Implantable heart stimulator with electrodes for an infection control current
First Claim
1. An implantable heart stimulator comprising:
- a pulse generator and an electrode lead connected thereto for delivering electrical stimulation pulses to a heart of a patient, said pulse generator having an electrically conductive housing, said housing comprising a connector header in which said electrode lead is mechanically and electrically connected;
said electrode lead having a proximal portion which, after implantation of said electrode lead, is configured to extend substantially from the housing to a location situated beyond entry of the electrode lead into the venous system and before entry of the electrode lead into the superior vena cava, said proximal portion having an exterior with an electrically conductive surface; and
a current source for supplying an infection control current between said housing and said electrically conductive surface of said proximal portion of said electrode lead for counteracting bacterial growth at least on an exterior of said housing, said connector header having an exterior surface that is entirely electrically conductive and is in a flow path of said infection control current.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable heart stimulator has an electrically conductive housing containing a pulse generator, with an electrode lead connected to the housing. The electrode lead has a proximal portion extending substantially from the housing to a location, after implantation, which is beyond the entry of the lead into the venous system and before the entry of the lead into the superior vena cava. A current source supplies an infection control current between the housing and an electrically conductive surface on the exterior of the proximal portion of the electrode lead, for counteracting bacterial growth. The housing may have a header to which the electrode lead is connected, in which case the header is provided with an electrically conductive surface as well, which can serve as an electrode for the infection control current.
11 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An implantable heart stimulator comprising:
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a pulse generator and an electrode lead connected thereto for delivering electrical stimulation pulses to a heart of a patient, said pulse generator having an electrically conductive housing, said housing comprising a connector header in which said electrode lead is mechanically and electrically connected; said electrode lead having a proximal portion which, after implantation of said electrode lead, is configured to extend substantially from the housing to a location situated beyond entry of the electrode lead into the venous system and before entry of the electrode lead into the superior vena cava, said proximal portion having an exterior with an electrically conductive surface; and a current source for supplying an infection control current between said housing and said electrically conductive surface of said proximal portion of said electrode lead for counteracting bacterial growth at least on an exterior of said housing, said connector header having an exterior surface that is entirely electrically conductive and is in a flow path of said infection control current. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An implantable heart stimulator comprising:
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a pulse generator and an electrode lead connected thereto for delivering electrical stimulation pulses to a heart of a patient, said pulse generator having an electrically conductive housing; said electrode lead having a proximal portion which, after implantation of said electrode lead, is configured to extend substantially from the housing to a location situated beyond entry of the electrode lead into the venous system and before entry of the electrode lead into the superior vena cava, said proximal portion having an exterior with an electrically conductive surface; and an extracorporeal current source, and an inductive coupling arrangement to inductively couple said extracorporeal current source with said housing and said electrically conductive surface on said exterior of said proximal portion of said electrode lead supplying an infection control current between said housing and said electrically conductive surface of said proximal portion of said electrode lead for counteracting bacterial growth at least on an exterior of said housing. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An implantable heart stimulator comprising:
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a pulse generator which generates electrical stimulation pulses; an electrically conductive housing containing said pulse generator and having a connector header; an electrode lead mechanically and electrically connected in said header, and thereby connected to said pulse generator, for delivering said stimulation pulses to a heart of a patient; said header having an exterior surface that is entirely electrically conductive; said electrode lead having a proximal portion extending substantially from said housing to a location, after implantation of said electrode lead, adapted to be situated beyond entry into the venous system and before entry into the superior vena cava, said proximal portion having an exterior with an electrically conductive surface thereon; a current source which supplies an infection control current in a flowpath including at least two of said housing, said electrically conductive surface on said exterior of said header and said electrically conductive surface on said exterior of said proximal portion of said electrode lead, to counteract bacterial growth at least one an exterior of said housing; and at least one of said electrically conductive surface on the exterior of said proximal portion of said electrode lead and said exterior electrically conductive surface of said connector header being formed by an electrically conducting polymer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An implantable heart stimulator comprising:
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a pulse generator which generates electrical stimulation pulses; an electrically conductive housing containing said pulse generator and having a connector header; an electrode lead mechanically and electrically connected in said header, and thereby connected to said pulse generator, for delivering said stimulation pulses to a heart of a patient; said header having an exterior surface that is entirely electrically conductive surface; said electrode lead having a proximal portion extending substantially from said housing to a location, after implantation of said electrode lead, adapted to be situated beyond entry into the venous system and before entry into the superior vena cava, said proximal portion having an exterior with an electrically conductive surface thereon; a current source which supplies an infection control current in a flowpath including at least two of said housing, said electrically conductive surface on said exterior of said header and said electrically conductive surface on said exterior of said proximal portion of said electrode lead, to counteract bacterial growth at least one an exterior of said housing; and at least one of said electrically conductive surface on the exterior of said proximal portion of said electrode lead and said exterior electrically conductive surface of said connector header being formed by an ion implantation.
