Patent ID: 7610104

Claim:
An apparatus adapted for placing a lead at a target site on an epicardial surface of a heart using a minimally-invasive delivery procedure, the epicardial surface of the heart having a generally convex shape and being surrounded by a pericardial sac, an inner surface of the pericardial sac generally conforming to the epicardial surface and defining a generally concave shape, the apparatus comprising: an elongated body including a longitudinal axis, a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and defining a lead receiving passageway extending between a proximal inlet and a distal lead outlet for receiving a lead therethrough for contact with the epicardial surface of the heart, the elongated body being sufficiently flexible along the longitudinal axis to conform to the epicardial surface and sufficiently stiff to allow movement of the distal end in at least one plane upon application of a force to the proximal end of the lead body, the elongated body having a length sufficient to enable access to the target site using a sub-xyphoid approach, wherein the distal end portion includes an upper surface and a lower surface opposed to the upper surface and configured to contact and generally conform to the epicardial surface, the distal lead outlet being located on the lower surface, the distal end portion having a cross-section with a width and a thickness, the width being greater than the thickness, the width and thickness tapering distally along the distal end portion such that the distal end portion has a tapered leading end, wherein the tapered leading end is adapted to facilitate advancement of the distal end portion through a pericardial space located between the convex epicardial surface and the concave pericardial inner surface, and wherein the distal end portion further defines a guidewire outlet, the guidewire outlet being smaller than the distal lead outlet, the guidewire outlet providing a pathway from the distal lead outlet to a distal end of the elongated body and being adapted to track the distal end portion on a guidewire along a pathway between the epicardial and pericardial surfaces to the target site.