JP2008067978A - In vivo implantation electrode lead - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an in vivo implantation electrode lead capable of facilitating the mounting of an electrode on body tissue such as the heart, nervous tissues and muscles, reducing inappropriate fixing and mounting dispersion of the electrode on the body tissue, and minimizing the peeling of a connective tissue around the body tissue when mounting the electrode. <P>SOLUTION: This in vivo implantation electrode lead is provided with: a distal end having at least one electrode 6 or 7; a proximal end having a connection means to a stimulus generator provided with an electrode driving power supply; a conductor connected to the distal end and the proximal end and consisting of electric conductors 8 and 9 for transmitting electric signals and a tubular body 2 for storing the electric conductors; and an electrode support body 1 having at least one arm part 1a, 1b or 1c formed with the electrode; wherein the lead is characterized in that at least one arm part of the electrode support body is connected with an electrode support body introduction part 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrode lead that is implanted in a living body and applies electrical stimulation, and more specifically, a cardiac pacemaker, a defibrillator, a nerve stimulator, a muscle stimulator, a pain relieving device, and an epilepsy treatment device. The present invention also relates to an electrode lead that is connected to a muscle electronic stimulator and attached to a biological tissue such as a heart, a nerve tissue, and a muscle to stimulate the tissue.

  Conventionally, electrical stimulation from cardiac pacemakers, implantable defibrillators, nerve stimulators, pain relief devices, epilepsy treatment devices, muscle stimulators, etc., directly or indirectly to living tissues such as the heart, nerve tissue, muscles, etc. There are devices that give and treat. These devices have a stimulus generator that has an internal power source and produces electrical stimulation, and comes with an in vivo implantable electrode lead for use with the stimulus generator that is implanted in the body when in use. It is known that In general, an electrode lead provides at least one electrode for applying electrical stimulation to a living tissue such as the heart, nerve tissue, muscle, etc., or sensing these electrical excitations, a cardiac pacemaker, and an implantable defibrillator. An electrical connector for making an electrical connection to a stimulation generating device such as a nerve stimulating device, a pain relieving device, an epilepsy treatment device, a muscle stimulating device, and an electrode, a cardiac pacemaker, Lead comprising an electrical conductor and a biocompatible insulation coating for transmitting electrical signals to and from a stimulus generator such as a built-in defibrillator, nerve stimulator, pain relieving device, epilepsy treatment device, muscle stimulator, etc. It consists of a body.

  The in vivo implantable electrode assembly for nerve stimulation described in Patent Document 1 includes an electrode having a pair of spiral portions facing in opposite directions, and is mounted so that the spiral portions wrap around the nerve. . The electrode system for connecting an electric circuit to the nerve tissue described in Patent Document 2 is a structure comprising a central spine structure extending in the longitudinal direction of the electrode and a rib-like electrode support portion extending left and right therefrom. A rib-shaped electrode support is attached to the nerve. In the living body implanting electrode lead described in Patent Document 3, a lubricating coat layer is provided on a part of the surface of the insulating coating described above.

Conventional electrodes have a foreign body reaction between living tissue (heart, nerve tissue, muscle, etc.) generated after implantation and a structure that supports the electrode in the electrode or electrode lead, an increase in bioimpedance due to the formation of a fibrous coating, and stimulation energy. There have been problems such as increase or death of cells constituting the body tissue due to ischemia due to physical stress at the electrode mounting site. One of these causes is improper fixation of the electrode to the living tissue and variations in the mounting of the electrode on the living tissue.
In addition, it is not technically easy to attach electrodes to living tissue, and special training is required. Taking a nerve tissue as an example of a living tissue to which an electrode is attached, generally, nerves and blood vessels run in parallel around the nerve tissue to which the electrode is attached. When attaching an electrode to the nerve tissue, it is necessary to partially peel away the connective tissue that connects the nerve and the blood vessel to expose the nerve tissue by the length of the electrode. However, connective tissue detachment should be kept to a minimum in order to reduce the impact on nerve tissue. In this way, the adjustment of the peeling amount of the opposite connective weave is based on the subjectivity of the surgeon, and training for learning the technique is necessary.

