Medtronic, Inc.

Mitchell R Maciver

Ronald A Drake

Lester O Stener

John A Lange

Brian R Burwick

Gary M Grose

George J Rowley

Jane M DeMay

A detachable handle assembly for a tool, the tool for creating a sub-sternal tunnel in a patient. The handle assembly includes a lock-and-release mechanism by which the tunneling assembly is attached to the handle, the mechanism being operable to detach the handle from the tunneling assembly. The handle assembly also may include a knob that interlocks with the tunneling assembly, the knob being configured for engagement by fingers of an adult hand to apply a force to rotate a boring tip of the tunneling assembly.

Extravascular medical access tools having boring tip and methods of using such tools

This disclosure describes various tools and associated methods suitable for gaining access to extravascular spaces. The various tools and associated methods utilize a boring tip that may rotate to aid in safely and effectively crossing diaphragmatic attachments. The boring tip may, in some instances not have any sharp edge. For example, the boring tip may have a dome shape but including at least one surface recessed and offset from a summit of the dome shape. Various mechanisms may be used to control rotation of the boring tip as described herein.

A connector for clamping lead bodies into connector bores in implantable medical devices has several alternative embodiments. In each there is a handle that has a fixed relationship with an axle member that connects through the connector block perpendicular to the long axes of the connector bores for the leads. A large, manually operable flag or handle member clicks into position to lock the lead in by positioning a saddle portion against the lead body in the bore. The handle may be split into legs or the axle may be split into legs and the space between the legs filled with medical adhesive if desired. Likewise a soft material elastomer may surround the saddle portion to prevent rough contact with the lead body.

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Ramsey, MN, United States of America

Mitchell R Maciver