Medical lead adaptor

• US 6,192,278 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Winkler, Thomas J., Werner, Robert L., Gravlin, Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US09/421,881
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 439/909, 439/729, 439/834, 439/835, 607/115, 607/116, 607/119, 607/122
• US Class Current: 607/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/22 End pieces terminating in a spring clip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/909 Medical use or attached to human body

Abstract

A medical lead adaptor that provides a rapid, secure, insulated connection of the lead connector end assembly of a cardiac lead having electrodes adapted to be placed in or on the body with an external medical device is disclosed. The adaptor connector assembly is configured with an elongated receptacle to accept a bipolar, in-line, or a unipolar lead connector end sharing common dimensions. The elongated receptacle includes connector pin and ring receptacle contacts spaced apart from one another therein. In a preferred embodiment, an elongated slot that extends laterally of the elongated receptacle cooperates with a lock mechanism to allow the lateral insertion of the lead connector end assembly, with a stylet wire inserted into the cardiac lead body lumen, into the elongated receptacle. When inserted therein, the lead connector ring and/or pin are nested into contact with the ring and/or pin receptacle contacts and are held there by the lock mechanism. Several embodiments are disclosed of alternate configurations of the elongated receptacle, receptacle contacts and lock mechanism.

Claims

1. An adaptor for making a rapid electrical connection between an external medical device and an implantable cardiac pacing lead having an elongated lead body extending between a proximal lead end and a distal lead end, a pacing lead connector at the proximal end of the pacing lead body, an electrode at the distal end of the pacing lead body, first and second spaced apart pacing lead conductors extending within the pacing lead body and coupled to first and second spaced apart connector elements of the pacing lead connector, and a lumen extending within the pacing lead body to receive a stylet wire that can be manipulated by a control element at the end of a portion of the stylet wire that extends proximally of the lumen opening, comprising:

a. an adaptor lead body having first and second electrical conductors extending between a proximal end and a distal end;

b. a connector at the proximal adaptor lead body end adapted for making an electrical connection to an external medical device;

c. an adaptor connector body at the distal adaptor lead body end adapted to mate with the lead connector at the proximal end of the pacing lead body and establish an electrical connection between the first and second pacing lead connector elements and the first and second adaptor lead conductors, said adaptor connector body comprising;

(i) a housing of flexible insulating material having an elongated receptacle extending across a substantially planar surface thereof between a proximal side edge, a distal side edge, and a lateral side edge and being shaped to conform to the profile of the pacing lead connector so as to accept insertion of the pacing lead connector and permit the portion of a stylet wire extending proximally of the lead lumen to remain accessible for manipulation following insertion of the pacing lead connector, said housing including an opening disposed adjacent the proximal side edge through which the portion of a stylet wire extending proximally of the lead lumen opening is received upon insertion of the lead connector;

(ii) first and second contacts positioned along the receptacle so as to be spaced apart between the housing surface proximal and distal side edges for making electrical contact with the first and second pacing lead connector elements upon insertion of the pacing lead connector into the receptacle, said receptacle contacts being formed of a conductive material and being dimensioned so as to engage and restrict lateral movement of the pacing lead connector elements seated against them;

(iii) a separate electrical connection between the first receptacle contact and the first adaptor lead conductor and between the second receptacle contact and the second adaptor lead conductor; and

(iv) a locking mechanism disposed adjacent the receptacle and manipulatable between an open position and a closed position, said locking mechanism when in the open position allowing a pacing lead connector and stylet wire extending proximally from the pacing lead lumen to be inserted laterally into the receptacle and to be withdrawn laterally therefrom and when in the closed position locking the pacing lead connector therein with a secure electrical contact between each receptacle contact and a corresponding pacing lead connector element while allowing manipulation of the stylet wire with respect to the lead lumen, said locking mechanism including first and second force hooks to apply and release force with respect to pacing lead connector elements seated against the first and second receptacle contacts.

2. A lead adaptor in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing further includes:

an elongated, substantially arcuate body portion forming first and second legs;

a first substantially flat tab extending from the first leg of the arcuate body portion, said first tab forming the substantially planar surface, the proximal side edge, the distal side edge, and the lateral side edge; and

a second substantially flat tab extending from the second leg of the arcuate body portion, said second tab forming a substantially planar surface, a proximal side edge, a distal side edge, and a lateral side edge spaced apart from the lateral side edge of the first substantially flat tab;

wherein the first and second force hooks each have a fixed end portion attached to the contacts second substantially flat tab and a curved free end portion aligned with a respective one of the first and second receptacle contacts, said curved free end portions and the receptacle forming a receptacle slot through which the pacing lead connector can be passed; and

further comprises;

a spring mechanism extending between the legs of the arcuate body portion and the first and second substantially flat tabs to normally maintain the lateral side edges of the tabs spaced apart in the absence of applied force in actuation of the locking mechanism to the closed position having the curved free end portions of the force hooks maintain the pacing lead connector in the receptacle with a secure electrical contact between each receptacle contact and a corresponding pacing lead connector element while allowing force applied against the tabs to move the lateral side edges of tabs in actuation of the locking mechanism to the open position having the curved free end portions of the force hooks move away from the receptacle contacts to open the receptacle slot and allow the pacing lead connector and stylet wire extending proximally from the lead lumen to be inserted into or withdrawn from the elongated receptacle.

