MEDICAL LEAD WITH PREFORMED BIAS

• US 20110077726A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZOLL Respicardia Incorporated (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Respicardia, Inc. (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Westlund, Randy W., Lynn, Marc C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,468,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/127
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0558 Anchoring or fixation means therefor
• 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

Abstract

A medical electrical lead and methods of implanting medical electrical leads in lumens. Leads in accordance with the invention employ preformed biases to stabilize the lead within a lumen and to orient electrodes in a preferred orientation.

Claims

1. A medical electrical lead comprising:

a. a lead body having a preformed helical bias with a coil diameter;

b. at least one electrode;

c. wherein the ratio of the coil diameter to the length of the at least one electrode is at least 4;

1.

2. The medical electrical lead of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the coil diameter to the length of the electrode is at least 5:

1.

3. The medical electrical lead of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the coil diameter to the length of the electrode is at least 6:

1.

4. The medical electrical lead of claim 1, wherein the preformed helical bias is a converging helical bias and the coil diameter is defined as the diameter of the smallest coil of the bias.

5. The medical electrical lead of claim 4, wherein the ratio of the coil diameter to the length of the electrode is at least 5:

1.

6. The medical electrical lead of claim 4, wherein the ratio of the coil diameter to the length of the electrode is at least 6:

1.

7. The medical electrical lead of claim 1, wherein the preformed helical bias is a diverging helical bias and the coil diameter is defined as the diameter of the smallest coil of the bias.

8. The medical electrical lead of claim 7, wherein the ratio of the coil diameter to the length of the electrode is at least 5:

1.

9. A medical electrical lead comprising:

a. a lead body having preformed helical bias with a coil diameter;

b. a plurality of electrodes;

c. wherein at least a portion of each of the plurality of electrodes is within a single quadrant of the helical bias.

10. The medical electrical lead of claim 9, wherein each of the electrodes has a length such that ratio of the coil diameter to the lengths of the electrodes is at least 4:

1.

11. The medical electrical lead of claim 9, wherein each of the electrodes has a length such that ratio of the coil diameter to the lengths of the electrodes is at least 5:

1.

12. The medical electrical lead of claim 9, wherein each of the electrodes has a length such that ratio of the coil diameter to the lengths of the electrodes is at least 6:

1.

13. A medical electrical lead comprising:

a. a lead body having a lead body axis;

b. a preformed bias in the lead body, the bias having a bias axis;

c. wherein the angle between the lead body axis and the bias axis is greater than thirty degrees.

14. The medical electrical lead of claim 14, wherein the angle between the lead body axis and the bias axis is greater than forty-five degrees.

15. A method of implanting a lead in a lumen, the method comprising:

a. inserting a lead in a lumen, the lead having a helical bias and a plurality of electrodes wherein at least a portion of each of the plurality of electrodes is within a single quadrant of the helical bias

b. positioning the lead within the lumen so that a tissue of interest is within the quadrant as the quadrant extends outward radially.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the lumen comprises the right brachiocephalic vein and the tissue of interest comprises the right phrenic nerve.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the lumen comprises the left brachiocephalic vein and the tissue of interest comprises the left phrenic nerve.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the lumen comprises the superior vena cava and the tissue of interest comprises the right phrenic nerve.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the lumen comprises the right internal jugular vein and the tissue of interest comprises the hypoglossal nerve.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the lumen comprises the junction between the right brachiocephalic vein and the right subclavian vein.