4,027,678
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trode, the connection being reliably strong for long PACING SYSTEM WITH CONNECTOR FOR term inplantation.
CONNECTING ELECTRODE TO PACER It is another objective of this invention to provide
means adapted for connecting an electrode to a pacer 5 without the need for auxiliary materials or tools. It is BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION another objective of this invention to provide a pacing
1. Field of the Invention system with the connector being housed in the pacer. This invention lies in the area of connectors for car- It is another objective of this invention to provide a
diac pacing systems and, more particularly, connectors quick and reliable connector for connection to an elec
for connecting electrodes and electronic pacers which 10 trode so that there is no current leakage at the connec
are normally not compatible for connection. tion.
2. Description of the Prior Art It is another objective of this invention to provide a Cardiac pacing systems, wherein the heart is stimu- connector which may be connected to an implanted
lated by signals generated by electronic devices known electrode to effectively lengthen the electrode,
as Pacemakers, or pacers, have become widely used 15 It is a still further objective of this invention to pro
since the inception of the pacer industry in about the vide a connector which may be incorporated into a
early 1960's. Basically, a pacer system normally re- Pacer' for reliable connection of an electrode directly
quires two components, namely the pacer itself to gener- t0 *e Pacer.
ate the signals, and an electrode which has one end In accordance with the above objectives, there is connected to the output of the pacer and the other end 20 provided a connector adapted for receiving and tightly positioned within the patient's heart, the electrode serv- holding the end of an electrode, having an axial opening the function of delivering the generated stimulus in8 w,th a CDl1 positioned therein and dimensioned to signals from the pacer to the heart. The electrode, some- receiv.e the conductor prong of the electrode in a good times referred to as a catheter, also delivers sensed natu- electrical contact and with a fnction fit, and an outer ral cardiac signals back to the pacer in systems that 25 opening positioned relative to the coil to snugly engage operate on a demand basis. The methods of insertion of *e !nd ofuthe electrode casing so that there is no leakthe electrode through a portion of the patient's cardio- ?f from ±e °uts;df.lnto *e area of electrical contact, vascular system and of positioning the distal stimulating V* °*er end of conductor 18 fitted for insertion tip thereof at the proper place in the heart, are well mt0 tne pacer
known and documented. 30 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With the increased use of cardiac pacing systems, , . .. . . -., ,. . . , .
, , , - * . i.- 1.1. FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of the distal end of
there have been a number of manufacturers which have .. . . .
, . ... I.j i_ .l A one embodiment of the connector of this invention,
produced either pacers or electrodes or botL As a mQ 2 fa a di matic view of the imal end of
result of the relatively quick proliferation of such man- 35 m ... tQ ^ ^ connector J mG t can be
ufacturers over the last decade, there have appeared a connected
variety of electrode and pacer designs, without any na 3 / a crQSS ... vfew of ^ connector of uniformity or standardization of the means of connect- ^ invention) showi connection to a pacer terminal, ing one to the other. As can be expected, any given FK} 4 js m end crQSS sectional view of ^ em_ manufacturer who produces both devices designs them 4Q bo^meat of the connector of this invention, showing to be connectable, but as a rule an electrode of a first means for permitting oniy one way rotation of the con. manufacturer will not normally connect to a pacer of a nector.
second company, and vice versa. This causes a substan- FIG' s is a schematic representation of an emboditial problem to the physician who sets out to implant a ment wherein ^ connector of this invention is housed pacer of one manufacturer and has only the electrode 45 m a pacer. of another, or who wishes to replace, in a patient who
has an ingrown electrode of a first make, an old pacer DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
with a new pacer of a different make. EMBODIMENTS
As a result of the above difficulties, there are now Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown the distal end
commercially available connectors, or adapters, to 50 Qf the connector, being the end which is connected to
enable connection of unmatched pacer-electrode pairs. the electrode. A casing 20, suitably made of silicone
However, such connectors are generally not satisfac- rubber, covers a helical coil 24, which coil is made of a
tory, for a variety of reasons. Some require screwing of material such as elgiloy which is a good conductor. The
the electrode to the connector; some require the appli- conductor 24 need not be a coil for the portion 25
cation of insulating adhesive paste; and some even 55 thereof which is displaced away from the end opening,
require cutting of the electrode to adapt it to the con- but it is preferably hollow so that a mandrin, or stylet,
nector, which is even less desirable. What is needed, can be passed through the connector and the electrode.
and indeed has been an acutely felt need in this area, is The portion of the conductor 24 which is adjacent the
a connector which can be manipulated easily and reli- distal end is a coil, and is wound so that it can be dis
ably by the physician, and without the need of any 60 placed under tension very slightly radially outwardly.
unwanted ancillary operations. The portion of casing 20 which surrounds the distal coil
„„1IW.DV _TM ... portion 24 is identified by the numeral 21. The end
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION £ortion 26 of ^ M may hav{j ... tums q{
It is an objective of this invention to provide a quick slightly greater diameter, to permit or guide entry of a
and reliable connector for connecting an electrode to a 65 blunt electrode prong such as prong 37 shown in FIG.
pacer. 2. Over top of, or around the outside of the end of
It is another objective of this invention to provide a casing 20, there is placed a silicone rubber outer casing
connector for electrical connection to a pacing elec- 28, having an end portion 29 which contains an open
