Patent ID: 8092467

Claim:
An apparatus for structurally reinforcing and stabilizing the components of an implanted transvenous lead having an internal coil with a lumen during extraction from a body, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first wire stylet comprising a solid, substantially cylindrical wire with a distinct first side having a contour characterized by a sloped geometric pattern extending over the full width of the wire stylet and providing varying wire thickness along a portion of the length of said first wire stylet; (b) a second wire stylet comprising a solid, substantially cylindrical wire with a distinct first side having a contour characterized by a sloped geometric pattern extending over the full width of the wire stylet and providing varying wire thickness along a portion of the length of said second wire stylet; and (c) a flexible, close-fitting sheath around said first and second wire stylets for temporarily holding said wire stylets adjacently together along their lengths prior to insertion, said sheath being progressively removable during insertion of said wire stylets into the lumen of the implanted lead; (d) said first wire stylet and said second wire stylet being mechanically unattached to each other along their distal portions and being independently slideable, relative to each other along their entire lengths, longitudinally from a first position to a second position when said first side of said first wire stylet and said first side of said second wire stylet are placed contiguous, and said first wire stylet and said second wire stylet are inserted into the lumen of the implanted lead; (e) said contour of said first side of said first wire stylet being matched to and mating with said contour of said first side of said second wire stylet, allowing the combination of said first wire stylet and said second wire stylet to have a minimal diameter when in said first position relative to each other, and causing radial expansion of the combination by interaction of opposing, contoured contacting surfaces when said first wire stylet and said second wire stylet are moved relative to each other in a longitudinal direction to said second position; and (f) said combination of said first wire stylet and said second wire stylet having an overall diameter between 0.2 mm and 2.0 mm when in said first position, to permit insertion into the lumen of the implanted lead and large enough to exert sufficient pressure against the surface of the lumen to allow traction forces to be applied when in said second position, whereby the implanted lead may be removed from the body through the application of traction forces, while deformation is minimized and the structural integrity of the implanted lead is maintained.