LEAD DELIVERY DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20090326630A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Drake, Ronald Alan, Asleson, Andrea Jean, Tobin, Lindsey Marie, Hayden, Scott William, Waldhauser, Steven Lawrence, Yasger, Kendra
• Granted Patent: US 9,849,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/0585 Coronary sinus electrodes

Abstract

A medical apparatus includes an electrically conductive lead for a medical device, the lead having an internal bore terminating at a distal lead opening, and a lead delivery device for delivering the distal end of the lead to a blood vessel during implantation of the lead. The lead delivery device includes a removably anchorable guidewire, and a fixator attached to a distal portion of the guidewire for anchoring the guidewire. The fixator is movable between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration. The fixator is capable of passing through the distal lead opening of the lead in the compact configuration. The fixator is capable of exerting a holding force in the range of about 0.89 to 4.45 N in the lumen of the blood vessel in the expanded configuration.

Claims

1. A medical apparatus comprising:

an electrically conductive lead for a medical device, the lead having an internal bore terminating at a distal lead opening;

a lead delivery device for delivering the distal end of the lead to a blood vessel during implantation of the lead, the lead delivery device including;

a removably anchorable guidewire; and

a fixator attached to a distal portion of the guidewire for anchoring the guidewire, the fixator movable between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration, the fixator capable of passing through the distal lead opening of the lead in the compact configuration, and the fixator capable of exerting a holding force in the range of about 0.89 to 4.45 N in the lumen of the blood vessel in the expanded configuration.

2. The medical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fixator includes a compact width of equal to or less than 0.483 mm in the compact configuration.

3. The medical apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fixator includes an expanded width up to about 5 mm in the expanded configuration.

4. The medical apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fixator includes an inflatable balloon having first and second ends attached to the guidewire.

5. The medical apparatus of claim 4, wherein the balloon includes etched surface fixation formations.

6. The medical apparatus of claim 4, wherein the balloon includes a helical or spiral configuration for following a tortuous path in the vessel.

7. The medical apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fixator includes a mechanical anchor having deployable parts.

8. The medical apparatus of claim 7, wherein the deployable parts include movable wings.

9. The medical apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fixator includes a pinwheel.

10. The medical apparatus of claim 3, wherein the guidewire has a width of about 0.356 mm.

11. A medical method comprising:

inserting a distal end of cannulated catheter through cardiac tissue into a main cardiac vessel;

attaching an expandable fixator to a distal portion of a guidewire;

inserting the guidewire through the catheter;

advancing the guidewire past the distal end of the catheter and into a target site in a lumen of a branching vessel;

expanding the fixator into the target site;

removably anchoring the fixator into the lumen with a holding force in the range of about 0.89 to 4.45 N;

removing the catheter;

advancing an electrically conductive lead of a medical device over the guidewire to the target site without moving the guidewire while tensioning the guidewire; and

delivering the distal portion of the lead at the target site.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

contracting the fixator to a compact width;

releasing the fixator from the lumen of the branching vessel;

retracting the guidewire with the fixator through a distal opening of the lead; and

removing the guidewire and fixator through the lumen of the lead.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein expanding the fixator comprises expanding the fixator to an expanded width of about 5 mm.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein contracting the fixator comprises contracting the fixator to a compact width equal to or less than about 0.483 mm.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein attaching an expandable fixator comprises attaching an inflatable balloon.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein attaching an expandable fixator comprises attaching an expandable mechanical anchor including movable parts.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein removing the catheter comprises removing the catheter without slitting the catheter.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein removing the catheter comprises removing the catheter prior to advancing the lead to the target site over the guidewire.

19. A medical apparatus comprising:

a medical device for providing cardiac therapy, or cardiac sensing, or a combination thereof;

an electrically conductive lead having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end couplable to the medical device, the lead having an internal bore terminating at a distal opening at the distal end;

a lead delivery device for delivering the distal end of the lead to a blood vessel during implantation of the lead, the lead delivery device including;

a removably anchorable guidewire; and

a fixator attached to a distal portion of the guidewire, the fixator movable between a compact configuration and an expanded configuration, the fixator having a compact width equal to or less than about 0.483 mm, the fixator capable of passing through the distal lead opening of the lead in the compact configuration, the fixator having an expanded width up to about 5 mm, the fixator capable of exerting a holding force in the range of about 0.89 to 4.45 N in the lumen of the blood vessel in the expanded configuration.

20. The medical device of claim 19, wherein the fixator includes an inflatable balloon.