Delivery catheter

A method of implanting an electrical lead into a patent's heart in close proximity to the patient's His bundle, the method comprising:

• advancing a distal portion of a catheter to a point in close proximity to the patient's His bundle, wherein the catheter has a proximal portion and the distal portion thereof is generally hook-shaped and extends distally from the proximal portion, and terminating in a distal tip, the distal portion having a first and second segments, the second segment extending distally of the first segment, the second segment extending through an arc of approximately 100 to 160 degrees to orient the distal tip generally perpendicular to a His bundle when the catheter is implanted, the first segment being formed of a resilient material and having a curvature that springs the second portion toward the His bundle when the catheter is implanted;
• and
• advancing an electrical lead through the catheter and out of the distal portion of the catheter and into contact with the patient's tissue in close proximity to the His bundle.

A method for implantation of a lead into patient's heart in close proximity to the patient's His bundle, the method comprising:

• advancing a distal portion of a catheter to a point adjacent the patient's His bundle, wherein the catheter has a proximal portion and the distal portion is generally hook-shaped and extends distally from the proximal portion and terminates in a distal tip, the distal portion extending over a length greater than 138 millimeters and extending through an arc of at least 180 degrees, the distal portion having a first segment formed with a first radius of curvature and a second segment formed with a second radius of curvature, the second segment being distal of the first segment and curving in the same direction as the first segment, and the first radius of curvature being greater than the second radius of curvature, the second radius of curvature being at least 8 millimeters;
• and
• advancing an electrical lead through the catheter and out of the distal portion of the catheter and into contact with the patient's tissue in close proximity to the His bundle, wherein the lead has a distal tip electrode implantable into a wall of the heart to a depth of at least 2 millimeters, whereby the electrical lead may be implanted through the His bundle and secured into the adjacent ventricular myocardium.

A method of implanting an electrical lead within a patient's heart in close proximity to the patient's His bundle, comprising:

• advancing a distal end of catheter to a point in close proximity to the patient's His bundle, wherein the catheter has a proximal portion and the distal portion is generally hook-shaped and extends distally from the proximal portion, terminating in a distal tip, the distal portion including first and second segments curved in the same direction, the second segment being more sharply curved than the first segment and shorter than the first segment, the second segment being distal of the first segment and including a generally linear tip segment terminating in the distal tip, whereby, when the catheter is implanted, the curvature of the second segment orients the distal tip in a direction generally perpendicular to the His bundle and the curvature of the first segment pushes the second segment towards the His bundle;
• and
• advancing an electrical lead through the catheter and out of the distal portion of the catheter and into contact with the patient's tissue in close proximity to the His bundle.