A biostimulator, such as a leadless pacemaker, has electrode(s) coated with low-polarization coating(s). A low-polarization coating including titanium nitride can be disposed on an anode, and a low-polarization coating including a first layer of titanium nitride and a second layer of platinum black can be disposed on a cathode. The anode can be an attachment feature used to transmit torque to the biostimulator. The cathode can be a fixation element used to affix the biostimulator to a target tissue. The low-polarization coating(s) impart low-polarization to the electrode(s) to enable an atrial evoked response to be detected and used to effect automatic output regulation of the biostimulator. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

An implantable medical device may include a housing configured to be positioned at least in part in a right ventricle (RV) proximate an RV facing side of the ventricular septum. A power source and circuitry may be disposed within the housing and may be operatively coupled together. An RV electrode may be fixed relative to the housing to be proximate the RV facing side of the ventricular septum and may be operatively coupled with the circuitry. An LV electrode support may extend away from the housing into the ventricular septum toward the LV facing side of the ventricular septum and may support an LV electrode that is operatively coupled with the circuitry. The circuitry may be configured to pace the RV of the patient's heart using the RV electrode and to pace the LV of the patient's heart using the LV electrode.

A catheter inner assembly includes a receptacle with an interior contour configured to mate with a head and neck contour of a holding member of an implantable medical device; and a laterally facing opening of the receptacle has a profile matching a longitudinal profile of the head and neck. Thus, the opening allows only a properly oriented passage of the holding member therethrough, the passage being without deformation of holding member or opening. The inner assembly further includes a lock and release member useful for securing the device to the catheter, when the holding member has been passed through the receptacle's opening to mate with the receptacle's interior contour. The lock and release member may include an arcuate sidewall moveable between a first location, at which the sidewall overlays the laterally facing opening, and a second location, at which the sidewall is located proximal to the opening.

A transvenously implantable medical device (TIMD) includes an electrical lead and a control module. The electrical lead includes one or more electrodes and is adapted for transvenous implantation. The electrical lead is also pre-biased to expand from a collapsed state to an expanded state to mechanically engage an internal wall of a blood vessel. The control module is secured to and in electrical communication with the electrical lead. The control module includes a signal management component and a power component disposed in a housing adapted for implantation into the blood vessel. The control module is adapted for at least one of stimulating and sensing a physiologic response using the one or more electrodes of the electrical lead.

Implantable leadless pacing devices and medical device systems including an implantable leadless pacing device are disclosed. An example implantable leadless pacing device may include a pacing capsule. The pacing capsule may include a housing. The housing may have a proximal region and a distal region. A first electrode may be disposed along the distal region. One or more anchoring members may be coupled to the distal region. The anchoring members may each include a region with a compound curve.

A medical lead includes a lead body, a connector pin proximate to a proximal end of the lead body, a helix extending from a distal end of the lead body, an electrode proximate to the distal end of the lead body, and a cable conductor within the lead body and including an electrode proximate a distal end of the cable conductor, the cable conductor being slideable within the lead body to extend and retract the electrode relative to the distal end of the lead body.

Extraction devices for extracting chronically implanted devices such as leadless cardiac pacemakers (LCP). In some cases, the extraction devices may be configured to cut, tear or ablate through at least some of the tissue ingrowth around and/or over the chronically implanted device such that a retrieval feature on the chronically implanted device may be grasped for removal of the chronically implanted device. Implantable medical devices such as LCPs may include features that facilitate their removal.

Various fixation techniques for implantable medical device (IMDs) are described. In one example, an assembly comprises an IMD; and a set of active fixation tines attached to the IMD. The active fixation tines in the set are deployable from a spring-loaded position in which distal ends of the active fixation tines point away from the IMD to a hooked position in which the active fixation tines bend back towards the IMD. The active fixation tines are configured to secure the IMD to a patient tissue when deployed while the distal ends of the active fixation tines are positioned adjacent to the patient tissue.

Medical device delivery assemblies are disclosed. The assembly may include a catheter-based delivery system. The assembly may include a pacing element to pace a patient's heart before, during, or after a procedure. The pacing element may be a detachable, implanting pacing element. The pacing element may be an implantable pacemaker and the implantable pacemaker may be disposed on a catheter-based delivery system. The assembly may include a prosthetic heart valve with one or more pacing elements on it. The pacing element may include a pacing strip or strips. These strips may be conductive or insulative. These strips may prevent, treat, or correct abnormal electrical communication in a heart.

Embodiments of the invention are related to leads with topographic surface features and related methods, amongst other things. In an embodiment, the invention includes an implantable lead including a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end, the lead body including an outer layer defining a lumen, the lead body further including a first electrical conductor disposed within the lumen of the outer layer. The implantable lead can further include a first electrode coupled to the lead body, the electrode in electrical communication with the first electrical conductor. The implantable lead can also include a cellular modulation segment on the external surface of the lead body, the cellular modulation segment comprising topographic surface features configured to modulate cellular responses. Other embodiments are also included herein.