Cordis Corporation

William J Beranek

Stanley H Saulson

The pacing lead comprises an elongate lead body which is made of pliable insulation material, which has a generally circular cross-section, which has a proximal end and a distal end and which has at least one lumen therein extending substantially the length thereof. At least one distal electrode or sensor is mounted to the lead body at or adjacent the distal end of the lead body. At least one proximal connector is mounted to the lead body at or adjacent the proximal end of the lead body. At least one uninsulated, relaxed, uncoiled wire conductor is loosely and slidably received in the lumen and is made of a material having a high flexibility and bendability such as of a nickel and titanium alloy. The wire conductor has a diameter less than the diameter of the at least one lumen and is connected at each end, respectively, to the distal electrode and the proximal connector.

Pacing lead with straight wire conductors

A torque clamp utilized for actuating a fixation device of a pervenous lead into the myocardium of a heart comprises a body. The body includes opposed jaw portions and a jaw actuating mechanism which is opposite the jaw portions and which can be squeezed to open the jaws for gripping a terminal pin of the lead.

Torque clamp for use with pervenous lead having fixation device

The pacing lead comprises a catheter and first and second conductors in the catheter. A tip electrode is fixed to the distal end of the catheter and in electrical contact with a distal end of the first conductor within the catheter. The catheter has an opening in the wall thereof with a bared end portion of the second conductor extending through the opening, out of the catheter and around the catheter. A thin walled electrode sleeve made of a rhenium/tungsten alloy is positioned about and in direct electrical contact with the bared end portion of the second conductor and is compressed about the conductor end portion and the catheter to an extent where the outer diameter of the sleeve is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the catheter. The method for making a pacing lead comprises the steps of: fixing a tip electrode onto the distal end of a flexible catheter; connecting a distal end of a first wire conductor fed through the flexible catheter to the tip electrode; feeding a second wire conductor part way into the flexible catheter and through an opening in the wall of the catheter; baring the distal end portion of the second wire conductor; coiling the bared end of the second wire conductor about the catheter; positioning an electrode sleeve made of a rhenium/tungsten alloy over the coiled bared conductor end portion and catheter; and compressing the sleeve over the coiled bare wire conductor end portion such that the outer diameter of the sleeve is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the catheter.

Pacing/sensing electrode sleeve and method of forming same

An improved electrical connection capable of mechanical movement for providing an electrical connection between a rotatable terminal pin and an external pacer terminal casing in an improved cardiac pacer lead is disclosed. The pacer lead includes an elongated terminal pin at its proximal end that has a generally cylindrical cross-section which extends through an axial bore of an external retaining collar, a coupling and an insulating sleeve and terminates in engagement with an electrode at the distal end at the pacer lead. The retaining collar has a counterbore that defines an annular cavity between the collar and the terminal pin which accomodates an electrical connecting coil. The connection coil has a configuration wherein individual coil turns are circumferentially offset from adjacent coil turns and project radially outwardly from the axis of the coil. The coil is assembled over the terminal pin and within the collar counterbore so that the turns of the coil springly contact both the terminal pin and collar counterbore to create an electrical contact between them that allows rotation of the terminal pin within the collar.

Growing community of inventors

Cooper City, FL, United States of America

William J Beranek