Lead locking device

Abstract: A lead locking device has a lead engaging member with a mandrel extending along a lumen and attached to the distal end of the lead engaging member such that it extends beyond the proximal end of the lead engaging member. The lead locking device also has a loop handle attached to the proximal end of the mandrel. The lead engaging member has a first configuration which is narrower than a second configuration and is sufficiently long to extend along substantially the entire length of a lead to be removed from a patient's body. Methods of removing a lead from a patient's body include attaching a lead locking device along substantially the entire length of the lead and applying traction to the proximal end of the lead locking device.

Description: 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to lead locking devices for locking onto a lead, and more particularly to lead locking devices for locking onto and removing a lead from a patient's body, such as a pacemaker lead. 2. Description of Related Art Various medical procedures attach wire-like devices to internal portions of a person's body, such as an electrical lead for a pacemaker or a catheter. Pacemaker leads are electrically conducting wires which run to an electrode that is attached to an inner wall of a person's heart. Pacemaker leads are typically a coil of wire enclosed in an outer cylindrical sheath of electrically insulating material. The coil of wire usually leaves a hollow space running down the center of the pacing lead (a "lumen"). Pacing leads are usually implanted with the intention that they will remain in the patient for several years. During such time, fibrous tissue grows over the electrode and portions of the lead. Pacing leads are often provided with additional barb-like structures or a corkscrew type of structure to encourage adhesion to the inner wall of the patient's heart. Pacing leads sometimes fail or it is sometimes desirable to place an electrode at a different position from a previous position. It is then necessary to determine what should be done with the unused pacing leads. Both the removal of a pacing lead and leaving it in the patient entail associated risks. Leaving the pacing lead in the patient can increase the chances of infection, interfere with the additional pacing leads, or cause additional complications. On the other hand, removing pacing leads can cause severe, and possibly fatal, damage to the patient's heart. Numerous devices have thus been developed that can be inserted into the lumen of a pacing lead and attach to the pacing lead close to the electrode in order to apply traction to the end of the lead close to the electrode. A series of patents to Goode et al (U.S. Patent Nos. 4,943,289; 4,988,347; 5,011,482; 5,013,310; and 5,207,683) disclose various devices which attach to the pacing lead at a localized region close to the electrode. Peers-Trevarton (U.S. Patent No. 4,574,800), Hocherl et al (U.S. Patent No. 5,549,615) and McCorkle (U.S. Patent Nos. 4,471,777 and 4,582,056) disclose similar devices which attach to a pacing lead close to the electrode. However, all of these devices have a disadvantage that they attach to the pacing lead in a localized area. Applying traction to the pacing lead and/or pacing lead removing devices according to the prior art can lead to the pacing lead's becoming distorted and/or breaking before the pacing lead is successfully removed from the patient. In addition, the prior art devices rely on either a form of entanglement with the coiled wire of the pacing lead, or some form of local distortion to the coil of the pacing lead in order to maintain a firm grip with the pacing lead removing apparatus while traction is applied to the apparatus. Consequently, this makes it difficult or impossible to remove a conventional device from the pacing lead in order to abort or restart the pacing lead removing procedure. The expandable portions of the conventional devices also make it difficult or impossible to use other lead removing equipment and procedures in conjunction with those devices. For example, a substantially cylindrical and flexible catheter which has a central lumen is often slid over the pacing lead such that the pacing lead passes through the lumen of the catheter and the leading edge of the catheter is used to free fibrous growth from the pacing lead. Laser catheters are also known to slide over a pacing lead in which laser light is transmitted along the catheter in order to cut away fibrous tissue as the laser catheter is advanced along the pacing lead. Consequently, it is also desirable to have a pacing lead removing device which can attach internally to the pacing lead so as not to obstruct a catheter or laser catheter which may be used in conjunction with the pacing lead removing device. Document US-A-5 769 858 discloses a device according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention is defined in claim 1. Any embodiment which is in contradiction to the subjet-matter of claim 1 is not part of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following detailed description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which: FIGURE 1 illustrates a lead locking device according to the first embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 2 is a schematic illustration of the lead locking device according to the first embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 3A is a blown-up view of a section of FIGURE 1; FIGURE 3B is a cross-sectional view of the portion of the lead locking device illustrated in FIGURE 3A; FIGURE 4 is a schematic illustration of a lead locking device which has a second embodiment of a mechanism to hold the lead engaging member in a stretched configuration: FIGURE 4A is a schematic illustration of the lead locking device according to FIGURE 1 and a pacemaker lead; FIGURE 5A and FIGURE 5B illustrate two configurations of a second embodiment of the lead locking device according to the invention; FIGURE 6 illustrates a third embodiment of a lead locking device according to the invention; and FIGURE 7A and FIGURE 7B illustrate two configurations of a lead locking device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference numeral 10 in FIGURE 1 generally represents a lead locking device according to a first embodiment of the invention. The lead locking device 10 has a lead engaging member 12, a mandrel 14, a loop handle 16 and a press-fit type of latching mechanism 18. The lead engaging member 12 has a proximal end 20 and a distal end 22. FIGURE 1 shows a section of the lead engaging member 12, between the proximal end 20 and the distal end 22, with the center portion cut away for illustration purposes. Consequently, FIGURE 1 does not illustrate the scaled length of the lead engaging member 12. Preferably, the lead engaging member 12 is at least about 65 cm long. However, the length of the lead engaging member 12 may be selected according to the intended application. As one may see illustrated schematically in FIGURE 2, the lead engaging member 12 defines a lumen extending between the proximal end 20 and distal end 22. The mandrel 14 is disposed in the lumen defined by the lead engaging member 12 and attached to the distal tip 24 of the lead engaging member 12. In a preferred embodiment, the lead engaging member 12 is a braided sheath. The lead engaging member 12 is soldered to the mandrel 14 at the distal tip 24 in a first embodiment. The solder at the distal tip 24 is preferably a radiopaque solder. Suitable materials for the radiopaque solder are alloys of gold and tin. More preferably, the solder at the distal tip 24 is about 80% gold and about 20% tin. In a preferred embodiment, the press-fit type of latching mechanism 18 has at least a portion 26 attached to the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12 and a crimped portion 28 of the mandrel 14. Preferably, the portion of the press-fit mechanism 26 attached to the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12 has an inner hypotube 30 and an outer hypotube 32 concentrically arranged to sandwich the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12 therebetween. Preferably, the inner hypotube 30 and outer hypotube 32 are crimped to become mechanically fixed to the lead engaging member 12. The inner hypotube 30 and outer hypotube 32, which are preferably rigidly fixed with respect to each other and to a proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12, is slidable along the mandrel 14 disposed in the lumen defined by the lead engaging member 12. The crimped section 28 in the mandrel 14 is constructed at a position relative to the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12 such that the inner hypotube 30 and outer hypotube 32 attached to the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12 overlaps the crimped section 28 of the mandrel 14 when the lead engaging member 12 is in a stretched configuration. More preferably, the inner hypotube 30 and outer hypotube 32 attached to the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12 sets in a stable condition, thus being held or "latched" in place, approximately in the center of the crimped section 28 when the lead engaging member 12 is in a stretched configuration. In the preferred embodiment, the inner hypotube 30 and outer hypotube 32 attached to the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12 is beyond the most distal end 34 in the distal direction when the lead engaging member 12 is in a substantially relaxed configuration. As one may see illustrated in FIGURE 1, the loop handle 16 of the lead locking device 10 preferably has a proximal loop 36 and an end portion 38 which is further twisted around the most proximal end 40 of the mandrel 14. In the preferred embodiment, a proximal loop hypotube 42 is disposed over the twisted end 38 of the loop handle 16 and crimped to mechanically attach the loop handle 16 to the mandrel 14. Preferably, the proximal loop hypotube 42 is crimped, thereby forming a solid mechanical attachment of the loop handle 16 to the mandrel 14. Preferably, the proximal loop 36 is made from annealed stainless steel wire, thus providing a degree of malleability. More preferably, the stainless steel wire of the proximal loop 36 is an annealed portion of the most proximal end of the mandrel 14 itself. Stainless steel 304V wire about 0.020" thick with about 20 cm annealed at the proximal end has been found to be suitable for the mandrel 14 with a proximal loop 36. Preferably, the proximal loop hypotube 42 is 304V stainless steel. In the preferred embodiment, the mandrel 14, the inner hypotube 30 and the outer hypotube 32 are 304V stainless steel. In the first preferred embodiment, the lead engaging member 12 is a braided sheath. Preferably, the