3. An adaptor for making a rapid electrical connection between an external medical device and an implantable cardiac pacing lead having an elongated lead body extending between a proximal lead end and a distal lead end, a pacing lead connector at the proximal end of the pacing lead body, an electrode at the distal end of the pacing lead body, at least one pacing lead conductor extending within the pacing lead body and coupled to a corresponding connector element of the pacing lead connector, and a lumen extending within the pacing lead body to receive a stylet wire that can be manipulated by a control element at the end of a portion of the stylet wire that extends proximally of the lumen opening, comprising:

a. an adaptor lead body having at least one electrical conductor extending between a proximal end and a distal end;

b. a connector at the proximal adaptor lead body end adapted for making an electrical connection to an external medical device;

c. an adaptor connector body at the distal adaptor lead body end adapted to mate with the lead connector at the proximal end of the pacing lead body and establish an electrical connection between each pacing lead connector elements and a corresponding adaptor lead conductor, said adaptor connector body comprising;

(i) a housing of flexible insulating material having an elongated receptacle extending across a substantially planar surface thereof between a proximal side edge, a distal side edge, and a lateral side edge and being shaped to conform to the profile of the pacing lead connector so as to accept insertion of the pacing lead connector and permit the portion of a stylet wire extending proximally of the lead lumen to remain accessible for manipulation following insertion of the pacing lead connector, said housing including an opening disposed adjacent the proximal side edge through which the portion of a stylet wire extending proximally of the lead lumen opening is received upon insertion of the lead connector;

(ii) at least one contact positioned along the receptacle between the housing surface proximal and distal side edges for making electrical contact with the corresponding pacing lead connector element upon insertion of the pacing lead connector into the receptacle, said receptacle contact being formed of a conductive material and being dimensioned so as to engage and restrict lateral movement of the pacing lead connector element seated against it;

(iii) a separate electrical connection between each receptacle contact and each adaptor lead conductor; and

(iv) a locking mechanism disposed adjacent the receptacle and manipulatable between an open position and a closed position, said locking mechanism when in the open position allowing the pacing lead connector and the stylet wire extending proximally from the pacing lead lumen to be inserted laterally into the receptacle and to be withdrawn laterally therefrom and when in the closed position locking the pacing lead connector therein with a secure electrical contact between each receptacle contact and the corresponding pacing lead connector element while allowing manipulation of the stylet wire with respect to the lead lumen, said locking mechanism including first and second force hooks to apply and release force with respect to the corresponding pacing lead connector element seated against each receptacle contacts.

4. A lead adaptor in accordance with claim 3, wherein the housing further includes:

an elongated, arcuate body portion forming first and second legs;

a first substantially flat tab extending from the first leg of the arcuate body portion, said first tab forming the substantially planar surface, the proximal side edge, the distal side edge, and the lateral side edge; and

a second substantially flat tab extending from the second leg of the arcuate body portion, said second tab forming a substantially planar surface, a proximal side edge, a distal side edge, and a lateral side edge spaced apart from the lateral side edge of the first substantially flat tab;

wherein each force hook has a fixed end portion attached to the second substantially flat tab and a curved free end portion aligned with a corresponding one of each receptacle contact, each curved free end portion and each corresponding receptacle contact forming a receptacle slot through which the pacing lead connector can be passed ; and

further comprises;

a spring mechanism extending between the legs of the arcuate body portion and the first and second substantially flat tabs to normally maintain the lateral side edges of the tabs spaced apart in the absence of applied force in actuation of the locking mechanism to the closed position having the curved free end portion of each force hook maintain the pacing lead connector in the receptacle with a secure electrical contact between each receptacle contact and the corresponding pacing lead connector element while allowing force applied against the tabs to move the lateral side edges of tabs in actuation of the locking mechanism to the open position having the curved free end portion of each force hook move away from each corresponding receptacle contact to open the receptacle slot and allow the pacing lead connector and stylet wire extending proximally from the lead lumen to be inserted into or withdrawn from the elongated receptacle.