Device and method for treating cardiac tissue of a heart of a patient with therapeutic light using photobiomodulation

An implantable medical lead comprising:

• an elongate lead body configured for in vivo implantation in a subject, said lead body having first and second lead body ends;
• an electrical conductor extending in said lead body, said electrical conductor having a first conductor end at said first lead body end configured for electrical connection to a pulse generator to receive electrical stimulating pulses therefrom, and having a second conductor end approximately coextensive with said second lead body end;
• at least one electrode connected to said second conductor end configured for in vivo exposure to cardiac tissue of the subject to deliver said stimulating pulses to said tissue at a contact area where said electrode abuts said tissue;
• a fixation element carried by said lead body at said second lead body end, said fixation element being configured to interact with said tissue in a fixation area to hold said electrode against said tissue in said contact area;
• and
• at least one light emitter carried by said lead body at said second lead body end that emits biomodulating light in vivo, said light emitter being located at said second lead body end, relative to said electrode and to said fixation element, to cause said biomodulating light to be emitted toward at least one of said fixation area and said contact area.

An implantable medical device comprising:

• a pulse generator configured for in vivo in a subject, that emits electrical stimulation pulses;
• an elongate lead body configured for in vivo implantation in the subject, said lead body having first and second lead body ends;
• an electrical conductor extending in said lead body, said electrical conductor having a first conductor end at said first lead body end configured for electrical connection to said pulse generator to receive said electrical stimulating pulses therefrom, and having a second conductor end approximately coextensive with said second lead body end;
• at least one electrode connected to said second conductor end configured for in vivo exposure to cardiac tissue of the subject to deliver said stimulating pulses to said tissue at a contact area where said electrode abuts said tissue;
• a fixation element carried by said lead body at said second lead body end, said fixation element being configured to interact with said tissue in a fixation area to hold said electrode against said tissue in said contact area;
• and
• at least one light emitter carried by said lead body at said second lead body end that emits biomodulating light in vivo, said light emitter being located at said second lead body end, relative to said electrode and to said fixation element, to cause said biomodulating light to be emitted toward at least one of said fixation area and said contact area.

A method for stimulating tissue in vivo comprising the steps of:

• implanting an elongate lead body in vivo in a subject, said lead body having first and second lead body ends;
• connecting a first conductor end of an electrical conductor extending in said lead body at said first lead body end, to a pulse generator to receive electrical stimulating pulses therefrom, said electrical conductor having a second conductor end approximately coextensive with said second lead body end;
• placing at least one electrode connected to said second conductor end in in vivo exposure to cardiac tissue of the subject and delivering said stimulating pulses to said tissue at a contact area where said electrode abuts said tissue;
• providing a fixation element carried by said lead body at said second lead body end, and causing said fixation element to interact with said tissue in a fixation area to hold said electrode against said tissue in said contact area;
• and
• emitting biomodulating light in vivo from at least one light emitter carried by said lead body at said second lead body end, and locating said light emitter at said second lead body end, relative to said electrode and to said fixation element, to cause said biomodulating light to be emitted toward at least one of said fixation area and said contact area.

A computer-readable medium encoded with programming instructions, said medium being loadable into a processor of an implantable medical device having an elongate lead body configured for in vivo implantation in a subject, said lead body having first and second lead body ends, a pulse generator, an electrical conductor extending in said lead body, said electrical conductor having a first conductor end at said first lead body end connected to said pulse generator to receive electrical stimulating pulses therefrom, and having a second conductor end approximately coextensive with said second lead body end, at least one electrode connected to said second conductor end configured for in vivo exposure to cardiac tissue of the subject to deliver said stimulating pulses to said tissue at a contact area where said electrode abuts said tissue, a fixation element carried by said lead body at said second lead body end, said fixation element being configured to interact with said tissue in a fixation area to hold said electrode against said tissue in said contact area, and at least one light emitter carried by said lead body at said second lead body end that emits biomodulating light, said light emitter being located at said second lead body end, relative to said electrode and to said fixation element, said programming instructions operating said processor to cause said biomodulating light to be emitted toward at least one of said fixation area and said contact area.