Cordis Corporation

Telectronics N.v.

Peter J Pohndorf

Edward A Schroeppel

Peter P Tarjan

Walter H Wesner

Stanley R Hess

Sandra L Miller

An electrical lead for implantation in a patient comprises separate first and second lead portions having conductor wire therein. The leads are electrically connected at respective ends within a lead anchor member. In accordance with this invention, the lead anchor has means for fixed retention of the first and second lead portions in electrical connection therewith so that an electrical signal passing through the lead passes through a conductive portion of the lead anchor between the first and second lead portions. The lead anchor has means permitting suture retention in a desired implanted position in the patient.

Implantable, self-retaining lead

A method for cardiac pacing and sensing is disclosed. A cardiac pacing lead is inserted into a heart chamber. The lead carries a plurality of separate electrodes positioned at the distal tip of the lead and transversely spaced from and electrically isolated from each other. A separate electrical conductor is provided for each electrode. A plurality of the electrodes are combined via electrical conductors to provide a relatively large electrode area for sensing cardiac activity. One of the electrodes is used for providing pacing pulses to the heart chamber. The pacing electrode has a relatively smaller surface area than the relatively large surface area used for sensing.

Method for cardiac pacing and sensing using combination of electrodes

A neural stimulator electrode element and lead includes an elongate sheath having a passage therein and which contains an electrical conductor and electrode, the latter of which communicates through the exterior wall of the sheath. Two pairs of flexible elongate wing members are positioned on the exterior wall of the sheath to stabilize the tip when it is installed in the patient's epidural space. The flexible wing members flex during installation, but extend laterally from the sheath following installation of the element to prevent the element and lead from rotating and maintain the element in position.

Neural stimulator electrode element and lead

The anchoring device is used to grip and anchor a suture sleeve received around a pacing lead body to underlying tissue. The anchoring device comprises a unitary body having an upper clip formation adapted to be received around a suture sleeve and a lower staple formation having opposed prongs. When the clip formation is closed about a suture sleeve to grasp the suture sleeve to cause the sleeve to grasp a pacing lead body therein, the prongs will pierce and grasp underlying tissue.

Suture sleeve anchoring device

A suture sleeve assembly is provided for placement around an elongated lead body, for example a cardiac pacing lead. The assembly anchors the lead body in position relative to the adjacent tissue, and comprises a tubular sleeve and a collet member. The collet member defines a plurality of axially extending legs residing in the bore of the tubular sleeve. The inner surfaces of the legs define frictional gripping members to engage a lead body positioned within the sleeve assembly. Structure is also provided for retaining the collet member in a position with the legs occupying the bore of the tubular sleeve.

Suture sleeve assembly

The neural stimulating lead includes a hollow lead body and an active fixation stabilizing structure. The stabilizing structure comprises two pairs of laterally projecting vanes and an extendable membrane on a dorsal surface of the lead body adapted to be extended to apply pressure against a dorsal surface of a vertebra to force and hold an electrode on the opposite surface of the lead body against the dura of the spinal cord. The membrane forms a canopy which is extended by causing an expandable material to expand against the membrane when actuated by an actuating material inserted into the lead body.

Neural stimulating lead with fixation canopy formation

An electronic electrode switching/selection circuit minimizes the number of feedthroughs from a pacer case to a pacer neck needed to connect with pacing lead electrodes that will be actively used during operation of a pacer. These feedthroughs can be electronically connected with the desired electrode by the physician either at the time of initial implantation or at any time subsequent thereto as may be required. The electronic connection to a feedthrough may be dedicated to a single feedthrough/electrode or electrode pair or the electrodes may be electronically sampled by circuitry in the pacer. The electrode switching/selection circuit may be located in the pacer neck, in an adapter between the pacer neck and a multielectrode lead, or in a multielectrode lead. Preferably, zener protection diodes are also provided which are connected ahead of the pacing circuitry before or after the electrode switching/selection circuit. These zener protection diodes may be located in the pacer neck, in the adapter, or in the multielectrode lead, according to the location of the electrode switching/selection circuit.