lead engaging member 12 is a braided sheath of flat wires which have a rectangular cross-section. Preferably, the flat wires of the braided sheath of the lead engaging member 12 are 304V stainless steel. More preferably, the flat wires have cross-sectional dimensions of about 0.001" x 0.003". A braided sheath for the lead engaging member 12 formed from about 16 flat wires was found to be suitable for specific applications. In addition, an outer diameter of the lead engaging member 12 of 0.016" in the stretched configuration and about 0.045" in a substantially relaxed configuration were found to be suitable for specific applications. Preferably, the tip of the lead locking device is less than about 0.017 inch. In a preferred embodiment, the mandrel 14 tapers from the proximal end to the distal end. Thicknesses of the mandrel 14 ranging from about 0.020" to about 0.011" going from the proximal end to the distal end were found to be suitable for particular applications. The lead locking device 10 may also include a fillet provided at the interface between the outer hypotube 32 and the lead engaging member 12, although it is currently more preferred not to include a fillet. A suitable material for the fillet, if included, is glue or solder. As one may see in another preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 3A and 3B, the lead locking device 10' includes a distal band 46 attached to the distal end 22'. FIGURE 3A is an enlarged view of a section of the lead locking device 10', except the distal end 46 replaces the solder tip 24 illustrated in FIGURE 2. The distal band 46 is disposed over a distal portion 48 of the lead engaging member 12. Preferably, the distal band 46 and the distal portion 48 are joined together. The distal band 46 and distal portion 48 of the lead engaging member 12 are preferably joined together by epoxy disposed therebetween. The epoxy permeates the braid of the distal portion 48 of the lead engaging member 12 up to a wick length 47. More preferably, an epoxy plug 49 is formed at the distal end of the lead locking device 10', mechanically locking the distal band 46 to the lead engaging member 12 and mandrel 14. The epoxy plug reduces fraying of the wires forming the braided lead engaging member if one, or some, of the wires break. In other embodiments, it is also suitable to join the distal band 46 and the distal portion 48 by other adhesives, soldering, welding or by crimping. A suitable material for the distal band is an alloy of platinum and iridium (preferably 90% Pt and 10% Ir). FIGURE 4 is a schematic illustration of a lead locking device 10" which is similar to the lead locking device 10, but it has a latching mechanism 50 instead of a press-fit type of latching mechanism 18. In the lead locking device 10", the loop handle 16" is similar to the loop handle 16. The loop handle 16'' forms a proximal loop 36' an end 38' that is twisted around another portion of the mandrel 14. A proximal loop hypotube 42' is preferably disposed over the twisted end 38' of the loop handle 16" which is crimped. In the preferred embodiment of the lead locking device 10" the latching mechanism 50 has a portion 52 attached to the proximal end of the lead engaging member 12. Preferably, the latching mechanism 50 also has a portion 54 attached to a proximal portion of the mandrel 14 that provides a male connector. The portion 52 attached to the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12 is selectively and removably attachable to the portion 54 attached to the proximal end of the mandrel 14. More preferably, the portion 52 attached to the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12 and the portion 54 attached to the proximal portion of the mandrel 14 cooperatively form a snap-fit latching mechanism. More preferably, the portion 52 attached to the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12 is a first hypotube having a detent 56 defined by an inner surface of the first hypotube 52. Preferably, the portion 54 attached to a proximal portion of the mandrel 14 has an outer surface that defines an indent 58. The detent 56 is secured within the indent 58 in a latched configuration of the latching mechanism 50, thus holding the lead engaging member in a stretched configuration. In the preferred embodiment, a second hypotube 60 is slidably disposed over the mandrel 14 and arranged concentrically with the first hypotube 52 such that a proximal portion 20 of the lead engaging member 12 is disposed therebetween. The concentric arrangement of second hypotube 60, the proximal portion 20 of the lead engaging member 12 and the first hypotube 52 are securely attached by at least one of adhesive material, welding and crimping, but preferably by crimping, to form a female connector. Although the lead locking device 10" has a distal tip 24 as in the lead locking device 10, a distal band such as in the lead locking device 10' may also be used in this embodiment. The material of the first and second hypotubes 52 and 60 is preferably stainless steel. The material of the portion 54 is preferably stainless steel or a polymer. A fillet may also be provided at the interface of the first hypotube 52 and the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12. The fillet, if used, is preferably glue or solder. In operation of the lead locking device 10, the user slides the portion 26 of the press-fit