Retention skirt for pacing electrode assembly
First Claim
1. An electrode assembly, mounted at the distal end of a pacing lead comprising lead body and at least one electrical wire conductor in the lead body, at least a tip electrode including a tip and means for connecting said tip to the wire conductor, and a skirt coupled to the lead body adjacent said tip and extending around and outwardly of said lead body, extending rearwardly from said tip and having in the rearward portion of said skirt, at least two slits for separating said skirt into at least two adjacent, but physically separated sections, said slits extending radially through said skirt and axially forwardly from a rear edge of said skirt toward but not to a forward edge of said skirt, said skirt being made of a flexible material and yet being capable of engaging trabeculae in a heart chamber for maintaining said electrode assembly in a desired position in a heart chamber, said adjacent, but physically separated skirt sections facilitating folding over of said skirt to allow said electrode assembly to be removed when desired by the application of sufficient tension to the pacing lead to cause said adjacent, but physically separated skirt sections to fold back over themselves independent from each other as the pacing lead is withdrawn and said adjacent, but physically separated skirt sections, when in an open space, being capable of returning to their original position independent of each other.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The electrode assembly is mounted at the distal end of a pacing lead comprising a lead body and at least one wire conductor in the lead body. The assembly comprises a tip electrode including a tip and a connection to the wire conductor and a skirt extending around the lead body and backwardly from the tip. The skirt has at least two slits extending axially therein from the rearward edge thereof to separate the skirt into at least two adjacent separated skirt sections. The skirt also can have one or more annularly and radially extending spurs which are adapted to engage trabeculae in a heart chamber for anchoring and maintaining the electrode assembly in place. The skirt sections allow and enhance removal of the electrode assembly when desired by the application of sufficient tension to the pacing lead to cause the skirt sections to fold back over themselves as the pacing lead is withdrawn from the body.
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Citations
26 Claims
- 1. An electrode assembly, mounted at the distal end of a pacing lead comprising lead body and at least one electrical wire conductor in the lead body, at least a tip electrode including a tip and means for connecting said tip to the wire conductor, and a skirt coupled to the lead body adjacent said tip and extending around and outwardly of said lead body, extending rearwardly from said tip and having in the rearward portion of said skirt, at least two slits for separating said skirt into at least two adjacent, but physically separated sections, said slits extending radially through said skirt and axially forwardly from a rear edge of said skirt toward but not to a forward edge of said skirt, said skirt being made of a flexible material and yet being capable of engaging trabeculae in a heart chamber for maintaining said electrode assembly in a desired position in a heart chamber, said adjacent, but physically separated skirt sections facilitating folding over of said skirt to allow said electrode assembly to be removed when desired by the application of sufficient tension to the pacing lead to cause said adjacent, but physically separated skirt sections to fold back over themselves independent from each other as the pacing lead is withdrawn and said adjacent, but physically separated skirt sections, when in an open space, being capable of returning to their original position independent of each other.
- 17. An electrode assembly mounted at the distal end of a pacing lead comprising a lead body and at least one electrical wire conductor in the lead body, a tip electrode including a tip and means for connecting said tip to the wire conductor, and a skirt coupled to the lead body adjacent said tip and extending at least part way around and outwardly of said lead body and extending rearwardly from said tip, said skirt having at least one spur thereon extending radially outwardly from the outer surface of said skirt in an arc about the elongate axis of said electrode assembly, said at least one spur on said skirt being capable of engaging trabeculae in a heart chamber for maintaining said electrode assembly in place.
Specification