Patent ID: 7142919
Filing Date: 2006-11-28
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. A multiple electrode, fault-tolerant medical electrical lead adapted for deployment into a portion of a coronary sinus, a great vein, or branches of the great vein, comprising: an elongated electrified biocompatible lead member; at least three spaced-apart electrodes coupled to a distal portion of the lead member and in electrical communication with a means for addressing each of said at least three spaced-apart electrodes; and a means for manually guiding said distal portion of the lead member into a portion of a coronary sinus, a great vein, or branches of the great vein so that each of said at least three spaced-apart electrodes are disposed in intimate electrical communication with a different discrete volume of cardiac tissue, wherein said distal portion comprises a bifurcated lead portion and wherein at least one of the at least three electrodes mechanically and electrically couples to the bifurcated lead portion; wherein at least one of the at least three electrodes comprise a tip electrode having a first axial bore formed through a portion of said tip electrode; and wherein the means for manually guiding said distal portion of the lead member comprises; a guide wire slidingly engaging said axial bore a second tip electrode having a second axial bore formed through a portion of said tip electrode; and wherein the means for manually guiding said distal portion of the lead member comprises a second guide wire slidingly engaging said second axial bore; a pair of guidewire lumens, each one of said pair of guidewire lumens formed in a lateral side portion of the bifurcated distal portion and wherein said first axial bore and said second axial bore are disposed spaced from an axial center of the first tip electrode and the second tip electrode, respectively, and generally in alignment with said pair of guidewire lumens; and a bi-lumen delivery catheter adapted to slidingly receive the bifurcated distal portion and wherein said first guidewire and said second guidewire are disposed outside said bi-lumen delivery catheter.