Patent ID: 8649881

Claim:
A suture sleeve comprising: a tubular body comprised of resilient material, said tubular body having a longitudinal axis and having a bore extending through said tubular body along said longitudinal axis, said bore being configured to receive a medical implantable lead therein; said tubular body having a body exterior surface having at least one suture groove therein, said exterior body surface being configured for insertion in a body lumen of a living subject and said suture being configured to allow a suture to be tied around said suture groove, with said lumen between said suture and said suture groove, to hold said suture sleeve, and said medical lead in said bore thereof, in place relative to said body lumen; said tubular body comprising at least one grip enhancing projection projecting into said bore radially inwardly of said suture groove to promote gripping of said medical implantable lead in said bore; and a stiffening protuberance in said tubular body between said suture groove and said grip enhancing projection, said stiffening protuberance longitudinally confined to only a longitudinal width of said suture groove, and said stiffening protuberance giving said suture sleeve a non-circular cross-section in a plane orthogonal to said longitudinal axis; wherein said suture groove has a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein said stiffening protuberance longitudinally extends from the proximal end of the suture groove to the distal end of the suture groove, and wherein said stiffening protuberance proximally terminates in the longitudinal direction at the proximal end of the suture groove and distally terminates in the longitudinal direction at the distal end of the suture groove.