type of latching mechanism 18 that is attached to the proximal end 20 of the lead engaging member 12 along the mandrel 14 in a direction from the distal tip 24 towards the loop handle 16 until the inner hypotube 30 and outer hypotube 32 are positioned approximately at the center of the crimp 28. The crimped portion 28 of the mandrel 14 provides resistance to sliding the inner hypotube 30 and outer hypotube 32 thereon. Similarly, once the inner hypotube 30 and outer hypotube 32 are positioned over the crimped portion 28 of the mandrel 14, the crimped portion of the mandrel 14 provides a resistive force which cancels the restoring force provided by the lead engaging member 12 in the stretched configuration, thus holding it in , place. The lead engaging member 12 is disposed in a lumen defined by a lead 102, for example, a pacing lead for a pacemaker (See FIGURE 4A). Pacing leads are coiled, thus forming a lumen therein. The lead engaging member 12 is inserted into the lead lumen until it is disposed along at least about 30% of the length of the pacing lead, and more preferably substantially along the entire length of the pacing lead. The surgeon, or other user of the lead locking device 10, releases the press-fit type of latch mechanism by sliding the inner hypotube 30 and outer hypotube 32 combined unit toward the distal tip 24. The additional force provided by the surgeon overcomes the resistive force provided by the crimped portion 28 of the mandrel 14. The lead engaging member 12 thus acquires a substantially relaxed configuration such that it has a larger diameter than when it was in a stretched configuration. The wider diameter of the lead engaging member 12 acts to frictionally engage and lock the lead engaging member 12 to an inner surface of the lumen of the lead, along at least about 30%, and more preferably substantially the entire length of the lead. Flat braided wires in the lead engaging member 12 enhance the quality of the grip between the lead engaging member 12 and the inner portions of the lead. Furthermore, the flexibility of the lead engaging member 12 compensates for variations in the shape and size of the lumen of the lead to ensure a good grip along an extended portion of the lumen. Traction is then applied to the mandrel 14, which may be primarily provided by applying traction to the loop handle 16. Since the lead locking device 10 is locked along at least about 30%, and more preferably substantially the entire length of the lead, the traction is distributed over an extended portion of the lead rather than being applied in a small local region. In addition, by engaging the lead along at least about 30% of the lumen of the lead to include at least a proximal portion and at least a distal portion of the lead, traction forces are distributed to at least a proximal portion and a distal portion of the lead. By distributing the traction force over an extended portion of the lead, distortions, disruptions and breakage of the lead are reduced. The lead locking device 10 may also be unlocked, and removed, from the lead prior to removing the lead from the patient's body. This may be done to abort the operation, remove and reconfigure the lead locking device 10, remove the lead locking device 10 and replace it with another device, or to remove the lead locking device to apply other methods and techniques. To release the lead locking device from the lead, the surgeon slides the inner hypotube 30 and outer hypotube 32 arrangement towards the proximal end, away from the distal tip 24, thus restretching the lead engaging member 12. In the preferred embodiment, the flat wires of the braided sheath of the lead engaging member 12 lock along an extended length of the lead. The lead locking devices 10' and 10" operate in a manner similar to that of lead locking device 10. After inserting the lead locking device 10" into the lumen of a lead, the surgeon applies traction to the mandrel 14, which may be primarily applied through the loop handle 16". The lead locking device 10" may be removed from the lead either before or after removal of the lead from the patient's body by sliding the first hypotube 52 away from the distal tip 24 towards the loop handle 16" such that the first hypotube 52 forms a snap-fit with the portion 54 attached to the mandrel 14. Once the detente 56 is secured within the indent 58, the lead engaging member 12 is held in a stretched configuration, thus having a narrower outer diameter than in the relaxed configuration. The surgeon then applies traction to the lead locking device 10" through the mandrel 14 to remove the lead locking device 10" from the lead. Although the preferred embodiment of the lead locking device 10 has a press-fit mechanism, and the lead locking device 10" has a snap-fit mechanism, the general concepts of the invention are not limited to prestretching the lead engaging member in only these ways. One skilled in the art would recognize, based on the above teachings, that numerous other mechanisms may be used. FIGURES 5A and 5B show a second preferred embodiment of the invention. The lead locking device 64 has a lead engaging member 66 and a mandrel 68. The mandrel 68 is disposed in a lumen defined by the lead engaging member 66 and attached at the distal end 70 of the lead engaging member 66. The lead engaging member 66 is preferably attached to the mandrel 68 by adhesive material 72. A