LEAD WITH ORIENTATION FEATURE

• US 20070293923A1
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Soltis, Brian D., Tockman, Bruce A., Smith, Mitchell A.
• Application Number:
  US11/424,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20070293923A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/057 Anchoring means; Means for fixing the head inside the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/0585 Coronary sinus electrodes

Abstract

A left ventricular lead is provided for placement in a branch vessel of the coronary sinus, the vessel having a vessel wall and an adjacent myocardium. The lead includes a lead body having a central lumen extending therethrough, at least a first electrode on the lead body and at least a first orientation feature protruding from the lead body for orienting one or more of the electrodes into contact with the myocardium. The lead may also include a pre-shaped curvature. The orientation feature may also aid in steering the lead into a selected branch vessel of the coronary sinus and in fixing the lead within the branch vessel.

Claims

1. A left ventricular lead for placement in a branch vessel of the coronary sinus, the vessel having a vessel wall and an adjacent myocardium, the lead comprising:

a lead body having a lumen extending therethrough;

at least a first electrode on the lead body; and

at least a first orientation feature protruding from the lead body for orienting one or more of the electrodes into contact with the myocardium.

2. The lead of claim 1 wherein the at least first orientation feature is disposed on the lead body opposite the at least first electrode.

3. The lead of claim 1 wherein the at least first electrode has an exposed surface opposite the at least first orientation feature and an insulated surface adjacent the at least first orientation feature.

4. The lead of claim 1 wherein the at least first orientation feature is one of a tine, a leaf spring, a polymer protrusion, an expandable member, a balloon, a stent, a cage, or a shape memory alloy.

5. The lead of claim 4 further comprising a plurality of orientation features, in which at least one of the orientation features is different than another orientation feature.

6. The lead of claim 1 wherein the at least first orientation feature is deployable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration.

7. The lead of claim 1 further comprising a dissolvable coating covering at least a portion of the at least first orientation feature.

8. The lead of claim 1 wherein the at least first orientation feature is elongated.

9. The lead of claim 1 wherein the at least first orientation feature is adjacent a flexibility transition region of the lead body.

10. The lead of claim 1 wherein the lead body is pre-shaped with a curved region, and the at least first orientation feature is adjacent the curved region.

11. The lead of claim 10 wherein the at least first orientation feature is adjacent an inflection region of the lead body.

12. The lead of claim 1 wherein the at least first orientation feature is integrally formed in the lead body.

13. A left ventricular lead for placement in a branch vessel of the coronary sinus, the vessel having a vessel wall and an adjacent myocardium, the lead comprising:

a lead body having a lumen extending therethrough;

at least a first electrode on the lead body; and

at least a first orientation feature protruding from the lead body for orienting a distal tip of the lead body into a selected branch vessel.

14. The lead of claim 13 wherein the at least first orientation feature is adjacent an inflection region of the lead body.

15. The lead of claim 13 wherein the at least first orientation feature is adjacent an outer tangent of the inflection region.

16. The lead of claim 13 wherein the at least first orientation feature is one of a tine, a leaf spring, a polymer protrusion, an expandable member, a balloon, a stent, a cage, or a shape memory alloy.

17. A method of implanting a lead in a selected branch vessel of the coronary sinus that is adjacent a myocardium, the method comprising:

providing a lead body having a lumen extending therethrough, at least a first electrode on the lead body; and

at least a first orientation feature protruding from the lead body for orienting one or more of the electrodes into contact with the myocardium;

advancing the lead body through the coronary sinus and into the selected branch vessel; and

engaging the at least first orientation feature against a vessel wall of the branch vessel opposite the at least first electrode.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising deploying the at least first orientation feature from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising engaging the at least first orientation feature against a surface of the heart to select a branch vessel.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising engaging the at least first orientation feature against the vessel wall to fix the lead in a selected position.