Cardiac electrode with drug delivery capabilities
First Claim
1. An intravascular lead implantable inside a patient, including:
- an electrically conductive electrode having a porosity of at least seventy-five percent;
a flexible electrical conductor;
a flexible, biocompatible and dielectric sheath surrounding said conductor along substantially the entire length thereof;
a coupling means for electrically and mechanically joining said electrode with respect to the distal end of said conductor, said electrode joined to and substantially covering the distal end of said coupling means;
means forming a recess in said coupling means and open to said electrode; and
a matrix containing a water soluble drug and retained in said recess; and
wherein said electrode is loaded with a therapeutic drug, and is positionable for fixation to body tissue at a selected location, said electrode being sufficiently porous to freely dispense said drug at said selected location upon contact with bodily fluid, and further sufficiently porous to facilitate dispensing of the drug from said matrix to said selected location.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable cardiac pacing lead includes a porous, platinum electrode, a flexible electrically conductive coil, and a crimp tube coupling the electrode to the distal end of the coil. A recess in the crimp tube, open to the electrode at the crimp tube distal end, houses a matrix impregnated with a therapeutic drug. The electrode is highly porous and loaded with a therapeutic drug in liquid or solid form. Immediately upon implant of the electrode at a selected myocardial location, the electrode begins dispensing the therapeutic drug. Meanwhile, the matrix begins to elute its drug at a rate more suited to chronic treatment. If desired, the recess can extend through the crimp tube to permit proximal end loading of the drug carrying matrix. A silicone plug, or an additional and proximal crimp tube section, is inserted into the recess after loading of the matrix to provide the required fluid seal. Finally, a variety of different matrices can be housed in the recess, to provide elution of different drugs and at differing rates.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An intravascular lead implantable inside a patient, including:
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an electrically conductive electrode having a porosity of at least seventy-five percent;
a flexible electrical conductor;
a flexible, biocompatible and dielectric sheath surrounding said conductor along substantially the entire length thereof;
a coupling means for electrically and mechanically joining said electrode with respect to the distal end of said conductor, said electrode joined to and substantially covering the distal end of said coupling means;
means forming a recess in said coupling means and open to said electrode; and
a matrix containing a water soluble drug and retained in said recess; andwherein said electrode is loaded with a therapeutic drug, and is positionable for fixation to body tissue at a selected location, said electrode being sufficiently porous to freely dispense said drug at said selected location upon contact with bodily fluid, and further sufficiently porous to facilitate dispensing of the drug from said matrix to said selected location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An intravascular, implantable lead comprising:
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an electrode positionable for fixation to bodily tissue at a selected location;
a flexible electrical conductor;
a flexible, biocompatible, dielectric sheath surrounding said conductor along substantially the entire length thereof;
a first coupling means for electrically and mechanically joining said electrode with respect to the distal end of said conductor; andmeans forming a recess in said first coupling means and open to the proximal end of said first coupling means to permit proximal insertion of a drug carrying matrix into said coupling means; and a sealing means for connection with said first coupling means following said proximal insertion of said matrix, for forming a substantially fluid-tight seal between said matrix and said conductor; and
means forming a fluid passageway for movement of bodily fluid into and out of said recess distally of said sealing means. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An intravascular, implantable lead including:
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an electrode positionable for fixation to bodily tissue at a selected location;
a flexible electrical conductor;
a flexible, biocompatible, dielectric sheath surrounding said conductor substantially along the entire length thereof;
a coupling means for electrically and mechanically joining said electrode and the distal end of said conductor; andmeans forming a recess in said coupling means, means forming a passageway for admitting bodily fluid into and out of said recess, and a plurality of matrices contained in said recess, each matrix loaded with a water soluble drug, said matrices differing from one another in at least one of the following characteristics; (a) the drug contained in the matrix; (b) the concentration of the drug contained in the matrix; and (c) the constituent material forming the matrix. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An intravascular, implantable lead including:
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an electrode positionable for fixation to bodily tissue at a selected location;
a flexible electrical conductor;
a flexible, biocompatible, dielectric sheath surrounding said conductor substantially along the entire length thereof;
a coupling means for electrically and mechanically joining said electrode and the distal end of said conductor; andmeans forming a recess in said coupling means, means forming a passageway for admitting bodily fluid into and out of said recess, and a toroidal matrix loaded with a water soluble drug and contained in said recess.
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Specification