Biostimulator having articulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12364871-B2
Application number	US-202217712020-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2022
Priority date	Apr 1, 2022
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

A biostimulator and a biostimulator system for septal pacing, is described. The biostimulator includes an articulation to allow an electrode axis of a pacing electrode to be directed differently than a housing axis of a housing. The housing contains electrical circuitry that is electrically connected to the pacing electrode. The differently directed axes allow the pacing electrode to affix to target tissue of an interventricular septal wall of a heart when the housing of the biostimulator is located near an apex of the heart. The articulation can include a flexible portion of an extension, a hinge, or a tether. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A biostimulator, comprising:
a housing having an electronics compartment containing pacing circuitry, wherein the housing includes a housing axis;
a header assembly including a proximal portion mounted on the housing and a pacing electrode mounted on a distal portion, wherein the pacing electrode is electrically connected to the pacing circuitry, and wherein the pacing electrode has an electrode axis; and
a hinge including a pin rotatably coupling the distal portion to the proximal portion such that, when the pacing electrode is affixed to an interventricular septal wall and the housing is located at a ventricular apex, the electrode axis and the housing axis extend in different directions.

2. The biostimulator of claim 1 , wherein the pacing electrode includes a helical electrode extending about the electrode axis.

3. The biostimulator of claim 1 , wherein the pacing electrode includes a post electrode extending along the electrode axis.

4. The biostimulator of claim 1 , wherein the header assembly includes an electrical feedthrough electrically connected to the pacing electrode and the pacing circuitry.

5. The biostimulator of claim 4 further comprising an electrical interconnect between the electronics compartment and the header assembly.

6. The biostimulator of claim 5 , wherein the electrical interconnect includes an electrical lead.

7. The biostimulator of claim 5 , wherein the electrical interconnect includes a ball plunger.

8. The biostimulator of claim 4 , wherein the pacing electrode is rotatable relative to the header assembly.

9. The biostimulator of claim 8 , wherein the header assembly includes a drive socket to receive torque to rotate the pacing electrode relative to a fixation helix.

10. The biostimulator of claim 8 , wherein the header assembly includes a drive loop to receive torque to rotate the pacing electrode relative to a fixation helix.

11. The biostimulator of claim 1 , wherein the hinge includes a universal joint.

12. The biostimulator of claim 1 further comprising a fixation helix extending about the electrode axis, wherein the pacing electrode is radially inward from the fixation helix.

13. A biostimulator system, comprising:
a biostimulator transport system; and
a biostimulator mounted on the biostimulator transport system, wherein the biostimulator includes a housing having an electronics compartment containing pacing circuitry, a header assembly including a proximal portion mounted on the housing and a pacing electrode mounted on a distal portion, wherein the pacing electrode is electrically connected to the pacing circuitry, and a hinge including a pin rotatably coupling the distal portion to the proximal portion such that, when the pacing electrode is affixed to an interventricular septal wall and the housing is located at a ventricular apex, an electrode axis of the pacing electrode extends in a different direction than a housing axis of the housing.

14. The biostimulator system of claim 13 , wherein the pacing electrode includes one or more of a helical electrode extending about the electrode axis or a post electrode extending along the electrode axis.

15. A method, comprising:
affixing a pacing electrode of a biostimulator to an interventricular septum; and
articulating a biostimulator at an articulation to direct a housing of the biostimulator toward a ventricular apex such that an electrode axis of the pacing electrode extends in a different direction than a housing axis of the housing, wherein the biostimulator includes the housing having an electronics compartment containing pacing circuitry, a header assembly including a proximal portion mounted on the housing and the pacing electrode mounted on a distal portion, wherein the pacing electrode is electrically connected to the pacing circuitry, and a hinge including a pin rotatably coupling the distal portion to the proximal portion.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pacing electrode includes one or more of a helical electrode extending about the electrode axis or a post electrode extending along the electrode axis.

Assignees

• Pacesetter Inc

Inventors

• Chen Xiangqun Shawn
• Strang Tyler J
• Arnar Bernhard
• Nix Kyle J
• Cooper Nicole
• Victorine Keith
• Chantasirivisal Steve

Classifications

• A61N1/37512

  Pacemakers · CPC title

• A61N1/3754

  Feedthroughs · CPC title

• A61N1/0573

  chacterised by means penetrating the heart tissue, e.g. helix needle or hook · CPC title

• A61N1/37518

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

• A61N1/3756 Primary

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