Holding members for implantable cardiac stimulation devices

• US 8,504,156 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bonner, Matthew D., Anderson, Thomas A., Berthiaume, William A., Hurtig, Noelle C.
• Primary Examiner(s): GETZOW, SCOTT M
• Application Number:
  US13/219,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20130053921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 607115-132, 607 2- 28, 607/36, 607/37
• US Class Current: 607/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0573 chacterised by means penetrating the heart tissue, e.g. helix needle or hook
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/362 Heart stimulators heart defibrillators A61N1/39
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators

Abstract

A holding member for an implantable cardiac device facilitates tether attachment and removal, at time of implant, and snaring, or otherwise capturing, for subsequent explant. Preferably located in proximity to a proximal end wall of a shell of the device, the holding member includes a strut portion, being spaced proximally apart from the proximal end wall, a waist portion, defining a recess, and an engagement section, extending between the strut portion and the waist portion and overhanging the recess. The waist portion may either extend between the strut portion and the proximal end wall, or be formed in the shell, distal to the proximal end wall. Alternately, the holding member includes a loop element and an engagement element coupled thereto, between first and second segments thereof. The segments are initially formed to give the loop element an opening, and have a flexibility to be compressed together.

Claims

1. An implantable cardiac stimulation device including a pulse generator, a power source, a fixation member, a holding member, and a shell;

the shell containing the pulse generator and the power source and extending along a longitudinal axis of the device from a proximal end wall to a distal end wall thereof;

the fixation member being located in proximity to the distal end wall; and

the holding member comprising;

a strut portion spaced apart proximally from the proximal end wall, the strut portion having a span that generally extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device;

a waist portion defining a recess that extends between the strut portion and the proximal end wall; and

an engagement section extending between the strut portion and the waist portion and overhanging the recess; and

wherein the engagement section of the holding member extends approximately 360 degrees about a perimeter of the waist portion of the holding member in a plane that lies approximately orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the device; and

wherein the holding member further comprises an open groove extending along the engagement section in a direction approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis of the device.

2. An implantable cardiac stimulation device including a pulse generator, a power source, a fixation member, a holding member, and a shell;

the shell containing the pulse generator and the power source and extending along a longitudinal axis of the device from a proximal end wall to a distal end wall thereof;

the fixation member being located in proximity to the distal end wall; and

the holding member comprising;

a strut portion spaced apart proximally from the proximal end wall, the strut portion having a span that generally extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device;

a waist portion defining a recess that extends between the strut portion and the proximal end wall; and

an engagement section extending between the strut portion and the waist portion and overhanging the recess; and

wherein the strut portion of the holding member comprises a bar supported by the engagement section; and

wherein the engagement section of the holding member includes a cavity within which the bar is supported.

3. An implantable cardiac stimulation device including a pulse generator, a power source, a fixation member, a holding member, and a shell;

the shell containing the pulse generator and the power source and extending along a longitudinal axis of the device from a proximal end wall to a distal end wall thereof;

the fixation member being located in proximity to the distal end wall; and

the holding member comprising;

a strut portion spaced apart proximally from the proximal end wall, the strut portion having a span that generally extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device;

a waist portion defining a recess that extends between the strut portion and the proximal end wall; and

an engagement section extending between the strut portion and the waist portion and overhanging the recess; and

wherein the strut portion of the holding member comprises a bar supported by the engagement section; and

wherein the engagement section of the holding member includes a cavity within which the bar is supported.

4. An implantable cardiac stimulation device including a pulse generator, a power source, a fixation member, a holding member, and a shell;

the shell containing the pulse generator and the power source and extending along a longitudinal axis of the device from a proximal end wall to a distal end wall thereof;

the fixation member being located in proximity to the distal end wall; and

the holding member comprising;

a strut portion spaced apart proximally from the proximal end wall, the strut portion having a span that generally extends in a direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device;

a waist portion defining a recess that extends between the strut portion and the proximal end wall; and

an engagement section extending between the strut portion and the waist portion and overhanging the recess; and

wherein the strut portion of the holding member arches over an eyelet formed through the waist portion of the holding member, the eyelet extending through the waist portion in a direction approximately orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the device and

wherein the holding member further comprises an open groove extending along the strut portion in a direction approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis of the device.

5. An implantable cardiac stimulation device including a pulse generator and a power source, a shell that contains the pulse generator and power source and extends along a longitudinal axis of the device from a proximal end wall to a distal end wall thereof, a fixation member located in proximity to the distal end wall, and a holding member;

the holding member comprising;

a loop element including a first segment and a second segment, the first and second segments each having a terminal end, each terminal end being coupled to the device, on opposite sides thereof, in proximity to the end wall, and the first and second segments extending proximally from the terminal ends thereof; and

an engagement element coupled to the loop element, between the first and second segments thereof, and being spaced proximally from the proximal end wall, the engagement element having a maximum dimension of a radial profile thereof that is less than a maximum diameter of the shell;

wherein, the first and second segments of the loop element are initially formed to give the loop element an opening located between the engagement element and the proximal end wall;

the first and second segments have a flexibility to be compressed together between the engagement element and the proximal end wall, in a direction that is approximately orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the device; and

a maximum dimension of a radial profile of the first and second segments, together, when the segments are compressed together, is less than the maximum dimension of the radial profile of the engagement element.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the first and second segments of the loop element of the holding member, in proximity to the terminal ends thereof, bend away from one another in the proximal direction in order to define corresponding recesses between the loop element and the proximal end wall.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the engagement element of the holding member has a generally spherical form.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the first and second segments of the loop element of the holding member are resilient.