| Cardiac lead having coated fixation arrangement -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Cardiac lead having coated fixation arrangementRelated Patent Categories: Surgery: Light, Thermal, And Electrical Application, Light, Thermal, And Electrical Application, Electrical Energy Applicator, Placed In Body, Heart, Catheter Or Endocardial (inside Heart) TypeCardiac lead having coated fixation arrangement description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070173915, Cardiac lead having coated fixation arrangement. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED PATENT DOCUMENTS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/733,868 filed on Dec. 11, 2003, to issue as U.S. Pat. No. 7,197,362 on Mar. 27, 2007, to which Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to leads for implantable cardiac monitoring and stimulation devices and, more particularly, to electrodes and methods for implanting cardiac leads having coated fixation arrangements. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Rhythmic contractions of a healthy heart are normally controlled by the sinoatrial (SA) node that includes specialized cells located in the superior right atrium. The SA node is the normal pacemaker of the heart, typically initiating 60-100 heartbeats per minute. When the SA node is pacing the heart normally, the heart is said to be in normal sinus rhythm (NSR). [0004] The heart has specialized conduction pathways in both the atria and the ventricles that enable the rapid conduction of excitation impulses (i.e. depolarizations) from the SA node throughout the myocardium. These specialized conduction pathways conduct the depolarizations from the SA node to the atrial myocardium, to the atrio-ventricular node, and to the ventricular myocardium to produce a coordinated contraction of both atria and both ventricles. [0005] The conduction pathways synchronize the contractions of the muscle fibers of each chamber as well as the contraction of each atrium or ventricle with the contralateral atrium or ventricle. Without the synchronization afforded by the normally functioning specialized conduction pathways, the heart's pumping efficiency is greatly diminished. Patients who exhibit pathology of these conduction pathways can suffer compromised cardiac output, such as that associated with congestive heart failure, for example. [0006] Cardiac rhythm management devices have been developed that provide pacing stimulation to one or more heart chambers in an attempt to improve the rhythm and coordination of atrial and/or ventricular contractions. Cardiac rhythm management devices may incorporate defibrillation and/or pacemaker circuitry used to treat patients with serious arrhythmias. Cardiac rhythm management devices typically include circuitry to sense signals from the heart and a pulse generator for providing electrical stimulation to the heart. One or more leads are typically delivered transvenously or transthoracicly into the heart, and are coupled to electrodes that contact the myocardium for sensing the heart's electrical signals and for delivering stimulation to the heart in accordance with various therapies. Cardiac rhythm management devices may deliver low energy electrical pace pulses timed to assist the heart in producing a contractile rhythm that maintains cardiac pumping efficiency appropriate to meet the metabolic requirements of the patient. [0007] While transvenous lead delivery is appropriate for many patients that experience adverse synchronization conditions, there are a significant number of patients who could benefit from cardiac resynchronization therapy or other cardiac stimulation therapies, but are not good candidates for transvenous surgical procedures. Many of these patients are considered poor candidates for transvenous lead implantation for various reasons, including inability to locate the coronary sinus, presence of coronary sinus stenosis, inability to catheterize a desired branch vein, instability of the transvenous lead, or unacceptably high pacing threshold, for example. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The present invention is directed to implantable cardiac monitoring and stimulation devices and methods using cardiac leads having coated fixation arrangements. A coating, such as an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), for example, reduces exit block by reducing the tissue response to the fixation arrangement, decreasing the amount of tissue fibrosis, and reducing exit block development. [0009] An epicardial lead in accordance with the present invention includes a lead body with one or more electrical conductors with associated insulators. An epicardial electrode assembly is situated at the distal end of the lead body. The electrode assembly includes an electrode having a fixation arrangement such as, for example, a helical fixation element. The fixation arrangement is completely or partially coated with a fluoropolymer or includes a sleeve on some or all of the fixation arrangement. [0010] The lead may also incorporate a polymeric coating disposed on at least the fixation arrangement, and include a fluoropolymer coating or sleeve disposed over the polymeric coating. The fluoropolymer coating or sleeve may be manufactured-from, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or ePTFE. The coating or sleeve may include a steroid or other pharmacological eluting arrangement disposed on the fixation arrangement. [0011] An endocardial lead in accordance with the present invention includes a lead body with one or more electrical conductors with associated insulators. An endocardial electrode assembly is situated at the distal end of the lead body and includes at least one helical electrode, typically an extendable/retractable electrode. The helical electrode is completely or partially coated with a fluoropolymer or includes a sleeve on some or all of the fixation arrangement. The coating or sleeve may include a steroid or other pharmacological eluting arrangement disposed on the helical electrode. [0012] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of implanting an epicardial lead on a patient's heart involves accessing, via a patient's chest cavity, an epicardial surface of the heart. An electrode assembly of an epicardial lead is moved to an implant site on the epicardial surface. The electrode assembly includes an electrode having a fixation arrangement, such as, for example, an active fixation arrangement, with a fluoropolymer coating or sleeve provided on some or all of the fixation arrangement. The method further involves implanting the electrode into myocardial tissue at the implant site by use of the fixation arrangement. [0013] The lead may also include a polymeric coating disposed on at least the fixation arrangement, and may include a fluoropolymer coating or sleeve disposed over the polymeric coating. The method may further involve delivering a pharmacological agent from a coating or sleeve, such as a steroid or other pharmacological agent delivered by a pharmacological eluting arrangement disposed on the fixation arrangement. [0014] The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. Advantages and attainments, together with a more complete understanding of the invention, will become apparent and appreciated by referring to the following detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a cardiac monitoring and/or stimulation device in accordance with the present invention, as implanted in a patient; [0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a lead having a coated helical fixation arrangement in the myocardium in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; [0017] FIGS. 3A and 3C illustrate magnified views of the distal portion, identified in FIG. 3B, of embodiments of a lead having a coated helical fixation arrangement in accordance with the present invention; [0018] FIG. 3B illustrates a lead in accordance with the present invention, identifying the magnified portion illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3C; and [0019] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a lead having a coated helical fixation arrangement in accordance with the present invention. Continue reading about Cardiac lead having coated fixation arrangement... Full patent description for Cardiac lead having coated fixation arrangement Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Cardiac lead having coated fixation arrangement patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Cardiac lead having coated fixation arrangement or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Self-locking electrode assembly usable with an implantable medical device Next Patent Application: Electrode with edge protection Industry Class: Surgery: light, thermal, and electrical application ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Cardiac lead having coated fixation arrangement patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 1.08505 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
