Epicardial stimulation electrode with energy directing capability
AssigneeVentritex, Inc.
InventorsPaul M. Paspa, Peter A. Altman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An epicardial defibrillation electrode having a wide insulating border which insulates the heart from the body is disclosed. The wide insulating border forces defibrillation current to flow through the heart without passing through surrounding tissues, thus increasing the current density throughout the heart, to depolarize the majority of the cardiac tissue with a minimum of energy. By increasing defibrillation efficacy in this way, the conductive surface area of each electrode can be decreased, thus allowing room for implantation of a plurality of conductive electrode portions for controlling energy delivery to the heart both spatially and temporally.
Claims24
An implantable epicardial cardiac stimulation electrode for delivering defibrillation energy to a patient's heart comprising:
- an insulative backing having an outer periphery;
- a conductive portion on one surface of said insulative backing and having an outer edge located away from said insulative backing outer periphery by an amount capable of shielding said patient's body from at least a portion of said defibrillation energy;
- and
- wherein said conductive portion outer edge is spaced from said insulative backing outer periphery by an average of at least two centimeters.
An implantable epicardial cardiac stimulation electrode comprising:
- an insulative backing having an outer periphery and upper and lower surfaces;
- a conductive material mounted to at least one portion of said lower surface of said insulative backing and defining the inner border of a rim of said insulative backing not covered by said conductive material on said insulative backing lower surface;
- said rim having a surface area equal to or greater than the surface area of said conductive material;
- and
- wherein said conductive material is spaced from said insulative backing outer periphery by an average of at least two centimeters.
An implantable epicardial cardiac stimulation electrode comprising;
- an insulative backing having an outer periphery and upper and lower surfaces;
- a conductive material mounted to at least one portion of said lower surface of said insulative backing and defining the inner border of a rim of said insulative backing not covered by said conductive material on said insulative backing lower surface;
- and
- said rim having a surface area equal to or greater than the surface area of said conductive material;
- wherein said conductive material is mounted to first and second portions of said lower surface of said insulative backing, said two portions being separated by at least two centimeters;
- and
- wherein said conductive material in said first portion and said conductive material in said second portion are coupled to opposite poles of a voltage source during cardiac stimulation.
An implantable epicardial cardiac stimulation electrode comprising:
- an insulative backing having an outer periphery and upper and lower surfaces;
- a conductive material mounted to at least one portion of said lower surface of said insulative backing and defining the inner border of a rim of said insulative backing not covered by said conductive material on said insulative backing lower surface;
- and
- said rim having a surface area equal to or greater than the surface area of said conductive material;
- wherein said conductive material is mounted to at least a first, a second, and a third portion of said lower surface of said insulative backing;
- and
- wherein said conductive material in said first portion and said conductive material in said second portion are both coupled to the same pole of a voltage source and said conductive material in said third portion is coupled to the opposite pole of said voltage source during cardiac stimulation.
An implantable cardiac stimulation system including a pulse generator for generating defibrillation energy, said pulse generator being electrically connected to an epicardial lead having a lead connector, an insulated conductor, and an electrode, said electrode comprising:
- an insulative backing having an outer periphery;
- a conductive portion having an outer edge, said conductive portion being mounted to one surface of said insulative backing, and said conductive portion outer edge being spaced from said insulative backing outer periphery by an amount capable of shielding the body from said defibrillation energy;
- and
- wherein said conductive portion outer edge is spaced from said insulative backing outer periphery by an average of at least two centimeters.
An implantable cardiac stimulation system including a pulse generator, said pulse generator electrically attached to an epicardial lead having a lead connector, an insulated conductor, and an electrode, said electrode comprising:
- a conductive material for implantation on a patient's heart;
- and
- an insulative backing for application onto said conductive material following implantation of said conductive material onto said patient's heart, such that a portion of said insulative backing is in contact with said conductive material, said conductor material defining the inner border of a rim of said insulative backing not covered by said conductive material, said rim having a surface area equal to at least the surface area of said conductive material, and wherein said conductive material is spaced from said insulative backing outer periphery by an average of at least two centimeters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.