US Pat. No. 4,920,979 US Pat. No. 5,095,905 JP 2005-58456 A

  In order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, the present invention can easily attach an electrode to a living tissue such as heart, nerve tissue, muscle, etc., and improper fixing or attaching of the electrode to the living tissue. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrode lead for implanting a living body that can reduce variation and can minimize the peeling of the connective tissue around the living tissue when the electrode is mounted.

To achieve the above objective, the present invention comprises a distal end having at least one electrode;
A proximal end having means for connecting to a stimulus generator having an electrode drive power supply;
An electric conductor connected to the distal end and the proximal end for transmitting an electric signal, and a conductor portion made of a tubular body that accommodates the electric conductor;
An electrode support having at least one arm portion on which the electrode is formed, and an electrode lead for implanting a living body, wherein an electrode support introduction portion is connected to at least one arm portion of the electrode support. An electrode lead for living body implantation is provided.

In the electrode lead for living body implantation according to the present invention, the electrode support introduction portion includes the electrode support introduction portion main body, and a connection portion that connects the arm portion and the electrode support introduction portion main body. And
The connection part preferably has a width smaller than that of the electrode support body introduction part main body and the arm part.

  In the electrode lead for living body implantation according to the present invention, the arm portion connected to the electrode support introduction portion has a curved shape, and the electrode support introduction portion main body has a surface with a smaller curvature than the curved shape. It is preferable to have.

  In the electrode lead for living body implantation according to the present invention, it is preferable that the electrode support body introduction portion main body has higher hardness than the arm portion connected to the electrode support body introduction portion.

  In the living body implantable electrode lead of the present invention, it is preferable that the arm part connected to the electrode support body introducing part has a part having a width larger than the remaining part of the arm part.

  In the electrode lead for implanting a living body according to the present invention, it is preferable that the portion having the large width is tapered in the direction of separating from the connection portion of the electrode support body introduction portion.

According to the present invention, since electrodes can be easily attached to biological tissues such as the heart, nerve tissue, and muscles, it is possible to reduce the variation in wearing due to differences in the skill level of the operator.
In addition, by reducing improper fixation of electrodes to living tissue such as heart, nerve tissue, muscle, etc., bioimpedance due to foreign body reaction between the living tissue and the electrode or electrode support generated after implantation, and formation of a fibrous coating It is possible to reduce the rise and increase of stimulation energy, or the death of living tissue constituent cells due to ischemia due to physical stress at the electrode mounting site.

Hereinafter, the electrode lead for living body implantation of the present invention is explained using a drawing.
FIGS. 1A to 1C and 2D to 2E are side views showing an embodiment of an electrode lead for living body implantation (hereinafter referred to as “electrode lead”) according to the present invention. . In FIGS. 1A to 1C and FIGS. 2D to 2E, the electrode lead is shown in a state of rotating about its major axis (a state in which the display angle is changed). FIG. 1 (b) shows a state in which the lower side of the drawing is rotated about 90 degrees with respect to FIG. 1 (a), that is, a state of FIG. 1 (a) viewed from the lower side. Yes. FIG.1 (c) has shown the state rotated about 60 degree | times with the lower side of drawing toward the near side with respect to FIG.1 (b). Note that FIG. 1C is a slightly perspective view in order to facilitate understanding of the structure of the distal end side of the electrode lead. FIG. 2D shows a state in which the lower side of the drawing is rotated about 90 degrees with respect to FIG. FIG. 2E shows a state in which the lower side of the drawing is rotated about 90 degrees with respect to FIG. 1 and 2, the left side of the drawing is the distal end side of the electrode lead, and the right side of the drawing is the proximal end side. FIG. 3 is an end view of the electrode lead shown in FIG. 1B as seen from the proximal end side. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the electrode lead shown in FIG. 1B cut along line AA, and FIG. 4B is a partially enlarged view thereof. Fig.5 (a) is sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the electrode lead shown in FIG.1 (b) along line BB, FIG.5 (b) is the elements on larger scale.

1 and 2, a sheath 2 made of a long hollow tubular body accommodates electrical conductors 8 and 9. The electric conductors 8 and 9 and the sheath 2 constitute a conductor portion of the electrode lead of the present invention.
The material of the sheath 2 is preferably a highly biocompatible material that has flexibility and electrical insulation and can be implanted into a living body over a long period of time, and specifically, silicone resin, polyurethane resin, and the like. Can be mentioned.
A lubricant coat layer may be formed on the outer surface of the sheath 2 like the living body implanting electrode lead described in Patent Document 3.

