Multi-electrode intravascular lead

• US 6,662,055 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1999
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Impulse Dynamics NV
• Original Assignee: Impulse Dynamics NV
• Inventors: Prutchi, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Jastrzab, Jeffrey R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oropeza, Frances P.
• Application Number:
  US09/459,289
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 607/119, 607/122, 607/123, 600/373, 600/374, 600/381
• US Class Current: 607/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/0585 Coronary sinus electrodes

Abstract

An intravascular lead having a distal and proximal ends, comprising at least one electrode electrically connected to a conductive insulated wire of a predetermined diameter, tapered at least at one predetermined location along said wire towards its distal end to provide a predetermined smaller diameter wire, thus presenting a main proximal relatively thick lead segment, and a relatively thinner distal lead segment, allowing catheterization of the cardiac sinus and in particular the delivery of said electrode into a selected coronary venule.

Claims

1. An intravascular electrode lead having a proximal end and a distal segment and comprising at least one of a plurality of electrodes, each of said at least one of a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to a conductive insulated wire of a predetermined diameter and having a proximal end and a distal end, the wire tapered at least at one predetermined location along its length towards the distal end so as to present a thinner wire, thus obtaining a tapering multi-electrode lead having a main proximal relatively thick lead segment, and a relatively thin distal lead segment, allowing catheterization of the cardiac sinus and the delivery of said electrode into a selected coronary venule, wherein a lumen of substantially constant diameter is retained through the lead making it possible to use a standard or tapered stylet in order to aid implantation and positioning of the lead.

2. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein four insulating electrically conductive wires are used in the construction of the lead.

3. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein a four-connections electrical connector is provided at its proximal end.

4. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein said distal segment of said lead is provided with a four-electrode array.

5. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein the relatively thin distal lead segment has a predetermined length long enough for the catheterization of the coronary sinus and cardiac venules.

6. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein the relatively thin distal lead segment and the relatively thick lead segment each have a cross-sectional area and the cross-sectional area of the relatively thin distal lead segment is from about 30 to 70 percent of the cross-sectional area of the relatively thick lead segment.

7. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein the relatively thick lead segment has a diameter of from 6 to 8 French.

8. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein said relatively thick lead segment has a length of from 30 to 40 cm.

9. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein said relatively thin distal lead segment has a length of from 5 to 10 cm.

10. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein said relatively thick lead segment poses a resistance of from 5 to 20 Ohms.

11. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein said distal relatively thin lead segment poses a resistance of from 10 to 40 Ohms.

12. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein the lead has a total impedance of from 15 to 60 Ohms.

13. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein said conductive insulative wire is coiled along a portion of the lead.

14. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein the wire is externally covered by an insulating jacket.

15. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein said tapering of the lead is achieved by a gradual reduction of the diameter of the wire used in the construction of the lead at a predetermined transition location on said wire.

16. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein the wire is formed from filaments, and wherein at a predetermined location along said wire, the number of filament wires forming said wire is reduced.

17. The intravascular electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein said wire is tapered in several locations along said lead.