Steroid eluting intramuscular lead

摘要

An improved lead for electrically stimulating muscle tissue particularly configured for a cardiac assist system powered by surgically modified skeletal muscle tissue. The skeletal muscle is either wrapped about the heart itself, or about an auxiliary pumping chamber attached to the aorta. Electrical stimulation is supplied via the improved lead to cause contraction of the skeletal muscle in synchronism with the natural or artificially paced heart rate and timed to obtain the desired hemodynamic effect. The improved lead has an electrode which is embedded in the skeletal muscle. The stimulation threshold of the skeletal muscle is held relatively low by the action of a glucocorticosteroid imbedded within the suture material. By placing the drug material in this position, it acts as an anti-inflammatory along the entire path of the suture material and treats the specific area of the electrode contact from within the muscle itself. The specific area of electrode contact may also be treated from the electrode side by placing a similar drug within the electrode.