Patent ID: 7283878

Claim:
A lead stabilization and extension wire to be employed to facilitate retraction of a guide catheter over an implanted cardiac lead of a type comprising a lead body enclosing a lead body lumen and extending from a proximal connector assembly having a lead connector element to a distal electrode and adapted to be disposed at an implantation site within a patient's heart, and wherein the implanted cardiac lead has been placed by introduction through a lumen of a guide catheter passed through a skin incision of a patient providing access to the patient's vasculature, the lead stabilization and extension wire being adapted to be inserted into a proximal lumen opening of the lead body lumen to stabilize the lead body and distal electrode position during retraction of the guide catheter over the lead body, comprising: a wire sheath having a sheath outer diameter dimensioned to be received within the lead body lumen and a sheath lumen within a sheath body extending between sheath body proximal and distal ends; a lead clamp coupled to the wire sheath for engaging the implanted cardiac lead; and an elongated core wire having a core wire body extending between proximal and distal core wire body ends and a core wire body outer diameter sized to be received in the sheath lumen, wherein the elongated core wire upon insertion into the sheath lumen engages the wire sheath and provides stabilization of the implanted cardiac lead through a stabilization force applied at the core wire body proximal end.