| 主权项 |
1. A method for placing an epicardial pacing lead or an ablation catheter onto the epicardium of a heart in a subject, comprising placing an end of an epicardial pacing lead delivery sheath, or an ablation catheter delivery sheath, the delivery sheath comprising a lumen and comprising a Doppler blood-flow probe at the end of the delivery sheath, at a predetermined position adjacent to the epicardium of the heart, obtaining a signal from the Doppler blood-flow probe so as to determine the proximity of the end of the sheath to a blood vessel of a predetermined size or above and, when no blood vessel of the predetermined size or above is determined to be within an unacceptable distance of the end of the sheath, advancing an epicardial pacing lead, or an ablation catheter, respectively, within the lumen of the delivery sheath to the end of the sheath so as to place the epicardial pacing lead, or the ablation catheter, respectively, onto the epicardium of the heart in the subject. |