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27. An implantable heart stimulator comprising:
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a pulse generator which generates electrical stimulation pulses; an electrically conductive housing containing said pulse generator and having a connector header; an electrode lead mechanically and electrically connected in said header, and thereby connected to said pulse generator, for delivering said stimulation pulses to a heart of a patient; said header having an exterior surface that is entirely electrically conductive surface; said electrode lead having a proximal portion extending substantially from said housing to a location, after implantation of said electrode lead, adapted to be situated beyond entry into the venous system and before entry into the superior vena cava, said proximal portion having an exterior with an electrically conductive surface thereon; and a current source which supplies an infection control current in a flowpath including at least two of said housing, said electrically conductive surface on said exterior of said header and said electrically conductive surface on said exterior of said proximal portion of said electrode lead, to counteract bacterial growth at least one an exterior of said housing; and at least one of said electrically conductive surface on the exterior of said proximal portion of said electrode lead and said exterior electrically conductive surface of said connector header being formed by ion beam assisted deposition.
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28. An implantable heart stimulator comprising:
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a pulse generator which generates electrical stimulation pulses; an electrically conductive housing containing said pulse generator and having a connector header; an electrode lead mechanically and electrically connected in said header, and thereby connected to said pulse generator, for delivering said stimulation pulses to a heart of a patient; said header having an exterior surface that is entirely electrically conductive surface; said electrode lead having a proximal portion extending substantially from said housing to a location, after implantation of said electrode lead, adapted to be situated beyond entry into the venous system and before entry into the superior vena cava, said proximal portion having an exterior with an electrically conductive surface thereon; and a current source which supplies an infection control current in a flowpath including at least two of said housing, said exterior electrically conductive surface of said header and said electrically conductive surface on said exterior of said proximal portion of said electrode lead, to counteract bacterial growth at least one an exterior of said housing; and at least one of said electrically conductive surface on the exterior of said proximal portion of said electrode lead and said exterior electrically conductive surface of said connector header being formed by a coating process selected from the group consisting of vapor deposition and sputtering.
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29. An implantable heart stimulator comprising:
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a pulse generator which generates electrical stimulation pulses; an electrically conductive housing containing said pulse generator and having a connector header; an electrode lead mechanically and electrically connected in said header, and thereby connected to said pulse generator, for delivering said stimulation pulses to a heart of a patient; said header having an exterior surface that is entirely electrically conductive; said electrode lead having a proximal portion extending substantially from said housing to a location, after implantation of said electrode lead, adapted to be situated beyond entry into the venous system and before entry into the superior vena cava, said proximal portion having an exterior with an electrically conductive surface thereon; and a current source which supplies an infection control current in a flowpath including at least two of said housing, said exterior electrically conductive surface of said header and said electrically conductive surface on said exterior of said proximal portion of said electrode lead, to counteract bacterial growth at least one an exterior of said housing; and said electrically conductive exterior surface of said connector header being electrically isolated from said electrically conductive surface on said exterior of said proximal portion of said electrode lead.
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Specification