ANCHORS INCLUDING RIGID BODIES DEFINING FULL LENGTH SLOTS FOR USE WITH IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL LEADS

• US 20170087351A1
• Filed: 12/12/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kern, Michael J., Olson, Robert L., Bischoff, Thomas C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,878,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0293 Catheter, guide wire or the like with means for holding, centering, anchoring or frictionally engaging the device within an artificial lumen, e.g. tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0558 Anchoring or fixation means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/057 Anchoring means; Means for fixing the head inside the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/0582 Suture sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/20 for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve

Abstract

Anchors for use with implantable medical leads include an elastic body containing one or more rigid bodies that have longitudinal free edges. The longitudinal free edges run from end to end to define full length slots. Partial length slots may also be included within the one or more rigid bodies. The full length and partial length slots allow for deflection of the rigid bodies against the body of an implantable medical lead to hold the anchor in place on the lead. The full length slots allow a blade to pass through and cut a slit in the elastic body which allows the anchor to be removed from the lead.

Claims

1. A method of anchoring an implantable medical lead, comprising:

sliding an anchor installation tool onto a free end of the medical lead and along the lead body until reaching a desired location on the lead body, with an anchor disposed on the anchor installation tool, the anchor including an elastic body defining a passageway and including a deflectable rigid body within the passageway of the elastic body, the rigid body defining at least a portion of a lead passageway extending from a first end of the rigid body to a second end of the rigid body, the rigid body having a longitudinal free edge extending from the first end to the second end, the anchor installation tool being present within the lead passageway; and

forcing the anchor off of the anchor installation tool and onto the lead such that the rigid body contacts the lead such that the anchor is held in position on the lead.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein upon forcing the anchor off of the anchor installation tool, the elastic body contacts the lead.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the elastic body deflects the rigid body to affect the contact of the rigid body with the lead.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the anchor by cutting a slit through the elastic body of the anchor adjacent to the longitudinal free edge.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the elastic body is transparent at least in an area adjacent the longitudinal free edge of the rigid body, the method further comprising viewing the adjacent longitudinal free edge through the transparent elastic body to align a cutting tool relative to the longitudinal free edge when removing the anchor.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein a stripe is present on the elastic body adjacent the longitudinal free edge of the rigid body, the method further comprising aligning a cutting tool relative the stripe when removing the anchor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the rigid body further comprises a second longitudinal free edge extending from the first end to the second end.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the longitudinal free edge is circumferentially spaced from the second longitudinal free edge to form a slot in the rigid body that extends from the first end to the second end.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising a second deflectable rigid body within the passageway of the elastic body, the second rigid body defining at least a portion of the lead passageway extending from a first end of the second rigid body to a second end of the second rigid body, the second rigid body having a longitudinal free edge extending from the first end to the second end of the second rigid body.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the longitudinal free edge of the rigid body is circumferentially spaced from the longitudinal free edge of the second rigid body to form a slot that extends from the first end of the rigid body and the first end of the second rigid body to the second end of the rigid body and the second end of the second rigid body.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the lead passageway is defined by an inner surface of the rigid body that includes ridges that are angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the lead passageway, and wherein the ridges grip the lead once the anchor is forced onto the lead.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the rigid body has a greater radial thickness at the first end than at the second end, wherein the elastic body includes a plurality of protrusions on an exterior surface, and wherein the elastic body includes tapered first and second ends.