Lead retention and seal for implantable medical device
First Claim
1. An implantable medical device for delivering an electrical stimulus to tissue via an attached lead having a connector at a proximal end, the medical device comprising:
- pulse generating means for generating the electrical stimulus;
a housing containing said pulse generating means, said housing including a header portion having at least one orifice for receiving the connector of the lead;
sphincter seal means, disposed in said at least one orifice of said header portion of said housing, for sealing against intrusion of bodily fluids and locking in place the connector of the lead upon actuation into a closed position, and defeasibly unlocking the connector in said at least one orifice when said sphincter seal means is in an open position;
a slot formed in said header portion of said housing, said slot intersecting said at least one orifice in an area proximate said sphincter seal means disposed in said at least one orifice; and
means for actuating said sphincter seal means between said open position and said closed position, said sphincter seal means being radially retracted about the connector when in said open position and radially expanded about the connector when in said closed position, said means for actuating being movable within said slot.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A lead connector seal and locking assembly for an implantable pulse generator such as a pacemaker is detailed. The pulse generator includes a header portion and an enclosed metallic housing or can, wherein the header portion includes an orifice for receiving a lead connector. The lead connector is secured within the orifice by the use of a defeasible active seal and locking mechanism, which includes a sphincter seal and a beveled washer which is forced against the sphincter seal upon insertion of an actuator. The actuator may be a forked clip inserted into a slot formed within the epoxy header in such a manner that prongs of the forked clip force the beveled cam to be displaced axially within the orifice of the header portion, compressing the sphincter seal. The compression of the sphincter seal causes the sphincter seal to bulge radially, both outward and inward, in a generally symmetrical manner, thereby simultaneously contacting and sealing against the inside wall of the orifice of the header portion, and the body of the connector.
119 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An implantable medical device for delivering an electrical stimulus to tissue via an attached lead having a connector at a proximal end, the medical device comprising:
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pulse generating means for generating the electrical stimulus; a housing containing said pulse generating means, said housing including a header portion having at least one orifice for receiving the connector of the lead; sphincter seal means, disposed in said at least one orifice of said header portion of said housing, for sealing against intrusion of bodily fluids and locking in place the connector of the lead upon actuation into a closed position, and defeasibly unlocking the connector in said at least one orifice when said sphincter seal means is in an open position; a slot formed in said header portion of said housing, said slot intersecting said at least one orifice in an area proximate said sphincter seal means disposed in said at least one orifice; and means for actuating said sphincter seal means between said open position and said closed position, said sphincter seal means being radially retracted about the connector when in said open position and radially expanded about the connector when in said closed position, said means for actuating being movable within said slot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An implantable medical device for delivering an electrical stimulus via a defeasibly attached lead having a connector at a proximal end, the implantable medical device comprising:
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pulse generating means for generating the electrical stimulus; a sealed housing containing said pulse generating means; a header affixed to the sealed housing, said header including at least one orifice for receiving the connector of the lead; and connector locking means, disposed in said at least one orifice of said header, for providing a seal which has a predetermined amount of insertion force between an inner wall of said at least one orifice and an outer surface of the connector when said locking means is in an unlocked position, and for providing a seal with a circumferential, gripping force when the locking means is in a locked position, whereby said connector locking means firmly holds the proximal end of the connector in place while preventing the intrusion of bodily fluids. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An implantable medical device for delivering an electrical stimulus to tissue via a lead having a connector including an electrical contact at a proximal end, the medical device comprising:
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pulse generating means for generating the electrical stimulus; a sealed housing containing said pulse generating means; a header affixed to said sealed housing, said header including at least one orifice for receiving the connector of the lead; sphincter seal means, disposed in said at least one orifice of said header, for sealing against intrusion of bodily fluids and locking in place the proximal end of the connector of the lead upon actuation into a closed position, and for defeasibly unlocking the connector in said at least one orifice when said sphincter seal means is in an open position; sphincter actuated electrical contact means for constricting about the electrical contact of the connector; and means for actuating said sphincter seal means between said open position and said closed position, said sphincter seal means being radially retracted about the connector when in said open position and radially expanded about the connector when in said closed position, and for actuating said sphincter actuated electrical contact means. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A implantable stimulation device for delivering stimulation pulses to the heart via an attached lead having a connector at a proximal end, comprising:
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pulse generating means for generating the stimulation pulses; a housing containing said pulse generating means, said housing including a header having a channel for receiving the connector of the lead; sphincter seal/locking means, disposed in said channel of said header, for actively sealing against intrusion of bodily fluids and locking in place the connector of the lead upon actuation into a closed position, and for defeasibly unlocking and unsealing the connector in said channel when said sphincter seal/locking means is in an open position; and means for actuating said sphincter seal/locking means between said open position and said closed position. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification