Abstract: An electrode catheter is provided for ablation of arrhythmogenic tissue in a malperforming heart and includes an elongated catheter tube having longitudinally spaced apart proximal and distal ends. At least one electrode for ablation of the arrhythmogenic tissue in a targeted region of the patient is carried on the catheter tube, preferable at or proximate the distal end of the catheter tube. One such electrode may be located at the distal tip of the catheter and configured in the shape of a generally flat disk that substantially conforms to the contour of the targeted region and such that the ratio of the surface area of the tissue-contacting end face to that of a side wall portion of the electrode is greater than 1.0.

Abstract: A steerable catheter includes a handle and a catheter tube, the distal region of which may be selectively curved by the operator. A fluid transport tube extends the entire length of the catheter to enable a user to supply or extract fluids from a patient through the catheter. Within the distal tip portion of the catheter tube, two support members are affixed to opposite sides of the fluid transport tube. The distal end of the tip portion of the catheter tube is attached to at least one and preferably two pull cables. When a pull cable is tightened, the catheter's tip portion assumes a curve defined by the orientation in which the support members are affixed to the fluid transport tube. The two support members allow the tip portion of the catheter tube to assume a curvature only in a direction that is perpendicular to the plane of the two support members.

Abstract: A steerable catheter including a handle and a catheter tube, the tip of which may be selectively curved by the operator to assume a pre-programmed curved shape in three dimensions. A single elongated, substantially flat planar shim is mounted within the tip of the catheter tube. The shim has at least one transverse or lateral twist which causes the tip of the catheter tube to assume a curvature in more than one plane when the catheter is operated by manipulation of the remotely positioned handle.

Abstract: A steerable catheter includes a handle and a catheter tube, the tip of which may be selectively curved by an operator. Three elongated, substantially flat planar shims are juxtaposed in sandwiched relation and mounted within the tip of the catheter tube for movement relative to one another remotely from the catheter handle. When one of the three shims slides relative to the other two, the catheter tube tip bends to attain a user-controlled curvature. A curvature controlling and locking mechanism in the handle permits the operator to readily and accurately effect separate coarse and fine adjustments to the curvature of the catheter tip.

Abstract: This method and device permits removal of venous blood from either atrium to a heart lung machine and thereafter returns it (after oxygenation and filtration if needed) to the femoral artery, all in a percutaneous mode. The device includes in combination a guide wire, catheter, transseptal needle, blunt internal obturator approximately the same length as the catheter with a circular barb to secure the catheter in a given longitudinal relationship, an external obturator about the same length as the internal obturator and removably attached thereto, a cannula for passage over the combined obturators and catheter and connectors to attach the cannula to an extracorporeal pump (and oxygenator if needed), which in turn can be connected to the arterial side of a patient's vascular system.

Abstract: A pacing catheter having improved torque control properties, including a polymeric tube having an electrically conductive torque member passing through the tube center. The torque member is tapered near the distal end where it is secured to a cup-shaped electrode adapted to fit over the distal end of the polymeric tube. The space between the polymeric tube and the torque member is filled with a polymeric or elastomeric material in fluid form such that a solid, but flexible, polymeric composition is formed which adheres to both the inside of the polymeric tube and the outside of the torque member. The solidified liquid polymeric material allows rotation force applied anywhere along the hollow outer tube to be directly transmitted to the central torque member.

Abstract: A tripolar catheter apparatus employing an automatic electronic switch is adapted for use with a conventional bipolar demand cardiac pacer for converting a bipolar pacing system into a tripolar pacing system in which stimulation can be applied between two intra-ventricular electrodes, such as ones located in the right ventricular apex, while sensing of ventricular depolarization may be obtained by an intra-ventricular apical electrode and an extra-ventricular electrode located outside the ventricle, such as in the right atrium or vena cava. The tripolar catheter apparatus comprises a pair of catheter terminals connected to the output terminals of the bipolar demand cardiac pacer and three output electrodes, namely a proximal electrode, a medial electrode and a distal electrode, which are provided to the heart.

Abstract: A bipolar electrode insertion apparatus (20) in which a common needle (34) is employed for selectively placing both a heart stimulating fluid (62) and a bipolar electrode pair (40) into the heart. Verification of entry into the heart chamber prior to placement of the fluid or bipolar electrode pair (40) in the heart is also provided. The apparatus (20) of the present invention includes a syringe (22) capable of injecting the fluid (62) into the ventricular cavity (60) for restarting the heart function. The needle (34) is a hollow needle having an inlet end and an outlet end for insertion into the heart with a bifurcated chamber (32) being disposed in flow through communication between the syringe (22) outlet end and the needle (34) inlet end. The fluid (62) is selectively injectable into the chamber inlet end (42) through the syringe (22) outlet end and therefrom through the common needle (34) into the ventricular cavity (60) of the heart.

Abstract: An improved medical device container and method of manufacture thereof, wherein the container is adapted to be opened manually and dispense the contents onto a sterile field without the need of manual contact. The container is a thermally formed blister package and features a tray having at least one depression which is sized and shaped to receive a sterile medical appliance, and a pliable backing sheet having at least one flexible insert affixed thereto. The backing sheet is bonded to the periphery of the tray, and the insert engages the medical device and urges it into firm contact with a portion of the depression to secure the device therein. The backing sheet is adapted to be manually peeled away from the tray and thereby pull the flexible insert out of the depression so that the medical device may fall freely onto a sterile location without the need for manual contact.