Pressure Products Medical Supplies Inc.

Biosense Webster, Inc.

Oscor Inc.

Other

Thomas Medical Products, Inc.

Worley, Seth J.

Seth J Worley

Paul A Kurth

Shiva Sharareh

Andrew W Armour

Christopher A Heine

Doug Kratz

A catheter for mapping and/or ablating continuous linear or circumferential lesions at the intersection of a generally flat structure, such as the left atrium, and the ostium of generally cavernous regions of the heart, including pulmonary vein and the pulmonary venous antrum, comprises a catheter body with an intermediate section that is connected to a tip assembly by a highly flexible section. The intermediate section has at its distal end a preformed section, e.g., a curve, the intermediate section being deflectable in a direction opposite to the curve. The highly flexible section presets the tip assembly at an off-axis and/or off-plane angles from the preformed section. Accordingly, the preformed section is adapted to sit in the region and the preset angles of the ablation assembly enable contact with surrounding tissue. A high bending modulus enables the flexible section absorb displacement force applied to the ablation assembly, such as when the tip assembly encounters uneven tissue surface, without displacing the curve from the region. The tip assembly can be irrigated as enabled by a plurality of irrigation ports, a coil electrode, and a porous covering to disperse fluid over the outer surface of the tip assembly.

Catheter with flexible pre-shaped tip section

A method of inserting a pacing lead having a preformed shape into a coronary sinus to pace the left atrium includes providing a lead having an elongated body and proximal and tip sections. The sections are configured such that a first angle less than 90 degrees is defined between the lead body and proximal section and a second angle is defined between the tip and proximal sections. The method further comprises advancing the pacing wire towards the opening of the coronary sinus and advancing the wire into the coronary sinus, such that the first angle is compressed by the coronary sinus opening and a tip electrode included on the tip section contacts the wall of the coronary sinus near the left atrium operably extending the second angle to assure constant contact between the wall of the coronary sinus and the tip electrode.

Coronary sinus lead for pacing the left atrium

A pacing lead for implantation in a coronary sinus having an opening and a wall defining an interior and presenting a diameter dimension. The pacing lead includes an elongated lead body, a resilient fixation element, and at least one electrode on either the lead body or the fixation element. The fixation element extends from the pacing portion and defines a loop structure laterally adjacent the pacing portion. The loop structure presents a predetermined width dimension greater than the diameter dimension of the coronary sinus, wherein when the loop structure is inserted into the opening of the coronary sinus, the loop structure is laterally compressed by the wall of the coronary sinus and the electrode is biased against the wall of the coronary sinus.

A pacing lead for implantation in the pericardial space includes an elongated lead body, a compression fixation element, and at least one electrode on either the lead body or the fixation element. The fixation element defines a resilient structure, and is positioned and dimensioned so that when the lead is disposed in the pericardial space, the resilient fixation element is compressed between the parietal and visceral pericardium, thereby biasing the electrode against the myocardium and providing positional stabilization to the lead. Further positional stability may be provided mechanically with structures enabling the application of adhesive or with fixation screw or tine elements.

Pacing lead and method for pacing in the pericardial space

An introducer system for implantation of pacemaker leads into the venous system of the human heart through the coronary sinus is comprised of a flexible, elongate, outer elongate element having a first shape or bias along a portion. The first shape on the outer element may be prebiased or may be initially straight and subsequently biased once deployed in the body chamber. A flexible, elongate, telescopic inner elongate element has a second shape or bias on its distal portion and has the first shape or bias on a more proximal portion. The inner elongate element is telescopically disposed in the outer sheath. The outer and inner elongate elements are rotatable with respect to each other, such that when the inner elongate element is distally extended from the outer sheath, there exists an angular orientation between the inner and outer sheaths which is congruent, when there is at least partial alignment between the distal portion of the outer elongate element and the more proximal portion of the inner sheath, both having the first shape or bias. This results in the rotation of the distal second shape or curve of the inner elongate element into a predetermined three dimensional location.

Telescopic introducer with a compound curvature for inducing alignment and method of using the same

A device and method for slitting a first elongated flexible catheter/sheath used with an elongated flexible component. The device includes a handle, an elongated groove and a cutter member. The cutter member has a sharp distally located cutting edge and a top surface from which a finger projects distally. The cutting edge is located under the finger and is arranged to be located within the annular space between the component and the first catheter/sheath when the first catheter/sheath is within the groove. The cutting edge serves to slice the first catheter/sheath longitudinally when the first catheter/sheath is pulled in a proximal direction. The finger protects the component from injury.

Catheter sheath slitter and method of use

The invention is defined as a precurved coronary sinus guiding introducer for use in a cardiomyopathic heart comprising a flexible elongated member with a proximal and distal end. The elongated member comprises a generally straight, proximal portion and a precurved distal portion. In one embodiment the proximal portion and distal portion are formed to lie is a common plane. In another embodiment the portions are angulated with respect to each other in different planes. The precurved distal portion comprises at least one curved subportion and at least one curved or straight subportion. The precurved distal subportion curves through a generally circular arc away and is defined by a chord of predetermined length. The precurved distal subportion has a predetermined height above the chord. The curved or straight subportion is the distal section of the precurved distal portion.

Introducer for accessing the coronary sinus of a heart

An introducer system is used for implantation of pacemaker leads into the venous system of the human heart through the coronary sinus. The system is comprised of three telescopic components, an inner telescoping core, a precurved inner telescoping sheath, and an outer telescoping sheath, introducer, guide or catheter. In an embodiment where a core is used it is torsionally stiff. In an embodiment where no core is used, the inner sheath is torsionally stiff. In either case, the member which is torsionally stiff is torqueable. In general, the inner sheath and outer guide will be both laterally and torsionally flexible, while the core will be torsionally stiff. The core and inner sheath, when curved together in the venous system and proximally coupled, will be sufficiently bound to each other that proximal rotation of the core will be coupled to and cause distal rotation of the inner sheath.

Growing community of inventors

Lancaster, PA, United States of America

Seth J Worley