Tunneling tool for implantable leads

摘要

A tunneling tool for creating a pathway for implanting a therapy delivery element in a living body. The tunneling tool includes a malleable elongated shaft having a distal end. A sheath having a lumen is slidably positioned over a portion of the shaft. A primary handle secured to proximal end of the shaft permits a user to advance and manipulate the shaft and the sheath in the living body. A secondary handle with an opening is slidably positioned on the shaft between the primary handle and the sheath. The opening has a diameter less than an outside diameter of a proximal end of the sheath. A locking mechanism releasably engages the secondary handle to the primary handle. The sheath is retained in a desired location within the living body by securing the secondary handle relative to the living body as the primary handle is used to remove the shaft from the sheath.

主权项

1. A tunneling tool for creating a pathway from a first incision to a second incision for implanting a therapy delivery element in a living body, the tunneling tool comprising:
an elongated shaft including an outer shaft surface extending from a proximal shaft end to a distal shaft end; a sheath including an outer sheath surface defining a lumen slidably positionable over at least a portion of the outer shaft surface; a primary handle secured to the proximal shaft end opposite the distal shaft end; a secondary handle with an internal secondary handle opening that is larger than the outer shaft surface but smaller than the outer sheath surface at a proximal sheath end, wherein:
the secondary handle intermediate the primary handle and the sheath is slidable axially along the elongated shaft received in the internal secondary handle opening so that the secondary handle abuts, but is not attachable to the proximal sheath end, wherein the sheath in abutting contact with the secondary handle is unable to move proximally with respect to the secondary handle; andthe primary handle secured to the elongated shaft is manipulatable in a proximal direction away from the secondary handle to separate the primary and secondary handles from each other to thereby completely remove the elongated shaft secured to the primary handle from within the sheath lumen and then permit manipulation of the secondary handle away from abutting the proximal sheath end, while, at the same time, leaving the sheath within the pathway in the living body to facilitate implanting of the therapy delivery element in the living body; and a locking mechanism releasably engaging the secondary handle to the primary handle, the locking mechanism including:
a protrusion formed at a distal end of the primary handle, the protrusion including at least one first recess in the protrusion, the at least one first recess extending radially inwardly from an outer circumferential surface of the protrusion such that the at least one first recess forms a channel within the outer circumferential surface of the protrusion; anda second recess defined by a sidewall of the secondary handle and formed within a proximal end of the secondary handle, the second recess being sized to fit over the protrusion, the second recess including at least one tab extending radially inwardly from an inner circumferential surface of the sidewall of the secondary handle, the at least one tab sized to releasably engage with the at least one first recess in the protrusion in a locked position.