fillet 74 is attached at an interface between the lead engaging member 66 and the distal end 70 of the mandrel to form a smoother fit. In addition, a spherical element 76 may be attached to the distal tip 78 of the lead locking device 64 in order to form a smooth and rounded tip. In the second preferred embodiment, the lead engaging member 66 is an elastic material such as a rubber material. FIGURE 5A shows the lead engaging member in a stretched configuration. The lead locking device 64 may also employ a press-fit or latching mechanism as in the lead locking devices 10 and 10", or may be used without such a mechanism in which case the surgeon holds the lead locking member 66 in a stretched configuration. Similarly, the lead locking devices 10 and 10" may also be used without the press-fit and latching mechanisms, in which case the surgeon may hold the braided lead locking member in a stretched configuration and release it for it to acquire a substantially relaxed configuration. FIGURE 5B shows the lead engaging member 66 in a substantially relaxed configuration in which it has a greater outer diameter than in the stretched configuration, as illustrated in FIGURE 5A. The lead locking device 64 is used in a similar manner to the lead locking devices 10, 10', and 10". The surgeon stretches the lead engaging member 66, inserts the lead engaging member 66 into a lumen defined by a lead, and releases the lead engaging member 66 such that it takes on a substantially relaxed configuration. The lead engaging member 66 in the stretched configuration has a narrower outer diameter than the diameter of the lumen. Upon releasing the lead engaging member 66 it engages the lead lumen and locks onto the lead, along at least 30%, and more preferably along the entire length of the lead since it has a diameter substantially equal to or greater than the lumen diameter in the relaxed configuration. The surgeon then applies traction to the mandrel 68 which may include an attached loop handle. The lead locking device 64 is similarly removable from the lead, either before or after the lead is removed from the patient's body. FIGURE 6 is an illustration of the third embodiment of the invention. The lead locking device 80, according to the third embodiment has a mandrel 82 with a coil 84 wrapped therearound. The coil 84 is preferably metal wire. More preferably, the coil 84 is stainless steel wire. The lead locking device 80 has a tightly wrapped configuration with an outer diameter less than the lumen diameter when it is inserted into the lumen defined by a lead. After the surgeon inserts the lead locking device 80 such that the coil 84 extends substantially along the entire length of the lead, the surgeon rotates the mandrel 82 about a longitudinal axis so as to cause the coil 84 to partially unwind, thus obtaining a loosely wound configuration with an increased diameter. The coil 84 in the loosely wound configuration locks onto the lead along at least about 30 %, and more preferably along substantially the entire length of the lead by friction or other contact forces. The surgeon then applies traction to the mandrel 82 to remove the lead from the patient's body. The lead locking device 80 can be removed from the lead either before or after the lead is removed from the patient's body by rotating the mandrel in a direction to cause the coil 84 to wind more tightly, thus obtaining a tightly wound configuration. The surgeon then can remove the lead locking device 80 from the lead by applying traction to the mandrel 82 without significant traction being applied to the lead. FIGURES 7A and 7B show a fourth embodiment of a lead locking device according to the invention. The lead locking device 86 according to the fourth embodiment has a mandrel 88 and a helical ribbon 90 wrapped around the mandrel 88. The most distal portion 92 of the helical ribbon 90 is attached to the mandrel 88, preferably by adhesive or welding. The interface between adjacent portions of the helical ribbon 90 preferably has an up-slope from the distal end 94 to the proximal end 96 of the mandrel which is an acute γ. Preferably, the angle between all adjacent portions of the ribbon meet at a substantially uniform angle γ. In operation, the surgeon inserts the lead locking device 86 into a lumen defined by a lead until the helical ribbon 90 extends along at least about 30%, and more preferably substantially along the entire lead. The surgeon applies traction to the mandrel 88 which causes the helical ribbon 90 to partially overlap itself, as illustrated in FIGURE 7B. The outer diameter of the lead engaging member 90 in the configuration illustrated in FIGURE 7B is larger than that illustrated in FIGURE 7A. Consequently, the lead engaging member 90 locks onto the lead along at least 30%, and more preferably substantially along the entire length of the lead. The surgeon can remove the lead locking device 86 from the lead, either before or after removing the lead from the patient's body. In order to remove the lead locking device 86 from the lead, the surgeon pushes on the mandrel 82 towards the distal tip 94. The lead engaging member 90 then reacquires the configuration illustrated in FIGURE 7A, which permits the surgeon to apply traction on the lead 88 to remove it from the lead without it transferring significant traction to the lead. Each of the lead locking devices according to the third