An electrode support 1 is attached to the distal end of the sheath 2. The electrode support 1 has three curved (curled) arms 1a, 1b, and 1c.
As shown in FIGS. 4A and 5A, of the three arms 1a, 1b, and 1c, the arm 1a on the most distal end side and the arm 1c on the most proximal end side of the sheath 2 are The arm 1b is curled in the same direction so as to wrap around an axis parallel to the long axis, and the central arm 1b is curled in the opposite direction with respect to the other two arms 1a and 1c. When the electrode support 1 of the electrode lead of the present invention is fixed to a biological tissue such as the heart, nerve tissue, muscle, etc., these curled arms 1a, 1b, 1c are mounted so as to wrap around.

Electrodes 6 and 7 are formed on the innermost side of the curled arms 1a and 1b, respectively, on the most distal arm 1a and the central arm 1b. As described above, when the electrode support 1 is fixed to a biological tissue such as a heart, a nerve tissue, or a muscle by providing a plurality of electrodes spaced apart in the major axis direction of the electrode support 1, the electrodes 6 and 7 Adheres to living tissue.
As shown in FIG. 4B, the electrode conductor 9 extending in the sheath 2 was curled after passing through the wall of the electrode support 1 and the wall of the arm 1b from the connection portion with the electrode support 1. It is exposed on the surface of the arm 1b outside the arm 1b, and is connected to an extended portion of the electrode 7 (a portion folded back to the outside of the arm 1b). Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5B, the electrode conductor 8 extending in the sheath 2 passes through the wall of the electrode support 1 and the wall of the arm 1a from the connection portion with the electrode support 1. The outer surface of the curled arm 1a is exposed on the surface of the arm 1a, and is connected to the extended portion of the electrode 6 (the portion folded back to the outer side of the arm 1a). In addition, when the electrode lead is implanted in the living body, the extended portions of the electrodes 6 and 7 (the portions folded back on the arms 1a and 1b) do not come into contact with the living tissue located outside the electrode support 1. It is covered with insulating members 6a and 7a. As a material suitable for the insulating members 6a and 7a, an insulating material excellent in biocompatibility, for example, a silicone resin can be used.

At the proximal end of the sheath 2, the electrode conductor 8 is connected to the pin connector 3a, and the electrode conductor 9 is connected to the ring connector 3b. The pin connector 3a and the ring connector 3b are electrically insulated by an insulating member 3c. As a material suitable for the insulating member 3c, an insulating material excellent in biocompatibility, for example, a silicone resin can be used.
The pin connector 3a and the ring connector 3b are connection means that are electrically and mechanically connected to a connector provided in the stimulus generator when the electrode lead is used. As the stimulus generation device, those conventionally used for cardiac pacemakers, defibrillation devices, nerve stimulation devices, pain relief devices, epilepsy treatment devices, muscle stimulation devices, and the like can be used. Stimulation generators include those that are implanted in the living body and those that are worn outside the body. In any case, an electrode driving power source (battery), an electrical circuit for generating a stimulation signal for treatment, And a connector for electrically and mechanically connecting the electrode lead pin connector 3a and the ring connector 3b.
A stimulus generator implanted in a living body is generally circular, elliptical, or rectangular, and has dimensions suitable for implantation. A living body stimulation generator is generally implanted in a pocket formed by a doctor in a pocket just below the skin of a patient's left chest, and the back (or front) surface of the living body stimulation generator is in contact with the pectoral muscle. However, it does not have to be implanted in the left chest.

FIG. 6 is a development view of the electrode support 1 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, an electrode support introducing portion 4 is connected to the central arm portion 1 b of the electrode support 1. The electrode support body introduction part 4 includes an annular electrode support body introduction part body 4a and a connection part 4b that connects the arm part 1b and the electrode support body body 4a. The connecting portion 4b is made of a flexible and thin thread-like body.
The connecting portion 4b made of a filament has a smaller width than the electrode support body introducing portion main body 4a and the arm portion 1b. With this configuration, it is unnecessary to attach the arm 1b so as to wrap around a biological tissue such as the heart, nerve tissue, muscle, etc., and fix the electrode support 1 to the biological tissue in the procedure described later. The formed electrode support body introduction part 4 can be easily removed by cutting the connection part 4b. FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, after the electrode support 1 is attached to a biological tissue such as the heart, nerve tissue, muscle, etc., and after the connection portion 4 b is cut and the electrode support introduction portion 4 is removed. Shows the state.

