System and method for implanting cardiac electrical leads

A system for implanting electrical leads in or on the pericardium of a heart, comprising:

• a guiding catheter including distal end;
• a suction cup having a bore therethrough and mounted to said distal end of said guiding catheter, said suction cup disposed to abut a pericardium surrounding said heart;
• a vacuum pump coupled to said guiding catheter to evacuate said guiding catheter so that a pressure differential holds said suction cup to said pericardium when said suction cup abuts said pericardium;
• an endoscope fitted through said guiding catheter for observing a surface of said pericardium through said bore of said suction cup;
• a wire guide inserted through said guiding catheter, said wire guide having a distal end that includes first anchoring means for providing an anchoring function in the pericardium and a needle selectively deployable a predetermined distance from said distal end of said wire guide for cutting an access hole through a pericardium into said pericardial space;
• a dilator having a blunt, tapered distal end and a longitudinal bore slidable over said wire guide so that said blunt end of said dilator may be advanced to penetrate and dilate said access hole;
• a flexible sheath having a distal end fitted to slide over said dilator, said flexible sheath and said wire guide forming a channel when said dilator is withdrawn from said wire guide;
• and
• an electrical lead having a distal end equipped with second anchoring means for anchoring the distal end of the electrical lead to body tissue, said electrical lead and distal end being of a size and shape that permits the insertion of the electrical lead through the channel of said flexible sheath so that the distal end of said electrical lead passes through said access hole into said pericardial, space, said distal end being adapted to be anchored in said pericardial space by said second anchoring means.