Biostimulator having lockable fixation element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12208272-B2
Application number	US-202318095475-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2023
Priority date	Feb 11, 2019
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

A biostimulator, such as a leadless cardiac pacemaker, including a fixation element that can be locked to a helix mount, is described. The fixation element includes a fastener that engages a keeper of the helix mount. When engaged with the keeper, the fastener locks the fixation element to the helix mount. Accordingly, the fixation element does not move relative to the helix mount when the biostimulator is delivered into a target tissue. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A biostimulator, comprising:
a housing containing an electronics compartment;
a helix mount mounted on the housing and including a mount flange having a holding thread forming a helical channel; and
a fixation element mounted on the helix mount, wherein the fixation element includes a helix extending about a longitudinal axis and having a first turn and a second turn in the helical channel, and a joint connecting the first turn to the second turn, wherein the holding thread is longitudinally between the first turn and the second turn to interfere with the fixation element and resist motion of the joint relative to the helix mount when a torque is applied to the fixation element.

2. The biostimulator of claim 1 , wherein the helix mount includes a mount body, and wherein the mount flange spirals around the mount body to form the helical channel.

3. The biostimulator of claim 1 , wherein the joint includes a weld between the first turn and the second turn.

4. The biostimulator of claim 3 , wherein the weld is between a first turn end of the first turn and a second turn end of the second turn.

5. The biostimulator of claim 1 , wherein the joint connects the first turn to the second turn through a void formed in the mount flange.

6. The biostimulator of claim 5 , wherein the void connects a first portion of the helical channel on a first side of the mount flange to a second portion of the helical channel on a second side of the mount flange.

7. The biostimulator of claim 6 , wherein the first portion is longitudinally separated from the second portion.

8. The biostimulator of claim 1 , wherein the biostimulator is a leadless cardiac pacemaker.

9. A leadless pacemaker system, comprising:
an elongated catheter having a distal end; and
a leadless cardiac pacemaker mounted on the distal end, wherein the leadless cardiac pacemaker includes
a housing containing an electronics compartment,
a helix mount mounted on the housing and including a mount flange having a holding thread forming a helical channel, and
a fixation element mounted on the helix mount, wherein the fixation element includes a helix extending about a longitudinal axis and having a first turn and a second turn in the helical channel, and a joint connecting the first turn to the second turn, wherein the holding thread is longitudinally between the first turn and the second turn to interfere with the fixation element and resist motion of the joint relative to the helix mount when a torque is applied to the fixation element.

10. The leadless pacemaker system of claim 9 , wherein the helix mount includes a mount body, and wherein the mount flange spirals around the mount body to form the helical channel.

11. The leadless pacemaker system of claim 9 , wherein the joint includes a weld between the first turn and the second turn.

12. The leadless pacemaker system of claim 11 , wherein the weld is between a first turn end of the first turn and a second turn end of the second turn.

13. The leadless pacemaker system of claim 9 , wherein the joint connects the first turn to the second turn through a void formed in the mount flange.

14. The leadless pacemaker system of claim 13 , wherein the void connects a first portion of the helical channel on a first side of the mount flange to a second portion of the helical channel on a second side of the mount flange.

15. The leadless pacemaker system of claim 14 , wherein the first portion is longitudinally separated from the second portion.

16. A method, comprising:
mounting a helix mount on a housing containing an electronics compartment, wherein the helix mount includes a mount flange having a holding thread forming a helical channel;
mounting a fixation element on the helix mount, wherein the fixation element includes a helix extending about a longitudinal axis and having a first turn and a second turn in the helical channel; and
forming a joint connecting the first turn to the second turn proximal to the mount flange, wherein the holding thread is longitudinally between the first turn and the second turn to interfere with the fixation element and resist motion of the joint relative to the helix mount when a torque is applied to the fixation element.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the joint includes a weld between the first turn and the second turn.

Assignees

• Pacesetter Inc

Inventors

• Mar Craig E

Classifications

• A61N1/3756

  Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators · CPC title

• A61N1/362

  Heart stimulators (heart defibrillators A61N1/39) · CPC title

• A61B17/3468

  for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires (devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069) · CPC title

• A61N1/37512

  Pacemakers · CPC title

• A61N1/37518 Primary

  Anchoring of the implants, e.g. fixation · CPC title