. The biologically active agents can be attached to the base polymer as surface active end groups. As an alternative, the biologically active may be attached to a backbone the base polymer. As yet a further alternative, the biologically active agents may be attached to surface modifying end groups, which are in turn attached to the base polymer. Examples of suitable biologically active agents are microbial peptide agents, detergents, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cations, amine-containing organosilicones, diphosphonates, fatty acids and fatty acid salts.

Implantable medical device having biologically active polymeric casing

Delivery systems for and methods of delivering ion channel protein genetic material to cardiac cells in areas adjacent to where an electrode is to be positioned in a patient's heart to improve or correct the signal to noise ratio of cardiac signals, such as the P-wave, is described herein. More specifically, there is provided a system and method for delivering sodium ion channel proteins or nucleic acid molecules encoding sodium ion channel proteins to a site in the heart adjacent to an electrode to increase the expression of the same, thereby enhancing the cardiac signal amplitude and enabling improved sensing of cardiac signals by an implanted pacemaker.

A lead adapted to be located within the cardiac vasculature is disclosed. The lead may be readily steered to a desired location within the cardiac vasculature to thereafter be securely located at a desired pacing site. The lead is provided with an improved electrode assembly located at its distal tip. The electrode assembly includes a fixation helix and a guidewire-like projection, both extending from the distal end of the lead body. The fixation helix, which may serve as all or part of the active electrode surrounds a structure corresponding to the distal end of a conventional guidewire. The fixation helix is mounted around the guidewire tip so that the sharpened tip of the helix lies closely adjacent to the guidewire tip, in a region of the guidewire tip which is sufficiently flexible to allow it to be moved away from the sharpened tip of the helix. The guidewire tip, which may be provided with a preformed curve at its distal end, is employed to navigate the lead through the cardiac vasculature in a fashion similar to the navigation of a catheter and guidewire in combination or a guidewire alone. Upon reaching the desired location within the cardiac vasculature, the lead may be rotated to screw one or more turns of the fixation helix into heart tissue, the flexibility of the guidewire tip allowing it to move away from the sharpened tip of the helix during the process of affixing the lead to the tissue.

Implantable active fixation lead with guidewire tip

A medical lead having a diameter of no greater than 3 French and employing an insulation material that is substantially stiffer than would normally be employed in the context of a permanently implantable cardiac pacing lead is disclosed. A material having a Young's modulus of at least 25,000 pounds per square inch such as Pellethane 2363-75D, or an even stiffer polymer, is used to provide a lead body that does not exhibit a whip-like effect in response to such movement as would occur during a heart beat. In order to prevent the increased stiffness of the lead body from increasing the possibility that the distal lead tip will perforate the heart tissue, the lead is provided with a distal surface that is not reduced in size. This surface reduces the pressure exerted by the distal lead tip upon body tissue to no greater than 3.6 pounds per square inch. The distal tip may carry an electrode of the same or substantially smaller surface area, allowing the lead to retain desirable electrical characteristics for sensing of cardiac depolarizations and delivery of cardiac pacing pulses.

Biostable small French lead

The present invention is directed to a medical electrical lead having active fixation which features an improved fixation helix. In particular the present invention is a medical electrical lead having a fixation helix which features microgrooves. The microgrooves are dimensioned so as to minimize the foreign body response of the tissue into which the helix is implanted. The microgrooves preferably consist of a series of grooves parallel to the longitudinal axis of the helix, each groove has a depth of between approximately 0.1 to 30 microns, preferably between approximately 0.1 and 3, with 1 micron preferred; a width of between approximately 0.1 to 30 microns, preferably between approximately 0.1 and 3, with 1 micron preferred; and is spaced apart from every other groove by a distance of between approximately 0.1 to 30 microns, preferably between approximately 0.1 and 3, with 1 micron preferred. Although shown as square, the grooves may be of any shape, including rectangular, polygonal, rounded or even irregularly shaped.

Medical electrical lead having improved fixation

There is provided an implantable system and method for delivering stimulus pulses and/or collecting data from a plurality of sites within a patient's body, having a main controller device with a power source, a stimulator/sensing devices at each of said sites, and circuitry for high frequency transmission of power from the main unit to each of the remote devices. Power is transferred by converting it into a high frequency at the controller unit, and periodically or on request transmitting it to the respective devices. The main controller unit and each respective device also preferably has one or more sensors for collecting data and processor circuitry for analyzing such data. Each remote device has a transmitter for transmitting collected data back to the main controller; the main controller has encoding circuitry for encoding a data component onto the high frequency carrier along with the power component. The controller unit and the respective devices are also equipped with circuitry for controlling power transmission on a need basis, i.e., when the remote device needs power and requests it. The system also performs a transmission parameter test, and adjusts parameters of the transmitted signal, such as frequency and amplitude, as may be indicated.

Leadless multisite implantable stimulus and diagnostic system

A body-implantable transvenous endocardial lead for an implantable medical device system. The lead includes inner and outer coiled conductors each surrounded by a flexible elongate sheath such that the inner conductor is rotatable within the outer sheath. An electrode assembly disposed at the distal end of the lead includes a distally-projecting fixation helix. A sliding member in the electrode assembly includes a helix-engaging collar for engaging the coils of the fixation helix, such that when the helix is rotated in a first direction with respect to the sliding member, it is advanced in a screw-like fashion distally forward with respect to the sliding member, and when the helix is rotated in a second direction with respect to the sliding member, it is retracted proximally backward with respect to the sliding member. A tip electrode is disposed on the distal end of the sliding member. When the helix is fully retracted, the helix-engaging collar is disposed substantially at the distal end of the helix such that the tip electrode extends distally beyond the distal end of the helix. When the helix is fully advanced, the helix engaging collar and the electrode are positioned substantially within the helix.

Growing community of inventors

Brooklyn Park, MN, United States of America

Kenneth B Stokes