Canister designs for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators

• US 7,428,437 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cameron Health Inc (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cameron Health Inc (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Rissmann, William J., Bardy, Gust H., Sanders, Gary H., Cappato, Riccardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gedeon; Brian T
• Application Number:
  US11/219,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20060004416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 607/36, 607/37
• US Class Current: 607/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36514 controlled by a physiological quantity other than heart potential, e.g. blood pressure controlled by two or more physical parameters A61N1/36585
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3956 Implantable devices for applying electric shocks to the heart, e.g. for cardioversion

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides an implantable cardioverter defibrillator for subcutaneous positioning between the third rib and the twelfth rib within a patient, the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator including a housing; having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface comprises an electrically insulated material and the second surface comprises an electrically conductive material; and an electrical circuit located within the housing, wherein the electrical circuit is electrically coupled to the second surface of the housing.

Claims

1. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator comprising:

a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface, a first end and a second end, a first side and a second side, a depth extending between the top and bottom surfaces, a length extending between the first and second ends, and a width extending between the first and second sides, the housing including a first portion ending at the first end, which is rounded and unconnected to any implantable lead assembly, and a second portion connected together by a tapered shoulder region such that the width of the housing within the shoulder region decreases in a tapered fashion toward the first end;

an electrical circuit disposed within the housing, wherein the electrical circuit provides cardioversion-defibrillation energy to a patient; and

an electrode located on the first portion of the housing, wherein the electrode is electrically coupled to the electrical circuit.

2. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the width of the housing along at least a part of the second portion is greater than the width of the housing along at least a part of the shoulder region.

3. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the width of the housing along at least a part of the first portion is greater than the width of the housing along at least a portion of the shoulder region.

4. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the width of the housing along at least a part of the first portion is less than the width of the housing along at least a part of the second portion.

5. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the depth of the housing along at least a part of the first portion is less than the depth of the housing along at least a part of the second portion.

6. The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 1 further comprising a second electrode disposed on the housing, the first and second electrodes both coupled to the electrical circuit for delivering cardioversion-defibrillation energy to the patient using only electrodes disposed on the housing such that the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator lacks any lead.

7. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit is disposed within the second portion.

8. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the first portion includes a tapered region such that the depth of the housing within the tapered region decreases in a tapered fashion toward the first end.

9. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface has a length and the top surface has a length, and the length of the bottom surface is greater than the length of the top surface.

10. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 1, wherein the electrode is a subcutaneous electrode that provides a cardioversion-defibrillation energy to a patient'"'"'s heart from a subcutaneous position.

11. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator comprising:

a housing having a top surface and a bottom surface, proximal and distal ends, and first and second sides, a depth extending between the top and bottom surfaces, a length extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a width extending between the first and second sides, the housing including a distal portion and a proximal portion, wherein the width and depth of the housing within at least a part of the distal portion are less than the width and depth of the housing within at least a part of the proximal portion;

an electrical circuit disposed within the housing, wherein the electrical circuit provides cardioversion-defibrillation energy to a patient; and

an electrode located on the distal portion of the housing, wherein the electrode is electrically coupled to the electrical circuit and the distal portion of the housing terminates in a rounded end that is unconnected to any lead assembly.

12. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 11, wherein the housing has a depth in the distal portion of the housing in the range of about 10 to about 10millimeters.

13. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 11, wherein the depth of the housing in the distal portion is in the range of about 1 to about 4 millimeters.

14. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 11, wherein the depth of the housing in the distal portion is about 1 millimeter.

15. The cardioverter-defibrillator of claim 11, wherein the top and bottom surfaces meet at the distal end of the housing such that the depth of the distal end is tapered.