Method and means of electrode selection for pacemaker with

The self-suturing porous electrode assembly includes an electrode with a finely grained porous coating and a wire, both embedded in a silicone rubber body with a contact face of the electrode protruding from a lower surface of the body. The body is generally planar with pairs of holes therethrough for receiving the legs of U-shaped spring anchor members of surgical spring steel. Each pair of legs is connected at the upper ends thereof to a bight and have at their lower ends sharply pointed outwardly, and downwardly sloping curved prongs which are spring biased outwardly. In an upper armed position the prongs are retained in tensioned condition adjacent the lower surface of the body by means of one or two wedges inserted between the upper surface of the body and the bights. Activation is achieved by removal of the wedges which allows the legs to move downwardly in a spread apart, snap action movement so as to drive the prongs downwardly and outwardly into adjacent myocardial tissue.

Self-suturing porous epicardial electrode assembly

A neural stimulating lead including a stabilizing mechanism. The stabilizing mechanism comprises two pairs of parallel laterally projecting vanes and an extendible tine adapted to be extended to apply pressure against a dorsal surface of a vertebrum to force and hold an electrode assembly of the neural stimulating lead against a spinal cord. The tine is extendible through a port in the electrode surface from a retracted position within the lead body to an extended position by pulling on an actuating cable which is attached at one end to the tine and which has its other end extending from a connector portion on a proximal end of the lead.

Neural stimulating lead with stabilizing mechanism and method for using

A suture sleeve and associated gripping enhancing structure which extend longitudinally of an elongate axis of the suture sleeve which has a lumen therein and received over a lead body of a pacing lead. The gripping enhancing structure is radially compressible with the suture sleeve upon the tying of sutures around the suture sleeve to facilitate gripping of the lead body by the suture sleeve and/or gripping enhancing means. The gripping enhancing structure can be formed within and integral with the suture sleeve, or can be a separate thermoplastic part which is insert molded into the suture or which is received on and around the suture sleeve.

Suture sleeve with structure for enhancing pacing lead gripping

A method and apparatus for introducing a neural stimulator lead into the epidural space in the spinal cord of a patient includes an introducer into which an epidural needle assembly may be inserted through a cannula in the introducer. The introducer along with the epidural needle assembly, such as a Tuohy needle, are inserted between the vertebrae in the patient's spine so that the leading tip of the epidural needle assembly and the introducer are adjacent the epidural space. The epidural needle assembly includes a needle which also has a cannula and an obturator which is inserted in the cannula when the introducer and epidural needle assembly are being inserted between the vertebrae. The obturator is thereafter removed from the cannula of the needle, the needle cannula is filled with a saline solution, and the introducer is further advanced into the epidural space as the needle is withdrawn from the cannula of the introducer. The neural stimulator lead is then inserted through the cannula of the introducer, until it is positioned in the epidural space. Once the electrode of the lead is positioned at its desired location, the introducer is withdrawn along the lead and the introducer is split away from the electrode by a pair of handles and a weakened score line extending longitudinally of the cannula of the introducer.

Percutaneous lead introducing system and method

The pacing lead assembly (10) comprises a flexible pacing lead (12) having, at the proximal end thereof, terminals (14, 16) for connecting the lead (12) to a pulse generator, and having a flexible bent or curved configuration (23) in an outer end portion (22) thereof with an electrode assembly (24) including an electrode (28) at the distal end (25) of the pacing lead (12). A positionable, locating, orienting and stabilizing device (34) has a passageway (38) therethrough and is received over the lead (12) such that the device (34) can be rotated on the pacing lead (12). A cooperating locking hub (36) is fixed on the lead (12) and adapted to mate and lock with the device (34) in a predetermined position of the device (34) whereby the device (34), when locked in place in the predetermined position, has a predetermined orientation relative to the bent or curved configuration (23) in the outer end portion (22 ) of the pacing lead (12) and whereby the device (34) in its unlocked position can be rotated to an unobtrusive position relative to the outer end portion (22) of the pacing lead (12).

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Miami Shores, FL, United States of America

Peter J Pohndorf