Cardiac Stimulation system

• US 20070135883A1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Scott, Hastings, Roger, Drasler, William, Kveen, Graig, Willard, Martin, Pikus, Michael, Lafontaine, Daniel, Saholt, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US11/549,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20070135883A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/126
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/283 Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/29 for permanent or long-term implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6848 Needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6882 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0573 chacterised by means penetrating the heart tissue, e.g. helix needle or hook
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/059 Anchoring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3684 for stimulating the heart at multiple sites of the ventricle or the atrium
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36843 Bi-ventricular stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators

Abstract

Some embodiments of pacing systems employ wireless electrode assemblies to provide pacing therapy. The wireless electrode assemblies may wirelessly receive energy via an inductive coupling so as to provide electrical stimulation to the surrounding heart tissue. In certain embodiments, the wireless electrode assembly may include one or more biased tines that shift from a first position to a second position to secure the wireless electrode assembly into the inner wall of the heart chamber.

Claims

1. A wireless electrode assembly for electrical stimulation of heart tissue, comprising:

a body portion at least partially containing a circuit to deliver electrical energy to an electrode to electrically stimulate heart wall tissue;

a first fixation structure extending from the body portion in a generally forward orientation and being biased to shift from a retained condition to an outwardly extended condition to engage heart wall tissue; and

a second fixation structure extending from the body portion in a generally rearward orientation and being to shift from a retained condition to an outwardly extended condition to engage heart wall tissue.

2. The wireless electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the first fixation structure comprises at least one tine that opposes forward migration of the body portion through the heart wall tissue when in the outwardly extended condition.

3. The wireless electrode assembly of claim 2, wherein the second fixation structure comprises at least one tine that opposes rearward migration of the body portion through the heart wall tissue when in the outwardly extended condition.

4. The wireless electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein at least the electrode of the body portion is insertable through endocardium and into myocardium of the heart wall tissue.

5. The wireless electrode assembly of claim 4, wherein the body portion has a radius of about 1.25 mm or less, and wherein the body portion has a length of about 10 mm or less.

6. The wireless electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second fixation structures comprise a material selected from the group consisting of Nitinol, stainless steel, and a nickel-cobalt alloy.

7. The wireless electrode assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises an internal coil to inductively couple with an external power source coil and comprises an electrical charge storage device that is recharged from current inductively generated by the internal coil.

8. A wireless electrode assembly at least partially implantable through an interior surface of a heart chamber wall, the electrode assembly comprising:

a body portion having an electrode for electrically stimulating cardiac tissue;

a first set of tines biased outwardly and extending forwardly from a rearward radial periphery of the body portion, the first set of tines opposing a rearward portion, but not a forward portion, of the body portion from being advanced into the heart chamber wall when the electrode assembly is longitudinally advanced in a forward direction toward the interior surface of the heart chamber wall; and

a second set of tines extending rearwardly and biased outwardly from a forward radial periphery of the body portion, the second set of tines opposing the forward portion of the body portion from becoming dislodged from heart wall tissue after the longitudinal advancement of the forward body portion into the heart chamber wall.

9. The wireless electrode assembly of claim 8, wherein at least the forward portion of the body portion is insertable through endocardium and into myocardium of the heart wall tissue.

10. The wireless electrode assembly of claim 9, wherein the body portion has a radius of about 1.25 mm or less, and wherein the body portion has a length of about 10 mm or less.

11. The wireless electrode assembly of claim 8, wherein the first set of tines and the second set of tines comprise a material selected from the group consisting of Nitinol, stainless steel, and a nickel-cobalt alloy.

12. The wireless electrode assembly of claim 8, wherein the body portion comprises a circuit that includes an internal coil to inductively couple with an external power source coil and an electrical charge storage device that is recharged from current inductively generated by the internal coil.

13. An electrode delivery system, the system comprising:

a wireless electrode assembly including a body portion and first and second tines that are biased to shift from a loaded condition to an outwardly extended condition to secure the body portion to a heart chamber wall, the first and second biased tines generally opposing one another; and

a delivery catheter to direct the wireless electrode assembly through a heart chamber and toward an interior surface of a heart chamber wall, the delivery catheter including an opening in a distal end such that, when the wireless electrode assembly is separated from the opening in the distal end of the catheter, the first and second tines shift from the loaded condition to the outwardly extended condition.

14. The electrode delivery system of claim 13, wherein when the first and second tines shift to the outwardly extended condition, the first tines are outwardly extended in a generally distal orientation and the second biased tines are outwardly extended in a generally proximal orientation.

15. The electrode delivery system of claim 13, further comprising a guide catheter to direct the distal end of the delivery catheter into the heart chamber.

16. The electrode delivery system of claim 15, further comprising an actuation member that includes a push rod device to separate the wireless electrode assembly from the opening in the distal end of the delivery catheter.

17. The electrode delivery system of claim 13, wherein the wireless electrode assembly is releasably retained in the delivery catheter by a tubular wall, the tubular wall comprising one or more deployment slots generally aligned with at least one of the first and second tines.

18. A method of inserting a wireless electrode assembly into a heart chamber wall, comprising:

inserting a set of distal tines of a wireless electrode assembly through a portion of endocardium and into a heart chamber wall, the set of distal tines being biased to shift from a retained condition to an outwardly extended condition to secure the wireless electrode assembly to a heart chamber wall; and

causing a set of proximal tines of the wireless electrode assembly to shift from a retained condition to an outwardly extended condition to secure the wireless electrode assembly to the heart chamber wall,

the set of distal tines extending in a generally rearward orientation when in the outwardly extended condition and the set of proximal tines extending in a generally forward orientation when in the outwardly extended condition.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a portion of the wireless electrode assembly is secured to the heart chamber so as to be at least partially incorporated into the endocardium of the heart chamber wall over a period of time.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising delivering the wireless electrode assembly in a delivery catheter to a targeted heart chamber.

21. The method of claim 20, when the set of distal tines and the set of proximal tines are shifted to their respective outwardly extended conditions when the wireless electrode assembly is separated from a distal opening of the delivery catheter.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising implanting a wireless power source coil proximal to the heart so that the wireless power source coil is arrange for inductive coupling with an internal coil of the wireless electrode assembly.