Drug or steroid releasing patch electrode for an implantable arrhythmia treatment system

• US 5,154,182 A
• Filed: 02/15/1991
• Issued: 10/13/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Pacesetter, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Moaddeb, Shawn
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US07/656,345
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 128/642, 128/784, 128/785
• US Class Current: 607/120
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0587 Epicardial electrode systems; Endocardial electrodes piercing the pericardium

Abstract

A patch electrode of the type which is surgically attached to the epicardium for use in an implantable arrhythmia treatment system is disclosed which has one or more regions of exposed electrode mesh on a side of the electrode in direct contact with the epicardium. The mesh is held in a flexible carrier having a periphery between the exposed mesh and the edge of the carrier. A layer of a drug or steroid is carried on the carrier in this peripheral region, the drug or steroid interacting with body fluid and thereby slowly releasing into the surrounding tissue. The drug or steroid may be selected to provide antiarrhythmia therapy, reduce inflammation, retard tissue growth or may be an antimicrobial drug. The layer carried on the carrier may be on surface thereof, contained in a shallow trough in the carrier, or impregnated within the carrier material. The layer may be carried on one or both sides of the carrier.

Claims

1. A patch electrode for use in an implantable arrhythmia treatment system comprising:

a carrier containing electrode mesh adapted to be attached in vivo to cardiac tissue for delivery of therapeutic electrical energy to said cardiac tissue, said carrier having a first surface adapted to be in direct contact with said cardiac tissue when said carrier is implanted and a second surface adapted to face away from said cardiac tissue when said carrier is implanted; and

a therapeutic drug carried on both of said first and second surfaces of said carrier for interacting with said cardiac tissue after implantation of said carrier.

2. A patch electrode, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said therapeutic drug is carried on said carrier as a layer on at least one surface of said carrier.

3. A patch electrode, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carrier has a shallow trough in at least one surface thereof, and wherein said therapeutic drug is carried on said carrier in said trough.

4. A patch electrode, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said therapeutic drug is carried on said carrier as a layer impregnated in at least one surface of said carrier.

5. A patch electrode for use in an implantable arrhythmia treatment system comprising:

a carrier having a surface thereof adapted for direct contact with cardiac tissue when said carrier is implanted, said carrier having another surface thereof adapted to face away from said cardiac tissue when said carrier is implanted, at least one of said surfaces having at least one opening therein;

an electrode mesh contained within said carrier and exposed for direct contact with said cardiac tissue through said at least one opening in said carrier, said carrier having a peripheral region between said at least one opening and an edge of said carrier; and

a therapeutic drug layer carried on each surface of said carrier in said peripheral region thereof.

6. A patch electrode, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said therapeutic drug layer is carried on said carrier as a layer on at least one surface of said carrier.

7. A patch electrode, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said carrier has a shallow trough in at least one surface thereof, and wherein said therapeutic drug layer is carried on said carrier in said trough.

8. A patch electrode, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said therapeutic drug layer is carried on said carrier as a layer impregnated in at least one surface of said carrier.