Implantable medical device with positive indication of lead connection and connector therefor
First Claim
1. An implantable medical device, comprising:
- a housing containing electronic components; and
a header mated with said housing and adapted to receive a lead, said header including a movable indicator to positively indicate when a lead has been fully inserted into said header.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable medical device including an enclosure and a header portion attached to the enclosure. The header includes a lead cavity into which a lead can be inserted. The lead cavity includes a compression device, such as a spring, for aligning a highly visible indicator plunger at least partially hidden from view inside the volume defined by an annular electrode, or other opaque object, partially surrounding the lead cavity. The plunger includes at least a portion that is easily visible to a surgeon during implantation of the medical device. When a lead is inserted into the lead cavity, the end of the lead pushes against the indicator plunger thereby moving the plunger and compressing the spring. When the lead is fully inserted into the lead cavity, the plunger becomes visible as it is pushed away from the volume defined by the annular electrode. In this way, the plunger provides a positive indication that the lead has been fully inserted into the header. The annular electrode may also include a retaining surface that will contact a corresponding surface on the plunger should the plunger break loose from the spring. This feature helps to keep the plunger from migrating from the header into the body should the plunger break away from the spring.
80 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a housing containing electronic components; and a header mated with said housing and adapted to receive a lead, said header including a movable indicator to positively indicate when a lead has been fully inserted into said header. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a housing; a header attached to said housing and adapted to receive a lead, said header including an indicator adapted to provide a positive indication that a lead has been fully inserted in said header, said indicator comprising; a retaining device; and an indicator plunger substantially hidden from view when no lead is disposed within said header. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a lead for connection to human tissue; a housing containing electronics; a header coupled to said housing, said header comprising transparent material defining a lead cavity and including; a spring connected to an end portion of said lead cavity; an indicator plunger connected to said spring and at least partially hidden from view by an opaque portion of said header when no lead is fully inserted into said lead cavity; wherein said plunger is pushed away from the position in which the plunger is at least partially hidden to a position in which the plunger is viewable through the header when a lead is fully inserted into said lead cavity. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A cardiac stimulator, comprising:
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a can; a transparent header hermetically-sealed to said can and adapted to receive a cardiac lead, said header including a positive indicator device that has a high contrast portion hidden from view through the header by an opaque component and said high contrast portion becomes viewable through the header when a lead is completely inserted into said header.
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22. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a housing containing electronic components; and a header mated with the housing and adapted to receive a lead, the header is transparent, the header including an indicator to positively indicate when the lead has been fully inserted into the header, the indicator includes a plunger that is moved when the lead is inserted into the header.
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23. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a housing containing electronic components; and a header mated with the housing and adapted to receive a lead, the header is transparent, the header including an indicator to positively indicate when the lead has been fully inserted into the header, the indicator including a spring connected to a plunger. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. An implantable medical device, comprising:
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a housing containing electronic components; and a header mated with the housing and adapted to receive a lead, the header is transparent, the header including an indicator to positively indicate when the lead has been fully inserted into the header, the indicator including a plunger and a spring that maintains the plunger hidden from view and compresses when the lead is inserted and when the lead is fully inserted permits the plunger to be visible through the header.
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Specification