As shown in FIG. 4 (a), the electrode support body introduction portion main body 4a has a flat plate shape when the ring shape is viewed from the side, and has a smaller curvature than the curved (curled) arm portion 1b (FIG. 4). (A) has a flat surface). With this configuration, when the electrode support 1 is attached to a biological tissue such as a heart, nerve tissue, muscle, or the like according to the procedure described later, the electrode support introduction body 4a is passed through a hole formed in the connective tissue. Easy to operate.
Further, from the viewpoint of facilitating the operation of passing the electrode support body introduction portion main body 4a through the hole formed in the connective weave, the electrode support body introduction portion main body 4a is made of a material having a relatively high hardness, specifically, an arm portion. It is preferably made of a material having a hardness higher than 1b. On the other hand, the arm portion 1b is passed through a hole formed in the connective weave, and then the arm portion 1b is flexible so as to facilitate the operation of attaching the arm portion 1b around a living tissue such as the heart, nerve tissue, muscle, etc. And preferably made of a material having electrical insulation.

As a material of the electrode support 1 including the arm portion 1b, a material having flexibility and high biocompatibility that can be embedded in a living body for a long period of time is preferable. Specific examples of such materials include silicone resins and polyurethane resins. On the other hand, the material of the electrode support body introduction portion main body 4a may be any material that has high biocompatibility and high hardness to the extent that it can pass through the holes formed in the connective weave. Examples of such materials include metal materials such as stainless steel and hard resin materials such as polyethylene resin.
It is preferable that the material of the filaments forming the connection portion 4b is a material having high biocompatibility. Preferred examples of such a material include polyamides (especially nylon 6 and nylon 66), polyester, polypropylene, and silk that have a proven record in sutures.
In addition, the filamentous body forming the connection portion 4b is not cut in an unintended scene when the electrode support 1 of the electrode lead is attached so as to be wound around a biological tissue such as a heart, nerve tissue, muscle, or the like in the procedure described later. It is preferable to have a tensile strength of

  As shown in FIG. 6, the arm part 1b connected to the electrode support body introduction part 4 has a part (wide part) 1d having a larger width than the remaining part of the arm part 1b. In FIG. 6, the wide portion 1 d has a taper-like width increasing in a direction away from the connection portion 4 b of the electrode support introducing portion 4, and the arm portion 1 b as a whole has a twisted shape. If the arm portion 1b has a wide portion 1d, the arm portion 1b is passed through a hole formed in the connective tissue, and then attached to be wound around a biological tissue such as the heart, nerve tissue, muscle, and the like. When the body 1 is fixed to the living tissue, the wide portion 1d is locked to the edge of the hole, so that the arm 1b can come out of the hole formed in the connective weave, and the electrode support 1 can fall out of the living tissue. Is prevented. As shown in FIG. 6, if the width of the wide portion 1d increases in a tapered shape toward the direction away from the connection portion 4b of the electrode support body introduction portion 4, the arm portion 1b is formed in the hole formed in the connective weave. This is preferable because it is easy to pass through and the wide portion 1d is locked to the edge of the hole after passing the arm portion 1b through the hole formed in the connective weave.

Hereinafter, the procedure for attaching the electrode lead of the present invention to a living tissue such as the heart, nerve tissue, muscle, etc., more specifically, the procedure for attaching the electrode support of the electrode lead to the living tissue, the electrode support of the electrode lead Is described as an example in which is attached to nerve tissue (cervical vagus nerve). FIGS. 8A to 8C and FIGS. 9D to 9E show the electrode support 1 of the electrode lead shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C and FIGS. 2D to 2E. It is the figure which showed the state with which the nerve 100 was mounted | worn, and is the state which rotated the electrode lead centering on the major axis like FIG.1 (a)-(c) and FIG.2 (d)-(e) ( The display angle is changed). FIG. 8 (b) shows a state in which the lower side of the drawing is rotated about 90 degrees with respect to FIG. 8 (a), that is, a state seen from the lower side of FIG. 8 (a). Yes. FIG. 8C shows a state in which the lower side of the drawing is rotated about 60 degrees with respect to FIG. FIG. 8C is a slightly perspective view in order to facilitate understanding of the mounting state of the electrode support 1 to the nerve 100. FIG. 9D shows a state in which the lower side of the drawing is rotated about 90 degrees with respect to FIG. FIG. 9E shows a state in which the lower side of the drawing is rotated about 90 degrees with respect to FIG. FIG. 10 is an end view of the electrode lead shown in FIG. 8B as seen from the proximal end side.
8 and 9, the nerve 100 and the blood vessel 200 parallel to the nerve 100 are connected by a connective tissue (not shown).

