Methods for implanting leads in the internal thoracic vein (ITV) of a patient may include first screening the patient to determine if various screening criteria are met. The screening criteria may include rib spacing, ITV location, and ITV diameter. When a predetermined parameter of at least one of the screening criteria is met, the implantation of one or more leads extending into the ITV and to a pulse generator are completed.

A biostimulator, such as a leadless cardiac pacemaker, including a fixation element to engage tissue and one or more backstop elements to resist back-out from the tissue, is described. The fixation element can be mounted on a housing of the biostimulator such that a helix of the fixation element extends distally to a leading point. The leading point can be located on a distal face of the helix at a position that is proximal from a center of the distal face. The backstop elements can include non-metallic filaments, such as sutures, or can include a pinch point of the biostimulator. The backstop features can grip the tissue to prevent unscrewing of the fixation element. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

A surgical electrode application instrument of the minimally invasive type, having an effector which forms a rotatable and pivotable instrument head on which are mounted two opposing branches which can be moved towards each other in the manner of tongs, at least one branch of which is formed with a part-circle-shaped notch at the end for holding an electrode wire, and which each have a sickle-shaped cross-section at least in one section. The mutually facing clamping sides in the sickle-shaped section of each branch each have a number of grooves or undercuts which are spaced in the longitudinal direction of the branch and preferably run in parallel in the transverse direction of the branch.

An implantable medical device (IMD) may be configured for deployment at a patient's atrioventricular septum in order to sense and/or pace a patient's heart. The atrioventricular septum of the patient's heart may have an atrial facing side defining part of the right atrium of the patient's heart and a ventricle facing side defining part of the left ventricle of the patient's heart. The IMD may include a first component configured to be positioned at least in part in the right atrium of the patient's heart proximate the atrioventricular septum, and a second component configured to be positioned at least in part in the left ventricle.

Implantable lead having an electrode body with a free end and an inner part axially movable or rotatably movable with respect to it and an end on which means of fixation are extendable out of the free end by axially displacing the inner part, the inner periphery of the electrode body having an elastically deformable, peripheral, ring or ring segment-shaped, sealing/resistance element fixed to it. The outer periphery of the inner part having a section whose diameter changes (decreases) in the axial direction; this section passes the sealing/resistance element when the inner part is axially displaced. The inner periphery of the electrode body having a section whose diameter changes (decreases) in the axial direction; this section placed so that the sealing/resistance element passes this section when the inner part is axially displaced, the sealing/resistance element increasingly deformed during axial displacement of the inner part and counteracting movement thereof.

Disclosed is an intra-cardiac implant, a device and a method for respectively implanting two connected intra-cardiac implants to two cardiac chambers at one time. The intra-cardiac implant comprises a columnar housing including a sidewall, a first terminal and a second terminal, a first connecting portion located at the first terminal of the housing and configured to connect with the implantation device; and a hook body mounted at the sidewall of the housing and comprising a fixed end on the sidewall and a free end stretching from the fixed end, wherein the hook body is configured to form a clamping structure with the sidewall, the free end comprises a tip on its top for piercing the myocardium, and the intra-cardiac implant is clamped between the hook body and the sidewall, so that the intra-cardiac implant is fixed on the myocardium.

A device for circulatory support of the heart with holding means implanted intracardially in the left or right ventricular outflow of the heart by catheter, using an endovascular method, through a femoral access or a percutaneous transventricular, transseptal, transapical or transvenous access, the holding means comprises anchoring means fixed in the subcommissural triangle underneath the aortic valve and the pulmonary valve, in the flow direction of the blood on the ventricular side of the aortic valve and the pulmonary valve, a pump fixed in the holding means by a catheter, using an endovascular method, through a femoral access or a percutaneous transventricular, transseptal, transapical or transvenous access, the pump can be inserted releasably into the holding means after the holding means has been fixed by the anchoring means in the subcommissural triangles underneath the aortic valve and the pulmonary valve, or is connected to the collapsible and expandable anchoring means.

A leadless pacing device may include a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, and a set of one or more electrodes supported by the housing. The housing may include a first a distal extension extending distally from the distal end thereof. One or more electrodes may be supported by the distal extension. The leadless pacing device may be releasably coupled to an expandable anchor mechanism.

Tools adapted to allow a fixation device to be applied near the distal end of an implantable lead, and methods for using such tools. Preparing the lead for implantation may be performed by placing a tool over a distal tip of the lead, moving a fixation device from the tool to the lead, and placing the fixation device the lead.

Near-field energy transmitters for charging a rechargeable power source of an implantable medical device (IMD). In some cases, the transmitter may include an output driver that may drive a transmit coil such that near-field energy is transmitted to the IMD at a determined frequency. In some cases, the IMD may include a receiving coil that may capture the near-field energy and then convert the near-field energy into electrical energy that may be used to recharge the rechargeable power source. Since the rechargeable power source does not have to maintain sufficient energy stores in a single charge for the entire expected life of the IMD, the power source itself and thus the IMD may be made smaller while still meeting device longevity requirements.