Implantable medical sensor and fixation system
First Claim
1. An implantable sensor assembly comprising:
- a fixation member expandable from a low profile configuration to an expanded configuration adapted to engage the walls of a vessel to maintain its position in the vessel;
a sensor housing containing sensing elements adapted to sense a physiological parameter of a patient, the housing being attached to the fixation member by means comprising;
the fixation member having a longitudinally extending attachment strut having a non-circular cross section;
the sensor housing having at least one pair of plastically deformable tabs extending from the housing and spaced to define a longitudinally extending channel receptive to the attachment strut, the channel being configured and dimensioned to prevent rotation of the attachment strut relative to the sensor housing when the strut is contained within the channel and to align the housing with the attachment strut;
at least one of the tabs of at least one of the pairs of tabs having a portion protruding beyond the attachment strut when the attachment strut is contained in the channel, whereby the attachment strut can be placed transversely into the channel and the protruding tab portion may be plastically deformed to overlie the strut to secure the housing to the fixation member.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable medical device, such as a sensor for monitoring a selected internally detectable physiological parameter of a patient, is attached to a fixation member that is deployable within the patient to position and orient the sensor to enable it to perform its function. The fixation member may be configured to lie in a single plane when deployed or may be tubular in shape. The attachment of the housing and fixation member includes providing the fixation member with a linear attachment strut that is non-circular in cross section and providing the housing with external members that define an elongate channel, non-circular in cross section and receptive to the attachment strut. The attachment strut can be inserted transversely into the channel and the external member can be crimped over the strut to secure the housing and fixation member together.
105 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An implantable sensor assembly comprising:
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a fixation member expandable from a low profile configuration to an expanded configuration adapted to engage the walls of a vessel to maintain its position in the vessel; a sensor housing containing sensing elements adapted to sense a physiological parameter of a patient, the housing being attached to the fixation member by means comprising; the fixation member having a longitudinally extending attachment strut having a non-circular cross section; the sensor housing having at least one pair of plastically deformable tabs extending from the housing and spaced to define a longitudinally extending channel receptive to the attachment strut, the channel being configured and dimensioned to prevent rotation of the attachment strut relative to the sensor housing when the strut is contained within the channel and to align the housing with the attachment strut; at least one of the tabs of at least one of the pairs of tabs having a portion protruding beyond the attachment strut when the attachment strut is contained in the channel, whereby the attachment strut can be placed transversely into the channel and the protruding tab portion may be plastically deformed to overlie the strut to secure the housing to the fixation member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of assembling an implantable sensor assembly comprising:
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providing a fixation member expandable from a low profile configuration to an expanded configuration, the fixation member having at least one linear attachment strut of non-circular cross section; providing a sensor housing containing sensing elements adapted to sense a physiological parameter of a patient, the sensor housing having at least one pair of plastically deformable tabs extending from the housing and spaced to define a longitudinally extending channel receptive to the attachment strut, the channel being configured and dimensioned to prevent rotation of the attachment strut relative to the sensor housing when the strut is contained within the channel and to align the housing with the attachment strut, at least one tab extending sufficiently beyond a surface of the attachment strut to enable it to be crimped over the attachment strut; inserting the attachment strut into the channel transversely to seat the attachment strut at the bottom of the channel; and crimping the protruding portion of the at least one tab over the attachment strut to secure the housing and fixation member together.
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Specification