An epicardial pacer wire management device can include a spool defining a recessed region that encompasses the spool. The recessed region can receive a portion of a pacer wire. The device can further include a connector attached to the spool, and the connector can be electrically coupled with an exposed tip of the pacer wire. The device can further include an electrical port attached to the spool that can communicate with a pacing control unit. The device may include an electrical communication line electrically coupled between the connector and the electrical port.

A medical device for implantation in tissue includes: a header including one or more bores, the header including an implant grade thermoplastic resin including a conductive additive and a metal coating; one or more leads disposed in the header and exiting the header through the one or more bores; and an enclosure coupled to the header at a surface of the enclosure, the enclosure including circuitry and a power source. A sterilized header for an implantable enclosure is also described.

A pericardial implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) may be delivered to the heart through the chest wall using an ultrasound image guided catheter. The ICD may comprise a patch and wire leads which may be secured by a clam shell-like pad at a distal end and comprise a pig-tail shaped securing tail at the other end so that the ICD is firmly attached to the pericardium of a human heart. The ICD may be attached where most needed and serve as either a pacemaker or a defibrillator. In one embodiment, the ICD may emit radio frequency warning signals of heart failure sensed when pacemaker or defibrillator usage is rendered necessary.

A method for selecting an implantation position of a pacing electrode of a pacing lead within an anatomical region of a body, comprising measuring values of at least one parameter of an anatomical region surrounding the pacing lead in at least one location. The method also comprises delivering an electric field to a tissue of the anatomical region, and measuring values of at least one parameter of the tissue surrounding the pacing lead in the at least one location after said delivering. The method further comprises determining changes in said measured values before and after said delivering and selecting an implantation position for the pacing electrode based on said determined changes.

A method and device for modulating the autonomic nervous system adjacent a pericardial space to treat cardiac arrhythmia includes a treatment source arranged to supply a treatment medium, a catheter having an end sized for insertion into the pericardial space, a medium delivery assembly having a distal end arranged to be positioned by the catheter into the pericardium, with the distal end of the delivery assembly comprising a delivery tip arranged to extend away from the distal end of the catheter into the pericardial space. A connector operatively couples the delivery tip of the medium delivery assembly to the treatment source, and the delivery tip of the medium delivery assembly including a plurality of delivery points for delivering the treatment medium at a plurality of treatment areas within the pericardial space. The device performs modulation or ablation of the autonomic nervous system at selected treatment areas within the pericardium.

A catheter system comprises an elongate catheter body including a distal end. The catheter system also comprises a cannulation lumen extending through the elongate catheter body and terminating at the distal end of the elongate catheter body. The catheter system also comprises a steering element extending through the elongate catheter body for steering the distal end of the elongate catheter body and an imaging element extending within the elongate catheter body. The imaging element is configured to obtain optical images of an area located distally of the distal end of the elongate catheter body.

Systems and methods are provided for delivering vagus nerve stimulation and cardioversion/defibrillation therapies to patients for treating chronic heart failure. The vagus nerve stimulation and cardioversion/defibrillation therapies may be provided using a single implantable pulse generator, which can coordinate delivery of the therapies to provide an acute vagus nerve stimulation therapy in advance of delivering cardioversion-defibrillation energy.

A cardiac pacing system having a pulse generator for generating therapeutic electric pulses, a lead electrically coupled with the pulse generator having an electrode, a first sensor configured to monitor a physiological characteristic of a patient, a second sensor configured to monitor a second physiological characteristic of a patient and a controller. The controller can determine a pacing vector based on variables including a signal received from the second sensor, and cause the pulse generator to deliver the therapeutic electrical pulses according to the determined pacing vector. The controller can also modify pacing characteristics based on variables including a signal received from the second sensor.

An interface unit for epicardial pacemaking and telemetry monitoring connects a pacemaker and bedside monitor for simultaneous pacing during electrogram visualization using epicardial pacing leads. The interface unit provides an electrically insulating housing having single handed manual attachment of the epicardial leads and a retractable protective shroud extending over the epicardial leads. The interface unit further provides electrical connectors for selective attachment to the pacemaker and bedside monitor.

A steerable catheter system comprises an elongate catheter body including a distal end and a proximal end. The system also comprises a control mechanism coupled to the proximal end of the elongate catheter body. The control mechanism includes a rotatable steering control element configured to articulate the distal end of the elongate catheter body. The system also includes a lumen extending through the elongate catheter body and the control mechanism and terminating at the distal end of the elongate catheter body. The system also includes a valve coupled to the lumen. The valve is configured to couple a fluid delivery system to the lumen and to enable delivery of an instrument into the lumen.