Electrode lead for implantation into a small heart vessel

1. An electrode lead for implantation into a small heart vessel, or into a coronary sinus, comprising:

an elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ), having a proximal end ( 2 ), a distal end ( 3 ) and at least one electrode pole ( 4 ) at the distal end ( 3 );

at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) for said at least one electrode pole ( 4 ), each of said at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) having a conductor core ( 7 ) and a separate insulating sheath ( 8 ) that surrounds said conductor core ( 7 );

a lumen ( 9 ) in said elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ), that is defined by a tubular envelope ( 10 ), configured to accommodate a guide wire ( 11 );

wherein the insulating sheath ( 8 ) that surrounds said at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are each in direct contact with each other and slidable relative to each other along their longitudinal direction (L) and fixed relative to each other in a vicinity of the distal end ( 3 ) of the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 );

wherein the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are configured in a side-by-side relationship parallel to each other, wherein an entirety of the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are encased by, the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 );

wherein said elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) is configured to bend at said proximal end ( 2 ) in a first direction (Bu) which effects movement of the distal end of said elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) in a second direction (Bd) that is opposite to said first direction when said at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and said tubular envelope ( 10 ) move longitudinally with respect to one another wherein said insulating sheath ( 8 ) slides in direct contact with said tubular envelope ( 10 );

wherein the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) includes at least one flat outer surface region; and,

wherein the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are fixed relative to each other in the vicinity of the proximal end ( 2 ) of the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ).

2. The electrode lead according to claim 1 , wherein the separate insulating sheath ( 8 ) of the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) is made of PTFE polymer having a low friction surface.

3. The electrode lead according to claim 1 , wherein the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) further comprises a low friction inner surface ( 12 ).

4. The electrode lead according to claim 3 , wherein the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) is made of a silicone material and wherein said silicone material comprises a thin polyurethane coating as the low friction inner surface ( 12 ).

5. The electrode lead according to claim 1 configured as a unipolar electrode lead comprising one electrical conductor unit ( 6 ) and one tubular envelope ( 10 ) for a lumen ( 9 ) in a parallel side-by-side relationship, said unipolar electrode lead (UEL) having a substantially flat rectangular outer sectional contour.

6. The electrode lead according to claim 1 configured as a bipolar electrode lead comprising two electrical conductor units ( 6 , 6 ′) and one tubular envelope ( 10 ) for a lumen ( 9 ) in a parallel side-by-side relationship, said bipolar electrode lead (BEL) having a substantially triangular outer sectional contour.

7. An electrode lead for implantation into a small heart vessel, or into a coronary sinus, comprising:

an elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ), having a proximal end ( 2 ), a distal end ( 3 ) and at least one electrode pole ( 4 ) at the distal end ( 3 );

at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) for said at least one electrode pole ( 4 ), each of said at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) having a conductor core ( 7 ) and a separate insulating sheath ( 8 ) that surrounds said conductor core ( 7 );

a lumen ( 9 ) in said elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ), that is defined by a tubular envelope ( 10 ), configured to accommodate a guide wire ( 11 );

wherein the insulating sheath ( 8 ) that surrounds said at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are each in direct contact with each other and slidable relative to each other along their longitudinal direction (L) and fixed relative to each other in a vicinity of the distal end ( 3 ) of the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 );

wherein the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are configured in a side-by-side relationship parallel to each other, wherein an entirety of the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are encased by, the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 );

wherein said elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) is configured to bend at said proximal end ( 2 ) in a first direction (Bu) which effects movement of the distal end of said elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) in a second direction (Bd) that is opposite to said first direction when said at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and said tubular envelope ( 10 ) move longitudinally with respect to one another wherein said insulating sheath ( 8 ) slides in direct contact with said tubular envelope ( 10 ); and

wherein the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are fixed relative to each other in the vicinity of the proximal end ( 2 ) of the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ).

8. The electrode lead according to claim 7 , wherein the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) comprises flat outer surface regions ( 13 ).

9. The electrode lead according to claim 7 , wherein the separate insulating sheath ( 8 ) of the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) is made of PTFE polymer having a low friction surface.

10. The electrode lead according to claim 7 , wherein the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) further comprises a low friction inner surface ( 12 ).

11. The electrode lead according to claim 10 , wherein the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) is made of a silicone material and wherein said silicone material comprises a thin polyurethane coating as the low friction inner surface ( 12 ).

12. The electrode lead according to claim 7 configured as a unipolar electrode lead comprising one electrical conductor unit ( 6 ) and one tubular envelope ( 10 ) for a lumen ( 9 ) in a parallel side-by-side relationship, said unipolar electrode lead (UEL) having a substantially flat rectangular outer sectional contour.

13. The electrode lead according to claim 7 configured as a bipolar electrode lead comprising two electrical conductor units ( 6 , 6 ′) and one tubular envelope ( 10 ) for a lumen ( 9 ) in a parallel side-by-side relationship, said bipolar electrode lead (BEL) having a substantially triangular outer sectional contour.

14. An electrode lead for implantation into a small heart vessel, or into a coronary sinus, comprising:

an elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ), having a proximal end ( 2 ), a distal end ( 3 ) and at least one electrode pole ( 4 ) at the distal end ( 3 );

at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) for said at least one electrode pole ( 4 ), each of said at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) having a conductor core ( 7 ) and a separate insulating sheath ( 8 ) that surrounds said conductor core ( 7 );

a lumen ( 9 ) in said elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ), that is defined by a tubular envelope ( 10 ), configured to accommodate a guide wire ( 11 );

wherein the insulating sheath ( 8 ) that surrounds said at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are each in direct contact with each other and slidable relative to each other along their longitudinal direction (L) and fixed relative to each other in a vicinity of the distal end ( 3 ) of the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 );

wherein the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are configured in a side-by-side relationship parallel to each other, wherein an entirety of the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are encased by, the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 );

wherein said elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) is configured to bend at said proximal end ( 2 ) in a first direction (Bu) which effects movement of the distal end of said elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) in a second direction (Bd) that is opposite to said first direction when said at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and said tubular envelope ( 10 ) move longitudinally with respect to one another wherein said insulating sheath ( 8 ) slides in direct contact with said tubular envelope ( 10 );

wherein the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) comprises flat outer surface regions ( 13 );

wherein the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) and the tubular envelope ( 10 ) of the lumen ( 9 ) are fixed relative to each other in the vicinity of the proximal end ( 2 ) of the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 );

wherein the separate insulating sheath ( 8 ) of the at least one electrical conductor unit ( 6 , 6 ′) is made of PTFE polymer having a low friction surface; and,

wherein the elongated outer insulating lead body ( 1 ) further comprises a low friction inner surface ( 12 ).

15. The electrode lead according to claim 14 configured as a unipolar electrode lead comprising one electrical conductor unit ( 6 ) and one tubular envelope ( 10 ) for a lumen ( 9 ) in a parallel side-by-side relationship, said unipolar electrode lead (UEL) having a substantially flat rectangular outer sectional contour.

16. The electrode lead according to claim 14 configured as a bipolar electrode lead comprising two electrical conductor units ( 6 , 6 ′) and one tubular envelope ( 10 ) for a lumen ( 9 ) in a parallel side-by-side relationship, said bipolar electrode lead (BEL) having a substantially triangular outer sectional contour.