BODY TISSUE ELECTRODE AND DEVICE FOR SCREWING THE ELECTRODE INTO BODY TISSUE

• US 3,737,579 A
• Filed: 04/19/1971
• Issued: 06/05/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lee R. Bolduc
• Original Assignee: Lee R. Bolduc
• Inventors: Bolduc, Lee R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/135,277
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 128/404,418,419P
• US Class Current: 607/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0587 Epicardial electrode systems; Endocardial electrodes piercing the pericardium

Abstract

A body implantable electrode comprising a flexible insulated conductor having a proximal end adapted for connection to a power supply and a distal end portion comprising an uninsulated, conductive, rigid helix adapted for attachment to body tissue. Means located and engageable at substantially the distal end portion are provided for facilitating the screwing of the helix into body tissue. A device is provided with means for firmly holding the means for facilitating the screwing of the helix into body tissue. The device also has means for holding the conductor and for preventing the transmission of torque to the proximal end of the conductor when the helix is being screwed into body tissue.

Claims

1. In a body implantable electrode assembly that includes a flexible electrical conductor means having a proximal end thereof adaptable for connection to a power supply and wherein the distal end portion of the conductor comprises an uninsulated, conductive, rigid helix adapted for attachment to body tissue, the improvement which comprises:

means located and engageable at substantially said distal end portion for facilitating the screwing of said helix into body tissue and for preventing the transmission of torque to said proximal end of said conductor means when said helix is being screwed into body tissue, said means including further friction increasing means adapted to be firmly held by means used for screwing said helix into body tissue, said means and said further means being substantially inert to body fluids and tissue; and

means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue enclosing substantially the entire length of said conductor means except for said distal end portion for permitting said electrode assembly to be implanted within the body.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said means located and engageable at the distal end portion comprises a raised section of insulation surrounding the conductor, and wherein;

said further means comprises at least one rib on the outer surface of said raised section adapted to frictionally fit with a member having a slot defined therein for receiving said raised section and said at least one rib.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said conductor comprises a plurality of electrically non-conducting cores, a plurality of conductive metal ribbons, each of said ribbons being helically wound around a separate one of said electrically non-conducting cores, and a central electrically non-conducting core, said plurality of ribbons wound on said cores being helically wound around said central core.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein:

said ribbons are made of platinum.

5. A device for use in screwing the conductive uninsulated distal end portion of a body implantable electrode assembly into body tissue, said assembly being of the type including a flexible insulated electrical conductor having a proximal end thereof adaptable for connection to a power supply, said device comprising:

First means for firmly holding a portion of said electrode assembly near said uninsulated distal end portion thereof, said first means contacting only an insulated portion of said electrical conductor; and

second means adapted to contact an insulated portion of said insulated conductor for holding said conductor to facilitate the screwing of said distal end portion into body tissue and for preventing the transmission of torque to said proximal end of said conductor means when said distal end portion is being screwed into body tissue.

6. A device for use in screwing the conductive, uninsulated distal end portion of a body implantable electrode assembly into body tissue, said assembly being of the type including a flexible insulated electrical conductor having a proximal end thereof adaptable for connection to a power supply, said device comprising:

a substantially cylindrically-shaped member having a pair of end surfaces;

one end surface of said member having a slot defined therein for engagement with a portion of said electrode assembly located proximally with respect to said distal end portion thereof; and

the outer surface of said member having a groove formed therein, said groove lying substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said member, said groove being engageable with a portion of said insulated conductor, whereby rotation of said member about said longitudinal axis permits said distal end portion to be screwed into body tissue without said member contacting said distal end portion and without imparting any torque to said conductor along its length.

7. The device as set forth in claim 6 wherein:

said member has an axially-extending opening extending from said one end surface to said other end surface.

8. The device as set forth in claim 6 wherein:

said groove extends from said other end surface toward said one end surface.

9. The combination of a body implantable electrode assembly including a flexible insulated electrical conductor means having a proximal end thereof adaptable for connection to a power supply and a conductive uninsulated distal end portion and a device for use in screwing the conductive, uninsulated distal end portion of said assembly into body tissue, said combination comprising:

an electrical conductor having its uninsulated distal end portion formed as a rigid helix;

slot engageable means surrounding said conductor proximally with respect to said distal end portion;

first means defining a slot for rigidly engaging said slot engageable means; and

second means formed integrally with said first means for rigidly engaging a portion of said insulated conductor, whereby rotation of said first and second means permits said distal end portion to be screwed into body tissue without said first and second means coming into contact with said distal end portion and without imparting any torque to said conductor along its length.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 9 wherein:

said device for screwing comprises a substantially cylindrically-shaped member having an axially-extending bore, said bore extending from said one end surface to said other end surface of said member, said bore being adapted to receive the proximal end of said conductor;

said first means comprises one end surface of said member having said slot formed therein; and

said second means comprises the outer surface of said member having a groove formed therein, said groove lying substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said member and extending from the other end surface of said member toward said one end surface.