embodiment 80 and the fourth embodiment 86 may also have a press-fit or a latch mechanism and may have a loop handle as in the first and second embodiments. One skilled in the art would recognize from the teachings of the specification that one may provide other configurations which include pliable material or expandable and contractible lead engaging members without departing from the general scope and spirit of the invention. Furthermore, one skilled in the art would recognize from the above teachings that many modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims: A lead locking device, comprising: a lead engaging member (12) having a distal end (22) and a proximal end (20), said lead engaging member (12) defining a lumen extending along a longitudinal axis between said distal end (22) and said proximal end (20); and a mandrel (14) disposed in said lumen and attached to said distal end (22) of said lead engaging member (12), said mandrel (14) extending along substantiality the entire length of said lumen and protruding beyond the most proximal end (20) of said lead engaging member (12), wherein said lead engaging member (12) has a first configuration while being inserted into a, lumen of a lead and a second configuration while engaging said lead from within said lumen of said lead, said lead engaging member (12) has a maximum transverse diameter in said first configuration that is less than substantially all diameters of said lumen of said lead along substantially the entire length of said lead, and said lead engaging member (12) is a sheath of elastic material, characterized in that said lead engaging member (12) has a transverse diameter in said second configuration that is at least substantially equal to diameters of said lumen of said lead along substantially the entire length of said lead. The lead locking device of claim 1, wherein said lead engaging member (12) is a braided sheath. A lead locking device according to claim 1, wherein said lead engaging member (12) is about 65 cm long while said lead engaging member (12) has said first configuration. A lead locking device of claim 1, wherein said lead engaging member (12) is adapted to engage said lead along at least about 19 cm of said lumen of said lead. A lead locking device according to claim 1 comprising a surgically implantable electrical lead defining a lumen therein; wherein said lead engaging member (12) is adapted to engage said lead along at least about 30% of the entire longitudinal length of said lumen of said lead. A lead locking device according to claim 1, wherein said lead engaging member (12) is adapted to engage at least a portion of a proximal end and at least a portion of a distal end (22) of said lumen of said lead, said portion of said proximal end (20) and said portion of said distal end being separated by less than about 65 cm. A lead locking device according to claim 1, wherein said lead engaging member is a wire coil (84) having a first coil winding diameter in said first configuration and a second coil winding diameter in said second configuration said second coil winding diameter being larger than said first coil winding. A lead locking device according to claim 1, wherein said lead engaging member (12) is a helical ribbon (90) having a substantially non overlapping wrap in the first configuration and a partially overlapping wrap in the second configuration. A lead locking device according to claim 2, further comprising a latching mechanism (18) having at least a portion attached to said proximal end (20) of said lead engaging member (12). A lead locking device according to claim 9, wherein said latching mechanism (18) has a portion attached to a proxima1 portion of said mandrel (14), said portion of said latching mechanism (18) attached to said proximal end of said lead engaging member (12) being selectively and removeable attachable to said portion of said latching mechanism (18) attached to said proximal portion of said mandrel (14). A lead locking device according to claim 10, wherein said portion of said latching mechanism (18) attached to said proximal end (20) of said lead engaging member (12) and said portion of said latching mechanism (18) attached to said proximal portion of said mandrel (14) cooperatively form a snap-fit latching mechanism (18). A lead locking device according to claim 11, wherein said portion of said latching mechanism (18) attached to said proximal end (20) of said lead engaging member (12) is a first hypotube having a detent (56) defined by an inner surface, and said portion of said latching mechanism (18) attached to said proximal portion of said mandrel (14) has an outer surface defining an indent (58), said detent (56) being secured within said indent (58) in a latched configuration of said latching mechanism (18). A lead locking device according to claim 12, further comprising: a second hypotube slid ably disposed over said mandrel (14), wherein said first hypotube and said second hypotube are substantially concentrically arranged with said proximal end (20) of said lead engaging member (12) being sandwiched and attached therebetween. A lead locking device according to claim 13, wherein the material of said first and second hypotubes is stainless steel. A lead locking device according to claim 13, further comprising a radiopaque member attached to the distal end of said lead locking device, wherein