Coronary vein lead having pre-formed biased portions for fixation

• US 8,050,775 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2009
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Bye, Lyle A., Repasky, Christina, Soltis, Brian D., Westlund, Randy, Tockman, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US12/608,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 607/125
• US Class Current: 607/125
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/057 Anchoring means; Means for fixing the head inside the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/0585 Coronary sinus electrodes

Abstract

A lead having pre-formed biased portion is adapted for implantation on or about the heart within the coronary vasculature and for connection to a signal generator. The lead is constructed and arranged so that when it is implanted, the electrodes are housed in the coronary vasculature and are biased toward a vessel wall by the preformed biased portion, which operates to fixate the lead against the vessel wall.

Claims

1. An implantable medical lead for transmitting electrical signals between cardiac tissue and an implantable pulse generator, the lead comprising:

a lead body having a proximal end and an open distal end, and including a pre-formed biased portion between the proximal and distal ends, the pre-formed biased portion adapted to fixate the lead against an interior wall of a coronary vessel upon implantation and including a three-dimensional bias and a two-dimensional bias;

a connector located at the proximal end of the lead body configured for coupling the lead assembly to an implantable pulse generator;

an electrode on the lead body;

a conductor coil coupled to the electrode extending within the lead body from the proximal end toward the distal end; and

an open lumen extending longitudinally through the distal end of the lead body such that the lead can be threaded over a guidewire during implantation of the lead.

2. The lead of claim 1 further comprising an unbiased, flexible tapered portion terminating at a distal tip of the lead.

3. The lead of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional bias has a helical shape, and wherein the two-dimensional bias has a J-shape.

4. The lead of claim 1 wherein the coil conductor defines at least a portion of the lumen.

5. The lead of claim 4 wherein the lead terminates in a distal tip, and wherein the coil conductor terminates proximal to the distal tip.

6. The lead of claim 5 further comprising an unbiased, flexible tapered portion terminating at the distal tip of the lead.

7. The lead of claim 1 wherein the electrode is located within the three-dimensional bias.

8. The lead of claim 1 wherein the electrode is located within the two-dimensional bias.

9. The lead of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of electrodes, wherein at least one electrode is located distal to the pre-formed biased portion.

10. An implantable medical lead for transmitting electrical signals between cardiac tissue and an implantable pulse generator, the lead comprising:

a lead body having a proximal end and an open distal end, and including a pre-formed biased portion between the proximal and distal ends, the pre-formed biased portion adapted to fixate the lead against an interior wall of a coronary vessel upon implantation and including a three-dimensional bias having a helical shape with 1 to 2 turns;

a connector located at the proximal end of the lead body configured for coupling the lead assembly to an implantable pulse generator;

an electrode on the lead body;

a conductor coil coupled to the electrode extending within the lead body from the proximal end toward the distal end; and

an open lumen extending longitudinally through the distal end of the lead body such that the lead can be threaded over a guidewire during implantation of the lead.

11. The lead of claim 10 wherein the pre-formed biased portion further includes a two-dimensional bias having a J-shape.

12. The lead of claim 11 wherein the electrode is located within the pre-formed biased portion.

13. The lead of claim 12 wherein the electrode is located within the three-dimensional bias.

14. The lead of claim 10 wherein the electrode is located distal to the pre-formed biased portion.

15. The lead of claim 10 wherein the coil conductor defines at least a portion of the lumen.

16. The lead of claim 15 wherein the lead terminates in a distal tip, and wherein the coil conductor terminates proximal to the distal tip.

17. The lead of claim 16 further comprising an unbiased, flexible tapered portion terminating at the distal tip of the lead.

18. An implantable medical lead for transmitting electrical signals between cardiac tissue and an implantable pulse generator, the lead comprising:

a lead body having a proximal end and an open distal end, and including a pre-formed biased portion between the proximal and distal ends, and an-unbiased portion extending distally from the pre-formed biased portion, wherein the pre-formed biased portion is adapted to fixate the lead against an interior wall of a coronary vessel upon implantation and includes a three-dimensional bias having a helical shape;

a connector located at the proximal end of the lead body configured for coupling the lead to an implantable pulse generator;

a plurality of electrodes on the lead body in the pre-formed biased portion;

an electrode on the lead body in the un-biased portion;

a first conductor extending within the lead body from the proximal end toward the distal end and coupled to the electrode in the un-biased portion;

a plurality of second conductors extending within the lead body from the proximal end toward the distal end each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of electrodes in the pre-formed biased portion; and

an open lumen extending longitudinally through the distal end of the lead body such that the lead can be threaded over a guidewire during implantation of the lead.

19. The lead of claim 18 wherein the lead terminates in a distal tip, and wherein the coil conductor terminates proximal to the distal tip.

20. The lead of claim 19 further comprising an unbiased, flexible tapered portion terminating at the distal tip of the lead.