Inventors:
Charles L. Byrd - Fort Lauderdale FL, US
Kenneth C. Gardeski - Plymouth MN, US
Michael R. Leners - East Bethel MN, US
Linda L. Lach - Vadnais Heights MN, US
Ralph J. Thomas - Champlin MN, US
Jesse T. Torbert - Cleveland Heights OH, US
James F. Kelley - Coon Rapids MN, US
Assignee:
Medtronic, Inc. - Minneapolis MN
International Classification:
A61N 1/05
Abstract:
Bilumen catheters and methods of using same for facilitating implantation of cardiac leads for applying electrical stimulation to and/or sensing electrical activity of the heart through one or more electrode positioned at an implantation site within a heart chamber or cardiac vessel adjacent a heart chamber, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for introducing such a cardiac lead having low torqueability and pushability through a tortuous pathway to enable attachment of the cardiac lead at the implantation site employing a bilumen guide catheter are disclosed. The bilumen catheter body includes a relatively large diameter delivery lumen to introduce a small diameter cardiac lead and a small diameter guide lumen to receive a stylet or guidewire to locate the guide catheter body distal end at the implantation site. The small diameter lumen within a small diameter guide tube extends distally from the delivery exit port of the delivery lumen.