Abstract: An arrangement for delivering medications in an implantable medical device, such as a heart pacemaker, has at least two containers or receptacles for the medication disposed below the surface of a portion of the implanted device, each container terminating in an opening having the size of a pore in the surface of the implanted device to permit the medication to be delivered from the container to surrounding tissue. The structure permits the medication to be delivered at specific regions of tissue, and in a manner which permits control of the medication dose.

Abstract: An exemplary electrode arrangement comprises an elongated electrical conductor with a covering of electrical insulation and with an electrode head electrically connected to the distal end of the conductor for supplying stimulation pulses to the heart. The electrode arrangement includes a filamentary element or elements for fixing the conductor assembly to a cardiac wall. In order to be able to flatten the or each element closely against the conductor assembly and to anchor the electrode head securely in the trabeculae and to nonetheless facilitate a subsequent positional correction of the electrode head in the heart, it is inventively proposed that the or each filamentary element be of soft, flexible material and extend in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the conductor, the or each element preferably at least partially encircling the conductor assembly at a substantial spacing therefrom.

Abstract: In order to improve the mechanical properties in the area of the passive electrode given bipolar electrodes, the active region of the passive electrode exhibits a surface layer that has a high double layer capacitance at the phase boundary with the body fluids. The size of the passive electrode can be considerably reduced as a result. Particularly suitable as the surface layer is a porous layer consisting of a carbide, nitride or carbonitride of at least one of the metals titanium, vanadium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum or tungsten. A layer of activated carbon with a surface having a porous microstructure or, in the simplest case, a roughened surface are also suitable.