A tunnel device includes a base portion, a shaft to be connected to the base portion at one end of the shaft, and a tip portion to be connected to another end of shaft. The base portion is provided with a shaft connection portion to which the one end of shaft is connected. The shaft is provided with a shaft-side screw portion at the one end of the shaft. The shaft connection portion includes a shaft housing portion having an inner diameter substantially same as an outer diameter of the one end of the shaft, and a base-portion side screw portion provided on a further inner side relative to the shaft housing portion. The base portion and the shaft are fixed to each other by screwing between the shaft-side screw portion and the base-portion side screw portion.

An epidural space is cleared of fat and scar tissue in preparation for implantation of a medical lead by utilizing a clearing tool. The clearing tool has an outer body and an inner body present within a lumen of the outer body. The outer body may be malleable and have a pre-set deflection or may be flexible and achieve deflection when being inserted into the epidural space. Once in the epidural space, the inner body is extended distally from the lumen of the outer body such that a distal tip on the inner body extends further into the epidural space to provide clearing to the target site without requiring further ingress of the outer body. The inner body is retracted and the clearing tool is removed. The medical lead is then inserted through the window and cleared epidural space until reaching the target site.

Methods and kits for subcutaneous defibrillator implantation. In various examples, two introducer tools each having a sheath are used during an implantation procedure to obviate the need for pulling a lead using a suture. The elimination of the suture-based pulling steps may reduce procedure time. A kit having two introducer tool and corresponding sheaths is also disclosed.

A trocar for preparing pilot holes, tunnels and other spaces within bone includes a piercing tip, a cutting element, and an expansion element for expanding the cutting element radially outwardly with respect to a longitudinal axis of the trocar. The cutting element includes one or more cutting blades. The trocar also includes a hollow shaft. The hollow shaft can include one or more apertures axially and radially aligned with the one or more cutting blades. The expansion element can include an activation rod housed inside the hollow shaft. The one or more cutting blades can be in the form of two opposed cutting blades separated by a gap, the two opposed cutting blades being radially displaceable with respect to the longitudinal axis. The activation rod can include a wedge that partially enters the gap between the two opposed cutting blades to displace the cutting blades to an expanded position.

A reservoir of a system for deploying an implantable lead to an extravascular location delivers a flow of fluid through a lumen of one or both of a tunneling tool and an introducer of the system. In some cases, the tunneling tool includes a pressure sensor assembly for monitoring a change in a pressure of the flow through the lumen thereof. Alternately, or in addition, a flow-controlled passageway, through which the flow of fluid from the reservoir is delivered to the lumen of the introducer, includes a compliant chamber to hold a reserve of the fluid. Fluid from the reserve may be drawn into the lumen of the introducer as the tunneling tool is withdrawn therefrom. Alternately, the introducer may include a chamber located between two seals, wherein fluid that fills the chamber is drawn distally into the lumen of the introducer, as the tunneling tool is withdrawn therefrom.

A system for facilitating fluid connection between cannulae and a blood pump. The system includes a cannula having a distal end adapted to be in fluid communication with the circulatory system and a proximal end configured to couple to an inlet of the blood pump. Further included is a tunneling device configured to be inserted into a body of a patient to direct the proximal end of the cannula adjacent to the inlet and including a second connecting structure. Further included is a plug which has a first plug part and a second plug part. The first plug part includes a second connecting structure, the first and second connecting structures being selectively engageable. The second plug part is configured to be inserted in the proximal end of the cannula. The first and second plug parts are selectively disengageable to allow in situ disconnection between the cannula and tunneling device.

Methods and devices for diagnosing, monitoring, and/or treating tissue through an opening or port through an airway wall are provided herein.

This disclosure provides tools and implant techniques utilizing such tools to gain access to and implant a medical device, such as a medical electrical lead, within extravascular spaces. In one example, this disclosure provides a tool for creating a sub-sternal tunnel in a patient. The tool comprises a relatively straight guide member extending from a first end thereof to a second end thereof, a tunneling member extending from a first end thereof to a tip thereof, the tunneling member extending alongside and coplanar with the guide member, the first end of the tunneling member and the first end of the guide member being joined together, and a handle coupled to the guide member.

An apparatus is provided for subcutaneous implantation in a patient using a tunneling instrument. The implantation apparatus comprises a vascular graft and a connector adapted to couple a distal end of the tunneling instrument and a proximal end of the graft. The connector comprises a tip, a first end of the tip configured to be received within the proximal end of the graft, a clip for securing the graft to the tip, and a coupler for a rotatable connection of the tip to the tunneling instrument such that the tip is rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to the coupler to facilitate attachment of the graft to the tunneling instrument. The implantation apparatus may further comprise a removable sheath configured to substantially cover the length of the graft.

An epidural space is cleared of fat and scar tissue in preparation for implantation of a medical lead by utilizing a clearing tool. The clearing tool has a flexible body that allows the clearing tool to deflect when entering the epidural space through a window in the vertebral bone and ligaments. The clearing tool is guided into the epidural space and to a target site by a guidewire present in the epidural space. Upon removal of the guidewire and clearing tool, the medical lead is inserted through the window and cleared epidural space until reaching the target site. The clearing tool may include a distal tip with a shape and size that aids in the clearing of the epidural space. The distal tip may be integral to the clearing tool or may be removable so as to allow for different sizes of the distal tip to be installed as needed.