FIGS. 11A to 11D show a procedure for attaching the electrode support 1 of the electrode lead to the nerve 100. FIG. As shown in FIG. 11A, the connective tissue connecting the nerve 100 and the blood vessel 200 is partially incised to form a hole 300 for causing the electrode support body main body 4a and the arm 1b. To do. The size of the hole 300 may be as large as necessary to allow the arm portion 1b, more specifically, the wide portion 1d to pass therethrough. In addition, since the hole 300 can be expanded by expansion and contraction of the connective weave, a dimension slightly smaller than the wide portion 1d is preferable.
Next, as shown in FIG. 11B, the electrode support body main body 4a is passed through the hole 300 formed by the above procedure. Since the electrode support body introduction portion main body 4a is hard (made of a material having a higher hardness than the arm portion 1b) and has a flat plate shape (having a surface with a smaller curvature than the arm portion 1b), it is formed in a bonded weave. It is relatively easy to pass the electrode support body introducing portion main body 4a through the hole 300 formed. Next, the electrode support body introducing portion main body 4a is held by hand, and the introducing portion main body 4a is pulled upward to pass the arm portion 1b through the hole 300. Since the electrode support body introduction portion main body 4a is annular, it is easy to hold the introduction portion main body 4a by hand and pull it upward. Since the arm portion 1b is made of a flexible material, when the introduction portion main body 4a is pulled upward, the arm portion 1b is straightened as shown in FIG. 11 (b). Therefore, the arm 1b can be easily passed through the hole 300. Here, it is only necessary that the wide portion 1d of the arm portion 1b passes through the hole 300, and it is not always necessary that the entire arm portion 1b passes through the hole 300. When the introduction portion main body 4a is pulled up, the arms 1a and 1c do not pass through the hole 300, but are pulled up along the outer surface of the nerve 100 (that is, the side surface on the back side with respect to the connective tissue). After the arm portion 1b passes through the hole 300, when the force for pulling up the introduction portion main body 4a is weakened, the arm portion 1b returns to the original curled shape, and as shown in FIG. The electrode support 1 is fixed to the nerve 100 by attaching 1b and 1c so as to wrap around the nerve 100. In the state shown in FIG. 11C, since the wide portion 1d is locked to the edge of the hole 300, there is no possibility that the arm 1b comes out of the hole 300 and the electrode support 1 falls off the nerve 100.
Next, as shown in FIG. 11D, the base of the connecting portion 4b is cut with scissors or the like to remove the electrode support introducing portion 4 that is no longer needed. The connecting portion 4b made of a filament can be easily cut with scissors or the like.

The dimension of each part of the electrode lead of this invention can be suitably selected as needed. In the case of the illustrated electrode lead, the dimensions of each part are as follows.
Electrode support 1
Length: 12mm
Arm 1a
Length: 5mm
Width (widest part): 4.6 mm
(Narrowest part): 2 mm
Curved shape φ shown in FIG. 4A: 2.4 mm
Arm 1b
Length: 5mm
Width (widest part): 6mm
(Narrowest part): 4 mm
Curved shape φ shown in FIG. 4B: 2.4 mm
Arm 1c
Length: 5mm
Width: 2mm
Electrode 6
Length: 5mm (including folded part)
Width: 1mm
In FIG. 4A, a fan-shaped angle formed by the center of the curved shape formed by the arm 1b and both ends of the electrode 7 is 120 degrees.
Electrode 7
Length: 5mm (including folded part)
Width: 1mm
In FIG. 5A, a fan-shaped angle formed by the center of the curved shape formed by the arm 1a and both ends of the electrode 6 is 120 degrees.
Sheath 2
Length: 400-500mm
Electrode support body introduction body 4a
φ: 3.3 mm
Connection part 4b
Length: 7mm

