Surgery: light – thermal – and electrical application – Light – thermal – and electrical application – Electrical energy applicator
Patent
1998-12-11
2000-12-19
Evanisko, George R.
Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application
Light, thermal, and electrical application
Electrical energy applicator
607126, A61N 105
Patent
active
061637289
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an epicardiac pacing lead.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An epicardiac pacing lead is used to apply electrical stimulation to the heart of a cardiac surgical patient from an external pacemaker. Electrical stimulation is normally used after surgical procedures on cardiac patients to correct arrhythmic beating of the heart. 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, 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 conventional pacing lead is affixed to the external surface of the heart with a suture and is threaded with a thoracic needle (at its other end) through the chest or upper abdominal wall of the patient for connection to the external pacemaker via an external extension lead commonly known as a patient cable.
Typically, such a pacing lead is supplied for use in a stored condition in which it is usually wrapped on a card and sometimes wound into a coil. Prior to implantation into the body of a patient, the pacing lead is manually unwrapped from the card and unwound from the coil so that it can be installed by threading through the body of the patient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide a pacing lead which can be progressively withdrawn from a storage condition during the installation procedure.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an epicardiac pacing lead comprising a flexible cable and a storage means accommodating the cable in a stored condition, whereby the cable can be progressively withdrawn from the storage means during installation of the cable in the body of a patient.
In one arrangement the storage means may comprise a spool.
Preferably, the spool is supported in a manner which allows it to rotate for unwinding of the cable therefrom. For this purpose, the spool may be rotatably supported on a central spindle which can be gripped. Conveniently, the spindle is adapted to be gripped between the ends thereof. With this arrangement, the spool may be supported in the hand of a user, with the spindle being gripped at its ends between the thumb and a finger.
In another arrangement, the storage means may comprise a structure supporting the cable stored in a folded condition. Conveniently, the cable is folded back and forth about itself so that it can progressively unfold as it is withdrawn from the structure. One structure may comprise a casing having a pair of spaced apart surfaces defining a gap therebetween in which the folded cable is frictionally retained between said surfaces.
The cable may have a distal end, a proximal end, an electrode means associated with the distal end and a connector means associated with the proximal end for connection to an external pacemaker. Typically, the distal end of the cable is fitted with a heart needle for threading the cable into contact with the heart.
In one arrangement, the proximal end of the cable may receive means for threading the cable through portion of the body of the patient. Such means may comprise a thoracic needle fitted onto the proximal end of the cable, over the connector means. The thoracic needle is intended to be removed from the cable to expose the connector means after the cable has been threaded through the body of the patient. In this arrangement, the pacing lead is preferably supplied with the thoracic needle fitted onto the proximal end of the cable.
In another arrangement, the distal end of the cable may receive means for threading the cable through portion of the body of the patient. Such means may comprise a thoracic needle fitted onto the distal end of the cable, typically over the heart needle. The thoracic needle is removed from the cable to expose the heart needle after the cable has been threaded through the body of the patient. In this arrangeme
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