US 8,554,336 B2Granted

Medical lead having a variable change in stiffness

AssigneeCardiac Pacemakers, Inc.

InventorsMark J. Bly, Brian D. Soltis, Bruce A. Tockman, Avram Scheiner

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Abstract

According to one embodiment, the present invention includes an elongate implantable medical lead having a distal portion that is relatively flexible, a proximal portion that is relatively stiff, and a transition portion which has a variable transition stiffness. The transition stiffness varies over the length of the transition portion that generally decreases in a distal direction. The relatively stiff proximal portion of the lead gives the lead steerability while the gradual change in stiffness in the transition portion reduces the likelihood that the lead will prolapse when it is guided into a branch vein. The distal stiffness is less than the proximal stiffness giving the lead a safe end that is unlikely to puncture vascular walls and is able to maneuver around various tortuosities when the lead is implanted into a patient.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An elongate lead comprising:

a lead body having a pre-shaped section biased to a J-shaped configuration, the lead body including a proximal portion, a distal portion and a transition portion disposed between the proximal portion and the distal portion, the lead body having a first step reduction in stiffness between the proximal portion and the transition portion as a result of the proximal portion including polyurethane and the transition portion including silicone, the transition portion including a first sub portion and a second sub portion, the transition portion and the distal portion defining at least part of the pre-shaped section such that the transition portion and the distal portion are biased to the J-shaped configuration;
an inner polymeric layer defining a lumen extending through the lead body;
an additional polymeric tubing extending over the first sub portion of the transition portion such that the first sub portion is more stiff than the second sub portion, the lead body having a second step reduction in stiffness as a result of the additional polymeric tubing terminating at a transition point between the first sub portion and the second sub portion;
and
an electrode disposed between the transition portion and the distal portion, the electrode disposed within the pre-shaped section that is biased to the J-shaped configuration.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.