Endocardial electrode

Claim 2

In an endocardial lead of the type having an electrical conductor encased in a material which is generally inert to body fluids, the conductor terminating at an exposed electrically conductive electrode tip, the improvement which comprises: nonconducting tine means extending from said encasing material and away from said tip from a location adjacent said tip for cooperating with heart tissue, to hold the tip in position, said tine means forming a generally acute angle with said encasing material and being entirely of a pliant material having sufficient rigidity to maintain said angle when said tine means are unrestrained, but sufficiently pliant to prevent penetration of said heart tissue, said pliant material being generally inert to body fluids.

Claim 3

The lead of claim 1 wherein the improvement further comprises means external to said encasing material for releasably restraining said tine means in a position overlying said encasing material.

Claim 4

The lead of claim 2 wherein said restraining means comprises shroud means for accepting at least the end portion of said tine means.

Claim 5

The lead of claim 3 wherein said restraining means further comprise means cooperating with said shroud means for effecting the release of said tine means at a point spaced from said shroud means.

Claim 6

The lead of claim 3 wherein the improvement further comprises: inflatable means underlying said tine means when said tine means are in said restrained position; and means spaced from said inflatable means for selectively inflating said inflatable means.

Claim 7

The lead of claim 4 wherein said tine means are non-metallic.

Claim 8

An endocardial lead which comprises: elongated electrically conductive means; flexible catheter means surrounding said electrically conductive means and having a lumen substantially parallel to and coextensive with said electrically conductive means; electrically conductive tip means at one end of said catheter means and electrically connected to said electrically conductive means; and nonconducting tine means extending from said catheter means And away from said tip from a point adjacent said tip means for cooperation with heart tissue, to hold the tip in position, said tine means forming a generally acute angle with said catheter means and being entirely of a pliant material having sufficient rigidity to maintain said angle when said tine means are unrestrained, but sufficiently pliant to prevent penetration of said heart tissue, said pliant material being generally inert to body fluids.

Claim 9

An endocardial lead which comprises: elongated electrically conductive means; flexible catheter means surrounding said electrically conductive means and having a lumen substantially parallel to and coextensive with said electrically conductive means; electrically conductive tip means at one end of said catheter means and electrically connected to said electrically conductive means; and nonconducting tine means extending from said catheter means And away from said tip from a point adjacent said tip means for cooperation with heart tissue, to hold the tip in position, said tine means forming a generally acute angle with said catheter means and being entirely of a pliant material having sufficient rigidity to maintain said angle when said tine means are unrestrained, but sufficiently pliant to prevent penetration of said heart tissue, said pliant material being generally inert to body fluids.

Claim 10

The lead of claim 7 further comprising means for releasable restraining said tines in a position wherein they overlie said catheter means.

Claim 11

The lead of claim 8 wherein said restraining means comprises shroud means for accepting at least the end portion of said tine means.

Claim 12

The lead of claim 9 wherein said restraining means further comprises means cooperating with said shroud means for effecting the release of said tine means at a point spaced from said shroud means.

Claim 13

The lead of claim 9 wherein said catheter means comprises a balloon catheter, the balloon underlying the tines when the tines are in the restrained position.

Claim 14

The lead of claim 11 wherein said elongated electrically conductive means comprises a coiled electrical conductor having a void central portion, said lumen coinciding with said void central portion.

Claim 15

The lead of claim 11 wherein said elongated electrically conductive means is positioned substantially at the center of the cross section of said catheter means and said lumen lies off the center of said cross section.

Claim 16

In a medical lead of the type in which an electrical conductor is positioned within a catheter and terminates at an exposed electrically conductive electrode tip, the improvement which comprises: nonconducting tine means including a plurality of tines each extending from said catheter and away from said tip from a point adjacent said tip and forming an acute angle with said catheter for cooperating with heart tissue to hold the tip in position, said tine means being entirely of a pliant material having sufficient rigidity to maintain said angle when said tine means are unrestrained, but sufficiently pliant to prevent penetration of said heart tissue; means for releasably restraining said tine means in a position wherein said tine means overlie said catheter; and means underlying said tine means when said tine means are in said restrained position and inflatable from a point spaced from said restraining means for releasing said tine means from said restraining means upon inflation.

Claim 17

In a medical lead of the type in which an electrical conductor is positioned within a catheter and terminates at an exposed electrically conductive electrode tip, the improvement which comprises: nonconducting tine means including a plurality of tines each extending from said catheter and away from said tip from a point adjacent said tip and forming an acute angle with said catheter for cooperating with heart tissue to hold the tip in position, said tine means being entirely of a pliant material having sufficient rigidity to maintain said angle when said tine means are unrestrained, but sufficiently pliant to prevent penetration of said heart tissue; means for releasably restraining said tine means in a position wherein said tine means overlie said catheter; and means underlying said tine means when said tine means are in said restrained position and inflatable from a point spaced from said restraining means for releasing said tine means from said restraining means upon inflation.

Claim 18

The medical lead of claim 14 wherein the angle formed by said tine means and said catheter is approximately 45*.

Claim 19

The medical lead of claim 14 wherein said pliant tine means material comprises a material which is relatively inert to body fluids, at least a portion of said material being radiopaque.

Claim 20

The medical lead of claim 16 wherein the radiopaque material portion is a material treated with a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, barium sulfate or Tantalum.