Endovascular lead for chronic nerve stimulation
First Claim
1. An intravenous lead adapted to electrically stimulate fibers of the vagus nerve in a human patient, said nerve extending along an outer surface of the vena cava, the lead comprising:
- a lead body having a portion along the length thereof adapted to be placed within said vena cava, said portion of said lead body having a helical configuration and carrying an electrode array, said electrode array comprising at least eight sets of electrodes, each of said sets of electrodes comprising at least three electrodes adapted to engage an inner surface of said vena cava.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lead of the present invention comprises an electrode array adapted to be stably anchored at a selected location within the vena cava of a human patient. The electrode array may take various shapes, including helical, annular and linear. The electrode array is connectable to an electrical stimulation means such as an implantable pulse or signal generator. Electrical stimulation applied to a selected region of the vena cava and across the wall of the vein, that is, transvascularly, to the vagus nerve or branches thereof, depolarizes the nerve to thereby effect control of the heart rate.
173 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An intravenous lead adapted to electrically stimulate fibers of the vagus nerve in a human patient, said nerve extending along an outer surface of the vena cava, the lead comprising:
a lead body having a portion along the length thereof adapted to be placed within said vena cava, said portion of said lead body having a helical configuration and carrying an electrode array, said electrode array comprising at least eight sets of electrodes, each of said sets of electrodes comprising at least three electrodes adapted to engage an inner surface of said vena cava. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An intravenous lead comprising a lead body having a portion along the length thereof for placement within the vena cava vein, said vein having a wall comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, said portion of said lead body having a helical configuration adapted to electrically stimulate fibers of the vagus nerve disposed adjacent to the outer surface of the wall of said vein, the lead body comprising:
an array of electrodes disposed along said portion of the lead body, said electrode array comprising at least eight sets of electrodes, each of said sets of electrodes comprising at least three electrodes, the electrodes of each set being connected so as to be electrically energizable together independently of the electrodes of the remaining sets. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification