Surgery – Truss – Pad
Patent
1988-09-21
1990-11-27
Jaworski, Francis
Surgery
Truss
Pad
128784, 128786, A61N 100
Patent
active
049728334
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
THIS INVENTION relates to an epicardiac pacing lead.
An epicardiac pacing lead is used to apply electrical stimulation to the heart of a cardiac patient from an external pacemaker. Electrical stimulation is normally used after sugical procedures on cardiac patients to correct arrythmic beating of the hear. The electrical stimulation may be applied to the atrium, to the ventricle or sequentially to the atrium and the ventricle of the heart.
The pacing lead has a stimulating electrode at one end and the other end is adapted for electrical connection to the pacemaker. The pacing electrode is implanted in the body of the patient, with the stimulating electrode in electrical contact with the heart. The pacing lead is affixed to the external surface of the heart and is threaded (at its other end) through the pericardium and the chest or abdominal wall of the patient for connection to the external pacemaker.
Epicardiac pacing leads which are currently in use are generally physically affixed to the heart either by suturing to epicardiac or other body tissue, or by means of a fixing device such as a prong or a screw-threaded element which is adapted to be embedded into the exterior surface of the heart. To remove the pacing lead from a patient, the pacing lead is manually pulled from the body of the patient. In doing this, the pacing lead is torn from the part of the body to which it has been physically attached, and this may result in tissue damage.
The present invention seeks to provide an epicardiac pacing lead which when implanted in the body of the patient is not physically affixed to the heart. In one form the invention resides in an epicardiac pacing lead comprising a catheter housing an elongated electrical conductor one end of which is adapted for electrical connection to a source of electrical stimulation and the other end of which is connected to a stimulating electrode on the catheter, characterised in that at least the section of the catheter adjacent the electrode has a stiffness characteristic which allows said section to be bent manually and to maintain a configuration into which it has been bent while allowing the section to straighten automatically to follow the course of the catheter as it is withdrawn from the body of the patient.
With this arrangement, said section of the catheter can be bent as desired (by a surgeon installing the pacing lead) into a position in which the electrode contacts the required part of the anatomy of a patient. The stiffness characteristic of said section is such that the section has sufficient rigidity to maintain the position in which it has been installed while having sufficient flexibility to straighten when being withdrawn from the body of the patient. The pacing lead is not required to be physically affixed to the heart either by suturing to epicardiac or other body tissue or by means of a fixing device such as a prone or screw threaded element. The lead is maintained in position because it is imbedded in the body of the patient.
The pacing lead may be used for ventricular pacing or atrial pacing.
Preferably the electrode is located at or near the inner end of the catheter, said inner end being that end which is implanted in the body of a patient when the catheter is in use.
Preferably, the end portion of said section adjacent the electrode is configured so as to provide a compression spring. With this arrangement, the compression spring can be compressed and in use inserted between the heart and the pericardium of the patient. When the compression spring returns to its extended position, it is retained between the heart and the pericardium with the electrode in electrical contact with the heart.
If a surgeon so desires, he or she may manually uncoil the spring formation or otherwise configure the catheter as required. Because of its stiffness characteristics, the catheter will retain the shape into which it has been bent by the surgeon.
To complete the electrical circuit between the body of the patient and the source of electrical stimulation, there is provided
REFERENCES:
patent: 3719190 (1973-03-01), Avery
patent: 4112952 (1978-09-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 4317458 (1982-03-01), Yokoyama
patent: 4341226 (1982-07-01), Peters
patent: 4374527 (1983-02-01), Iversen
patent: 4530368 (1985-07-01), Saulson et al.
patent: 4567900 (1986-02-01), Moore
patent: 4633880 (1987-01-01), Osypka et al.
Jaworski Francis
Manuel George
WestMed Pty. Ltd.
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