Sliding coaxial probe for a pacemaker

Claim 1

A cardiac probe having a longitudinal axis comprising: internal and external conductors arranged coaxially and being separated from each other by an annular space so as to permit the longitudinal sliding of one with respect to the other, at least one of said conductors being in the form of a plurality of electrically conducting fibers; a first electrical and mechanical connection located at one end of the two conductors and being adapted to be connected to a cardiac stimulator; second and third electrical and mechanical connections at the other end of said internal and external conductors, respectively, said second and third connections being longitudinally spaced from each other such that the internal conductor extends beyond the external conductor, said internal and external conductors also being adapted to be connected to the auricle and the ventricle of a heart, respectively, via said second and third connections; and unidirectional means for locking the internal and external conductors with respect to each other to prevent the sliding thereof beyond a certain distance, said unidirectional means including a ring rigidly fixed to one of the conductors and engaging the other at a certain sliding distance, such engagement further preventing the fibers from diverging from the axis of the probe and the absence of such engagement allowing the fibers to diverge and form a resiliently deformable feather-duster array adapted for contacting the heart as one of said second and third connections.