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Medical electrical lead having variable bending stiffness

  • US 6,741,893 B2
  • Filed: 09/06/2001
  • Issued: 05/25/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An elongated implantable medical electrical lead for electrically stimulating a human heart or sensing electrical signals originating therefrom, comprising:

  • (a) a lead body having proximal and distal sections;

    (b) at least one electrode at a distal end of the distal section of the lead body;

    (c) an electrical connector at a proximal end of the lead body; and

    (d) at least one electrical conductor connected between the electrode and the electrical connector;

    wherein the distal section of the lead body comprises at least first and second adjoining segments, the first segment being relatively stiff, the second segment being relatively flexible, the first and second segments being configured and dimensioned to assume a minimum stored mechanical energy implantation position when the lead is implanted within the coronary venous anatomy of the heart such that additional mechanical energy from an external source must be exerted upon the lead body along an axial direction to move the lead axially from the minimum stored mechanical energy implantation position, wherein the lead body comprises a first asymmetric cross-section configured for implantation in a first preferred orientation in pre-determined distal-most portions of the heart'"'"'s venous anatomy where bending radii are small, a second asymmetric cross-section configured for implantation in a second preferred orientation different from the first orientation in pre-determined portions of the heart'"'"'s venous anatomy located proximal from the distal-most portions thereof, wherein each of the first and second asymmetric cross-section lead body configurations is defined with respect to orthogonal cross-sectional bending axes and exhibits unequal bending stiffnesses around each axis of bending so as to produce asymmetric bending moments as a function of angular bending direction.

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