A catheter device for implanting a medical device comprises a steerable catheter, and a delivery catheter extending through the steerable catheter and being configured to interact with the medical device for implanting the medical device at an implantation site within a patient, wherein the delivery catheter is axially movable with respect to the steerable catheter. The steerable catheter comprises a first steering articulation zone and a second steering articulation zone arranged distally with respect to the first steering articulation zone, wherein the steerable catheter is steerable by a deflection in the first steering articulation zone and the second steering articulation zone.

A lead engagement device is configured to be positioned in a lead lumen of a lead. The lead engagement device includes a hypotube, and the hypotube includes a wall having an inner surface defining an inner lumen and an outer surface opposite the inner surface. A plurality of lead engagement fingers are coupled to the wall and extend outwardly and proximally from the outer surface. Each of the fingers is disposed adjacent to one of a plurality of apertures that extend through the wall. The fingers are configured to permit relative motion between the lead engagement device and the lead when applying a first force to the lead engagement device. The fingers are also configured to engage the lead and inhibit relative motion between the lead engagement device and the lead when applying an opposite second force to the lead engagement device.

The present invention generally relates to leadless pacemaker devices for facilitating regulation of a patient's heart rate and to methods of implanting and using such devices. In one embodiment, the pacemaker device includes a first and a second expandable structure connected by a neck region. A pacemaker unit is contained within one of the expandable structures and a power source is contained within the other of the expandable structures and is electrically connected to the pacemaker unit.

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.

An implantable leadless cardiac pacing device and associated retrieval features. The implantable device includes a docking member extending from the proximal end of the housing of the implantable device including a covering surrounding at least a portion of the docking member configured to facilitate retrieval of the implantable leadless cardiac pacing device.

Devices and methods are disclosed for the treatment or repair of regurgitant cardiac valves, such as a mitral valve. An illustrative annuloplasty device can be placed in the coronary sinus to reshape the mitral valve and reduce mitral valve regurgitation. An improved protective device can be placed between the annuloplasty device and an underlying coronary artery to inhibit compression of the underlying coronary artery by the annuloplasty device in the coronary sinus. In addition, the protective device can inhibit compression of the coronary artery from inside the heart, such as from a prosthetic mitral valve that exerts radially outward pressure toward the coronary artery. The annuloplasty device can also create an artificial inner ridge or retaining feature projecting into the native mitral valve region to help secure a prosthetic mitral valve.

A catheter system for retrieving a leadless cardiac pacemaker from a patient is provided. The cardiac pacemaker can include a docking or retrieval feature configured to be grasped by the catheter system. In some embodiments, the retrieval catheter can include a snare configured to engage the retrieval feature of the pacemaker. The retrieval catheter can include a torque shaft selectively connectable to a docking cap and be configured to apply rotational torque to a pacemaker to be retrieved. Methods of delivering the leadless cardiac pacemaker with the delivery system are also provided.

A leadless biostimulator including an attachment feature to facilitate precise manipulation during delivery or retrieval is described. The attachment feature can be monolithically formed from a rigid material, and includes a base, a button, and a stem interconnecting the base to the button. The stem is a single post having a transverse profile extending around a central axis. The transverse profile can be annular and can surround the central axis. The leadless biostimulator includes a battery assembly having a cell can that includes an end boss. A tether recess in the end boss is axially aligned with a face port in the button to receive tethers of a delivery or retrieval system through an inner lumen of the stem. The attachment feature can be mounted on and welded to the cell can at a thickened transition region around the end boss. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

A capsule includes a tubular body with, at its proximal end, a coupling member adapted to cooperate with a conjugated coupling member mounted at the distal end of a catheter of the implantation tool, for the transmission of a torque for the rotational driving of the capsule by the catheter. The coupling member of the tool includes a dihedral-shaped imprint, with two diverging arms in a V-arrangement, and the capsule coupling member includes a convex surface adapted to frictionally and slidingly urge against the diverging arms of the V-shape.

Methods and devices for separating an implanted object, such as a pacemaker lead, from tissue surrounding such object in a patient's vasculature system. Specifically, the surgical device includes a handle, an elongate inner sheath and a circular cutting blade that extends from the distal end of the sheath upon actuating the handle. The circular cutting blade is configured to engage the tissue surrounding an implanted lead and cut such tissue in a coring fashion as the surgical device translates along the length of the lead, thereby allowing the lead, as well as any tissue remaining attached to the lead, to enter the device's elongate shaft. The surgical device has a barrel cam cylinder in the handle assembly that imparts rotation of the blade and a separate cam mechanism in the tip of outer sheath assembly that imparts and controls the extension and retraction of the blade. The barrel cam cylinder and cam mechanism cooperate to cause the blade to rotate in a first direction and extend from and retract in the outer sheath due to a first actuation of the handle and to rotate in a second direction and extend and retract in the outer sheath due to a second actuation of the handle. The inner sheath and outer sheath are constructed of laser-cut hypotubes, thereby allowing the surgical device, particularly the sheath assembly, to have a smaller profile for navigating smaller sized vasculature.