Body-implantable lead

• US 3,974,834 A
• Filed: 04/23/1975
• Issued: 08/17/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kane, Lawrence M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michell, Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US05/570,917
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 128/418, 128/419 P, 128/404, 128/407-408
• US Class Current: 607/127
• 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 1/0573 chacterised by means penetrating the heart tissue, e.g. helix needle or hook

Abstract

A body-implantable, intravascular lead affixed with a pin or pins at its proximal end adapted to be connected to pulse generator and with an electrode or electrodes at its distal end adapted to be securely and permanently attached to a body organ through endothelial tissue. An electrode in the form of a rigid, electrically conductive helix with a sharp tip at the distal end of the lead is adapted to be screwed through endothelial tissue into the body organ. To allow the insertion and guidance of the lead through a body vessel without snagging the body vessel, the lead carries a sleeve shrouding the helix during introduction of the lead that retracts as the corkscrew electrode is screwed into the organ and re-expands to cover the helix in the event that the helix is unscrewed and withdrawn.

Claims

1. A body-implantable, intravascular lead adapted to be connected at its proximal end to a source of electrical energy and permanently secured at its distal end through the endothelial tissue of a living animal body for electrical stimulation thereof and for detecting electrical signals comprising:

electrically conductive lead means for insertion in and guidance through a body vessel to a desired location and position inside an organ of a living animal body, the lead means having a cross-section which will fit within a body vessel;

electrode means affixed to the distal end of said lead means and adapted to supply electrical impulses to tissue at a desired location inside the living animal body, said electrode means including a tissue piercing portion and further including separate tissue engaging means for allowing said electrode means to be firmly and permanently secured through the endothelial tissue at the desired location;

material means substantially inert to body fluids and tissue encasing said lead means and a portion of said electrode means for sealing them from living animal body fluids and tissue; and

sleeve means attached to said distal end of said lead means for shrouding said tissue piercing portion and said tissue engaging means thereby allowing the insertion and guidance through a body vessel of said lead means while preventing injury to said body vessel by said tissue piercing portion and for retracting upon contact with endothelial tissue from said tissue piercing portion and said tissue engaging means for allowing said electrode means to be firmly lodged in and secured through the endothelial tissue.

2. The body-implantable, intravascular lead of claim 1 wherein said sleeve means further comprises:

an elongated tube of a resilient material inert to body fluids and tissue extending from said distal end of said lead means surrounding said electrode means and extending beyond said tissue piercing portion.

3. The body-implantable, intravascular lead of claim 1 wherein said electrode means further comprises:

a rigid helix having a point comprising said tissue piercing portion and a number of turns comprising said tissue engaging means, said helix being adapted to be screwed into endothelial tissue to firmly lodge in and permanently secure said electrode means through the endothelial tissue.

4. The body-implantable, intravascular lead of claim 3 wherein said sleeve means further comprises:

an elongated tube of resilient material inert to body fluids and tissue extending from said distal end of said lead means surrounding said tissue engaging turns of said helix and extending beyond said tissue piercing point, said tube having a number of circumferential pleats adapted to collapse to retract said sleeve means as said helix is screwed into endothelial tissue and further adapted to re-extend as said helix is unscrewed from endothelial tissue.

5. The body-implantable, intravascular lead of claim 4 further comprising:

means for facilitating the insertion and guidance of said lead means through a body vessel and the screwing of said helix into endothelial tissues.

6. The body-implantable, intravascular lead of claim 3 further comprising:

means for facilitating the insertion and guidance of said lead means through a body vessel and the screwing of said helix into endothelial tissues.

7. In a body-implantable lead that includes a flexible electrical conductor means having a proximal end thereof adapted for connection to a power supply and wherein the distal end portion of the conductor means comprises an uninsulated, conductive, rigid helix having a number of turns and ending in a point adapted for attachment to body 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 lead to be implanted within the body, the improvement which comprises:

sleeve means attached to said distal end of said conductor means for shrouding said helix and for retracting from said helix upon contact with body tissue as said helix is screwed into body tissue.

8. The body-implantable lead of claim 7 wherein said sleeve means further comprises:

an elongated tube of resilient material substantially inert to body fluids and tissue extending from said distal end of said conductor means surrounding the turns of said helix and extending beyond its point.

9. The body-implantable lead of claim 8 wherein said tube of said sleeve means further comprises:

a number of circumferential pleats in said tube adapted to extend said tube beyond the point of said helix during insertion and guidance or withdrawal of said lead through a body vessel and adapted to collapse said tube upon itself as said helix is screwed into body tissue.

10. A body-implantable lead of materials substantially inert to body fluids and tissue having a length of electrically insulated conductor, a connector pin at a proximal end of the conductor, an electrode adapted to contact the tissue of a living animal body at the distal end of the conductor, said electrode including tissue engaging means for securely engaging said electrode in contact with the tissue characterized by:

sleeve means attached to the distal end of the conductor for shrouding said tissue engaging means to prevent the tissue engaging means from impeding the insertion and guidance through a body vessel of said lead and for retracting upon contact with tissue from said tissue engaging means to allow said tissue engaging means to securely engage said electrode in contact with the tissue.