IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL ELECTRODE DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR CARDIOVASCULAR CARDIAC PACEMAKER OR DEFIBRILLATOR ELECTRODE DEVICE

Abstract

An implantable medical electrode device, in particular a cardiovascular cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator electrode device, comprises an elongate, tubular electrode body (2), a fixing zone (4) in front of the distal end (3) of the electrode body (2), in which the externally closed peripheral envelope (8) of the electrode body (2) is reversibly expandable into a body lumen (27) for detachable fixing of the electrode device (1), and expansion means, situated in the fixing zone (4), for controlling the expansion and contraction in the fixing zone (4).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a longitudinal section through the fixing zone of an electrode device in the contracted and expanded states, respectively, of the fixing zone,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic overall view of an electrode device,

FIG. 4 shows a detail axial section of the electrode device in the area of the proximal pressure medium supply,

FIG. 5 shows a partial side view of the fixing zone of an electrode body having anchoring elements on the exterior,

FIG. 6 through 19 show schematic detailed longitudinal axial sections of the fixing zone of electrode devices having a folded configuration in various embodiments,

FIG. 20 shows a top view of a bistable tilting element for use in the fixing zone of an electrode body,

FIGS. 21 and 22 show schematic side views of two such tilting elements in the expanded and contracted states of the fixing zone, respectively, and

FIGS. 23 and 24 show detail longitudinal axial sections through the fixing zone of an electrode body which has the tilting elements from FIGS. 20 through 22.

Claims

1. An implantable medical electrode device, in particular a cardiovascular cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator electrode device, comprising: an elongate, tubular electrode body (2);a fixing zone (4) in front of a distal end (3) of said electrode body (2), in which said electrode body (2) with its externally closed peripheral envelope (8) is reversibly expandable for detachable fixing of an electrode device (1) in a body lumen (27); and,expansion means situated in said fixing zone (4) for controlling expansion and contraction in said fixing zone (4).

2. The electrode device according to claim 1, wherein said expansion means are formed by pneumatic or hydraulic pressure impingement, with aid of which a wall of said electrode body (2), which is flexible in said fixing zone (4), is reversibly expandable.

3. The electrode device according to claim 2, wherein said electrode body (2) is implemented as pressure-tight and conducts a pressure medium, which may be supplied from its proximal end (11), for the pressure impingement of the fixing zone (4).

4. The electrode device according to claim 2 wherein said electrode body (2) is provided with a stent-like, plastically deformable support structure (9) in its wall in an area of said fixing zone (4), which is transferable into a stationary expanded fixing state by applying pressure and into a contracted starting state by applying negative pressure.

5. The electrode device according to claim 1 wherein said electrode body (2) is provided with at least one mechanically expanding, bistable tilting element (33) in its wall in an area of said fixing zone (4), whose two stable final positions define the expanded and contracted states of said fixing zone (4).

6. The electrode device according to claim 5, wherein at least one said tilting element (33) is bent in a S-shape along its longitudinal axis (38) oriented parallel to an electrode longitudinal direction and may be snapped over between a concave-convex and a convex-concave configuration, each of which is stable, to transfer it between expanded and contracted states.

7. The electrode device according to claim 5 wherein said tilting element (33) is actuatable as expansion means by a balloon (39) insertable into said electrode body (2).

8. The electrode device according to claim 1, wherein said electrode body (2) is provided in a wall of said fixing zone (4) with a folded configuration (21), which may be folded out as expansion means into a radially expanded fixing position by traction or pressure exerted on a longitudinal axis on said fixing zone (4).

9. The electrode device according to claim 8, wherein said folded configuration (21) is formed by variations of thickness and/or rigidity of said wall.

10. The electrode device according to claim 8 wherein said folded configuration (21) forms one or more annular folds (22) running around a circumference in an expanded position.

11. The electrode device according to claim 9 wherein said annular folds (22) lie scalloped in an expanded position.

12. The electrode device according to claim 8 wherein said folded configuration (21) has folds (23, 24) locked with one another in an expanded position.

13. The electrode device according to claims 8 wherein said folding is supported at least by a spreading unit (28) situated in said fixing zone (4) in said electrode body (2).

14. The electrode device according to claim 1 wherein anchoring elements (20) are attached externally to said electrode body (2) in said fixing zone (4), which are engaged with a wall of said body lumen (27) in an expanded position of said fixing zone (4).