Abstract: A transvenous cardioversion lead system capable of delivering electrical energy to cardiac tissue is provided. Lead system comprises an inner conductor surrounded by an insulative layer which, in turn, is surrounded by a second conductor mounted coaxially with the inner conductor. At least a portion of the second conductor is surrounded by an outer conductive sheath formed from a suitable material having an non-abrasive affect. This prevents damage to cardiac tissue during normal transvenous operating position while at the same time preventing thrombogenesis on the lead surface.

Abstract: A transvenous cardioversion lead system capable of delivering electrical energy to cardiac tissue is provided. Lead system comprises an inner conductor surrounded by an insulative layer which, in turn, is surrounded by a second conductor mounted coaxially with the inner conductor. At least a portion of the second conductor is surrounded by an outer conductive sheath formed from a suitable material having an non-abrasive affect. This prevents damage to cardiac tissue during normal transvenous operating position while at the same time preventing thrombogenesis on the lead surface.

Abstract: A body implantable electrode lead including a connector structure for enabling connection with an outermost conductor of the lead is disclosed. The implantable lead is of a multilayer configuration, being covered by an insulating biocompatible sheath. An annular section of the outer sheath is removed to expose a corresponding annular section of the outermost conductor of the lead. The exposed conductor section can be used as an electrode either directly or by attaching a conductive electrode ring via swaging, a conductive adhesive or the like.

Abstract: A patch-type defibrillator electrode for direct contact with the heart has a thin, flat, flexible generally circular mesh or foil conductive member with a pattern of slits for enabling continuous contact with the three dimensional, time-varying heart surface topography. The slit pattern includes two pairs of non-intersecting semicircular slits oriented along mutually perpendicular axes, and interior portions of the conductive member are flexibly movable in a direction normal to the plane member and are flexibly tiltable about the axes to provide the conforming contact. The slits may also be radial slits which do not meet at the center so the leaves of conductive members are independently mobile with respect to every other leaf. A Dacron envelope having a thrombus formation inhibiting agent surrounds the conductive member including the peripheral edges to reduce the risk of tissue burning from current supplied to the center of the conductive member by an electrode lead.

Abstract: An implantable sitmulating lead for a cardiac pacemaker has a distal tip having a surface area adapted to physically contact heart tissue for pacing the heart tissue, sensing heart contractions and promoting tissue ingrowth. The distal tip includes a conductive electrode and a porous non-conductive substrate, which together define the surface area of the distal tip. The conductive electrode and porous substrate are provided as first and second members, although the surface area of each is adaptive to present a singular, smooth distal tip region for the electrode lead.

Abstract: Self-contained, self-powered, flexible electrical control signal generating means are located in the right ventricle of a heart and generate electrical control signals solely by mechanical movements caused by actions of and conditions in the heart without any electrical connection to and supply of electrical energy from any other power source which electric control signals are transmitted to a control circuit system of an implanted control unit which control unit transmits an electrical signal to a stimulation electrode implanted in tissue at the apex of the right ventricle of the heart which stimulation electrode uses the electrical signal to stimulate the heart.

Abstract: An implantable stimulating lead for a cardiac pacemaker has a distal tip having a surface area adapted to physically contact heart tissue for pacing the heart tissue, sensing heart contractions and promoting tissue ingrowth. The distal tip includes a conductive electrode and a porous non-conductive substrate, which together define the surface area of the distal tip. The conductive electrode and porous substrate are provided as first and second members, although the surface area of each is adapted to present a singular, smooth distal tip region for the electrode lead.

Abstract: A porous cardiac pacemaker electrode comprising a concavo-convex electrode cap having a plurality of apertures therethrough and an electrode shaft having a supporting edge formed thereon to which the concave surface of the electrode cap is joined. The porous cardiac pacemaker electrode is produced by deforming a platinum plate into a concavo-convex shaped cap member, forming a plurality of selectively spaced apertures through the electrode cap member to make the electrode cap substantially porous, forming an electrode shaft having a supporting edge, and joining the supporting edge of the electrode shaft to the concave surface of the electrode cap member.

Abstract: A cardiac pacemaker electrode including an electrode tip having an external surface with a concave region formed therein to increase the pacing impedance thereof. Further, the external surface of the electrode tip is roughened, for example by abrading with a jet of glass beads projected under pressure, to increase the microsurface area of the electrode tip and to reduce the sensing impedance thereof.