substantially all components of said lead locking device (10) except said radiopaque member are the same material. A lead locking device according to claim 2, further comprising a press fit mechanism (26) having at least a portion attached to said proximal end (20) of said lead engaging member (12). A lead locking device according to claim 16, wherein said portion attached to said proximal end (20) of said lead engaging member (12) has an inner hypotube (30) slidably disposed over said mandrel (14) and an outer hypotube (32) disposed substantially concentrically with said inner hypotube (30) and sandwiching at least a portion of said proximal end (20) of said lead engaging member (12) therebetween. A lead locking device according to claim 17, wherein the material of said inner (30) and outer (32) hypotubes is stainless steel. A lead locking device according to claim 16, wherein said mandrel (14) has a crimped portion (28) constructed along a region of said mandrel (14) that at least partially coincides with said portion of said press fit mechanism (26) that is attached to said proximal end (20) of said lead engaging member (12) when said lead engaging member (12) has said first configuration. A lead locking device according to claim 19, wherein said crimped portion (28) of said mandrel (14) opposes sliding said portion of said press fit mechanism (26) both over and off of said crimped portion (28) by a force which is greater than a restoring force of the stretched braided sheath. A lead locking device according to claim 1, wherein the material of said mandrel (14) is stainless steel. A lead locking device according to claim 21, wherein said mandrel (14) is about 0,02794 cm (=0.011 inch) thick along substantially an entire length which is inserted into said lumen of said lead. A lead locking device according to claim 2, wherein said braided sheath is attached to said mandrel (14) at said distal end of said lead engaging member (12) by forming a tip of said lead locking device (10) that has a radial thickness in said first configuration of said lead engaging member (12) that is substantially equal to a radial thickness in said second configuration of said lead engaging member (12). A lead locking device according to claim 23, wherein said radial thickness of said tip of said lead locking device (10) is less than about 0,04318 cm (=0.017 inch). A lead locking device according to claim 6, further comprising: a distal band (46) disposed over a portion of said braided sheath, wherein said distal band (46), said mandrel (14) and said braided sheath are joined together. A lead locking device according to claim 25, wherein said distal band (46) comprises platinum and iridium. A lead locking device according to claim 2, wherein said braided sheath comprises a plurality of flat wires. A lead locking device according to claim 27, wherein said flat wires are substantially uniform flat wires having cross-sectional dimensions of about 0,00254 cm (=0.001 inch) by 0,00762 cm (00.003 inch). A lead locking device according to claim 28, wherein said plurality of flat wires is about 16 flat wires. A lead locking device according to claim 2, wherein said braided sheath has an outer diameter of about 0,1143 cm (=0.045 inch) in said second configuration and an outer diameter of about 0,04064 cm (=0.016 inch) in said first configuration. A lead locking device according to claim 29, wherein said braided sheath has an outer diameter of about 0,1143 cm (=0,045 inch) in said second configuration and an outer diameter of about 0,04064 cm (=0.016 inch) in said first configuration. A lead locking device according to claim 2, wherein said braided sheath is at least about 65 cm along said longitudinal axis in said first configuration. A lead locking device according to claim 2, further comprising a loop handle (16) formed at the most proximal end (20) of said mandrel (14). A lead locking device according to claim 33, wherein said loop handle (16) is a proximal loop that has a portion wrapped around said most proximal end (20) of said mandrel (14). A lead locking device according to claim 34, wherein said proximal loop hypotube (42) is disposed over said portion of said proximal loop that is wrapped around said most proximal portion of said mandrel (14), said proximal loop hypotube (42) being crimped. A lead locking device according to claim 35, wherein said proximal loop (36) comprises annealed stainless steel wire forming a loop handle (16). A lead locking device according to claim 36, wherein said stainless steel wire forming said loop handle (16) is about 0,0508 cm (=0,020 inch) thick. A lead locking device according to claim 5, wherein said lead engaging member (12) is adapted to engage at least 30% of the entire longitudinal length of said lumen of said lead including at least a portion of a proximal end (20) and at least a portion of a distal end (22) of said lumen of said lead. A lead locking device according to claim 5, wherein said at least 30% of the entire longitudinal length of said lumen of said lead includes substantially the entire length of said lumen of said lead.

Inventors: COE MICHAEL SEAN, DIAZ CESAR, HARLAN KENNETH D, PLASKET THOMAS E, COE, MICHAEL SEAN, DIAZ, CESAR, HARLAN, KENNETH D., PLASKET, THOMAS E.
Applicants: SPECTRANETICS CORP, THE SPECTRANETICS CORPORATION
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A61N1
IPC codes: A61B17, A61N1