Leadless pacing device implantation

• US 9,623,234 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Anderson, Kenneth M
• Primary Examiner(s): Moran, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Natasha
• Application Number:
  US14/538,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20160129239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09183 having tools at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0082 Catheter tip comprising a tool
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/01 Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters A61M25/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3684 for stimulating the heart at multiple sites of the ventricle or the atrium
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36843 Bi-ventricular stimulation
• 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

In some examples, a system includes an implantable medical device configured for implantation in a chamber of the heart, an extension attached to the implantable medical device, the extension comprising a housing comprising at least one electrode, the housing defining a hole, and a tether comprising a first tether portion and a second tether portion and configured to be threaded through the hole. When the tether is threaded through the hole, the first tether portion and the second tether portion are on opposite sides of the hole. The tether may be used to implant the extension in a different chamber of the heart of the patient than the implantable medical device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

introducing an implantable medical device to a first chamber of a heart of a patient via a femoral vein, wherein the implantable medical device is attached to an extension comprising a housing including at least one electrode, the housing defining a hole, and wherein a tether is threaded through the hole, the tether including a first tether portion and a second tether portion on an opposite side of the hole from the first tether portion;

directing a guidewire to a target vein, the guidewire comprising a first guidewire portion and a second guidewire portion, the second guidewire portion comprising a thread attached to the second tether portion;

introducing a pusher up the second tether portion to a position proximate to the housing;

removing the tether from the patient by at least pulling the second tether portion to replace the tether with the guidewire;

pushing the housing along the guidewire using the pusher.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein pushing the housing along the guidewire using the pusher comprises pushing the housing with the pusher to a location in a coronary sinus of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a location of the at least one electrode within the patient by at least one of:

pushing the pusher to move the housing in a distal direction, or

pulling on both the guidewire and the pusher to move the housing in the proximal direction.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one electrode comprises a first electrode and the first chamber comprises a right ventricle, the implantable medical device comprising a second electrode, wherein adjusting the location of the at least one electrode comprises adjusting the location of the first electrode to be positioned in a left ventricle of the heart of the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the thread is encompassed by a stiffening tube, the method further comprising removing the stiffening tube from around the thread.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein introducing the implantable medical device into the first chamber of the heart of the patient comprises:

introducing a catheter into the chamber of the heart of the patient via the femoral artery; and

introducing the implantable medical device into the chamber through the catheter.