INTRAVASCULAR MEDICAL DEVICE WITH ADVANCABLE ELECTRODE

• US 20130023975A1
• Filed: 07/20/2011
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Locsin, Brent L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,989,873 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0563 specially adapted for defibrillation or cardioversion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3629 in combination with non-electric therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula

Abstract

Implantable medical devices and methods use an intravascular implantable medical device having an elongated housing module to contain one or more circuitry components. An opening is defined through the elongated housing module. A lead, including at least one electrode, is coupled towards the distal end of the elongated housing module and at least a portion of the at least one electrode is in a stowed position within the opening defined through the elongated housing module during implant of the implantable medical device. The at least one electrode is advanceable from the stowed position to a location distal of the distal end of the elongated housing module.

Claims

1. An intravascular implantable medical device comprising:

an elongated housing module extending between a proximal end and a distal end to contain one or more circuitry components, wherein an opening is defined through the elongated housing module from the proximal end to the distal end; and

a lead extending between a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the lead is coupled towards the distal end of the elongated housing module, wherein the lead comprises at least one electrode located in proximity to the distal end of the lead, wherein at least a portion of the at least one electrode is in a stowed position within the opening defined through the elongated housing module during implant of the implantable medical device, and further wherein the at least one electrode is advanceable from the stowed position to a location distal of the distal end of the elongated housing module.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongated housing module extends between the proximal end and the distal end along an axis, wherein the opening defined through the elongated housing module is centered along the axis.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongated housing module extends between the proximal end and the distal end along an axis, wherein the opening defined through the elongated housing module is offset from the axis.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode comprises an electrode at the distal end of the lead, and further wherein the electrode at the distal end of the lead is configured to be passively fixated within vascular structure such that at least two opposing surfaces are lodged within the vascular structure.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode comprises an outer surface configured for contact with the vessel wall of vascular structure and comprises an outer diameter in the range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode is entirely located within the opening defined through the elongated housing module in the stowed position.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises two or more leads, wherein each lead comprises at least one electrode located in proximity to the distal end of the lead, wherein at least a portion of the at least one electrode of each lead is in a stowed position within the opening defined through the elongated housing module during implant of the implantable medical device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongated housing module is configured to be passively fixated within vascular structure.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongated housing module comprises an outer surface configured for contact with the vessel wall of vascular structure and comprises an outer diameter in the range of 4 mm to 15 mm.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the lead comprises a lead wire coupling the at least one electrode to the one or more circuitry components contained within the elongated housing module, wherein at least a portion of the lead wire is in a stowed position within the opening defined through the elongated housing module during implant of the implantable medical device, and further wherein the lead wire is advanceable with the at least one electrode from the stowed position.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the lead comprises a lead wire coupling the at least one electrode to the one or more circuitry components contained within the elongated housing module, wherein at least a portion of the lead wire is in a stowed position within a containment section in the elongated housing module during implant of the implantable medical device, and further wherein the lead wire is advanceable with the at least one electrode from the stowed position.

12. A method comprising:

advancing an implantable medical device to a primary intravascular site, wherein the implantable medical device comprises;

an elongated housing module extending between a proximal end and a distal end to contain one or more circuitry components, wherein an opening is defined through the elongated housing module from the proximal end to the distal end, and

a lead extending between a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the lead is coupled towards the distal end of the elongated housing module, wherein the lead comprises at least one electrode located in proximity to the distal end of the lead, wherein at least a portion of the at least one electrode is in a stowed position within the opening defined through the elongated housing module as the implantable medical device is advanced to the primary intravascular site; and

advancing the at least one electrode from the stowed position to another intravascular site distal of the distal end of the elongated housing module.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the elongated housing module extends between the proximal end and the distal end along an axis, wherein the opening defined through the elongated housing module is centered along the axis or is offset from the axis.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one electrode comprises an electrode at the distal end of the lead, and further wherein the method comprises passively fixating the electrode at the distal end of the lead within vascular structure.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein passively fixating the electrode at the distal end of the lead within vascular structure comprises lodging two opposing surface regions of the electrode within the vascular structure.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one electrode comprises an outer surface configured for contact with the vessel wall of vascular structure and comprises an outer diameter in the range of 0.1 mm to 5 mm, and further wherein the method comprises passively fixating the at least one electrode within vascular structure using an interference fit between the outer surface and the vessel wall.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein implantable medical device comprises two or more leads, wherein each lead comprises at least one electrode located in proximity to the distal end of the lead, wherein at least a portion of the at least one electrode of each lead is in a stowed position within the opening defined through the elongated housing module, and further wherein the method comprises advancing the at least one electrode of each lead from the stowed position to separate intravascular sites distal of the distal end of the elongated housing module.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises passively fixating the elongated housing module within vascular structure.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the elongated housing module comprises an outer surface configured for contact with the vessel wall of vascular structure and comprises an outer diameter in the range of 4 mm to 15 mm, and further wherein the method comprises passively fixating the elongated housing module within vascular structure using an interference fit between the outer surface and the vessel wall.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the lead comprises a lead wire coupling the at least one electrode to the one or more circuitry components contained within the elongated housing module, wherein at least a portion of the lead wire is in a stowed position within the opening defined through the elongated housing module during implant of the implantable medical device, and further wherein the method comprises advancing the lead wire with the at least one electrode from the stowed position to the intravascular site distal of the distal end of the elongated housing module.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the lead comprises a lead wire coupling the at least one electrode to the one or more circuitry components contained within the elongated housing module, wherein at least a portion of the lead wire is in a stowed position within a containment section in the elongated housing module during implant of the implantable medical device, and further wherein the method comprises advancing the lead wire with the at least one electrode from the stowed position to the intravascular site distal of the distal end of the elongated housing module.