As mentioned above, although demonstrated using drawing, the electrode lead of this invention is not limited to the aspect shown in figure. For example, in the illustrated electrode lead, the electrode support 1 has a plurality (three) of arm portions 1a, 1b, and 1c. In the electrode lead of the present invention, the electrode support has at least one arm portion. It only has to have. In the illustrated electrode lead, the electrodes 6 and 7 are formed on the arm portions 1a and 1b, but the electrodes 6 and 7 may be formed on the arm portions 1a and 1c or the arm portions 1b and 1c. Moreover, the electrode may be formed only in any one among the arm parts 1a, 1b, and 1c. In this case, the electric conductor connected to the electrode may be one or plural. Moreover, the electrode may be formed in all the arm parts 1a, 1b, and 1c. In this case, one electrical conductor may be connected to each electrode, or a plurality of electrical conductors may be connected.
In the illustrated electrode lead, the electrode support introducing portion 4 is connected to the arm portion 1b, but the electrode support introducing portion 4 may be connected to the arm portion 1a or 1c. Further, in the electrode lead of the present invention, since the electrode support introducing portion may be connected to at least one of the arm portions of the electrode support, there may be a plurality of electrode support introducing portions, and the arm portion 1a. , 1b, 1c, the electrode support introduction part may be connected to any two of them, or the electrode support introduction part may be connected to all of the arms 1a, 1b, 1c.
Moreover, the electrode support body introduction part 4 is not limited to what is comprised by the cyclic | annular electrode support body introduction part main body 4a and the connection part 4b which consists of a thread-like body, Other forms may be sufficient. Specifically, the electrode support body introduction part has a higher hardness than the arm part of the electrode support body and is easy to pass through the connective woven alone, and the introduction part body and the electrode support body. It is only necessary to have a connection part that is narrower than the arm part and easy to cut. Therefore, for example, it can be made from the same material by integral molding with the electrode support. In this case, the electrode support body may be thicker than the arm portion of the electrode support body so that the hardness is higher than that of the arm portion. The shape of the electrode support body introduction portion main body is not limited to an annular shape, and may be other shapes, for example, a handle shape or a hook shape, as long as it is preferable to hold and operate the introduction portion main body by hand.
Further, the connectors formed at the proximal end of the tubular body (sheath) for electrical and mechanical connection with the stimulus generator are not limited to the pin connector and the ring connector, and various connectors can be used.
As described above, the electrode lead of the present invention has been described using the most suitable form for the cervical vagus nerve stimulation lead. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and when the biological tissue to be stimulated is bonded or adhered to another tissue, it is wound around the biological tissue and attached / fixed. As a lead, it can be applied to various uses other than cervical vagus nerve stimulation.

1A to 1C are side views showing an embodiment of an electrode lead for living body implantation according to the present invention. 2D to 2E are views similar to FIGS. 1A to 1C. FIG. 3 is an end view of the electrode lead shown in FIG. 1B as seen from the proximal end side. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the electrode lead shown in FIG. 1B cut along line AA, and FIG. 4B is a partially enlarged view thereof. Fig.5 (a) is sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the electrode lead shown in FIG.1 (b) along line BB, FIG.5 (b) is the elements on larger scale. FIG. 6 is a development view of the electrode support 1 of the electrode lead shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. However, the electrode support introduction part is removed. FIGS. 8A to 8C are views showing a state in which the electrode support of the electrode lead shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C is attached to a nerve tissue (cervical vagus nerve). FIGS. 9D to 9E are views showing a state in which the electrode support of the electrode lead shown in FIGS. 2D to 2E is attached to the nerve tissue (cervical vagus nerve). FIG. 10 is an end view of the electrode lead shown in FIG. 8B as seen from the proximal end side. FIGS. 11A to 11D are views showing a procedure for attaching the electrode support of the electrode lead to the nerve tissue (cervical vagus nerve).

Explanation of symbols

1: Electrode support 1a, 1b, 1c: Arm 1d: Wide part 2: Sheath 3a: Pin connector 3b: Ring connector 3c: Insulating member 4: Electrode support introduction 4a: Electrode support introduction 4b: Connection Part 6, 7: Electrode 6a, 7a: Insulating member 8, 9: Electrical conductor 100: Nerve (cervical vagus nerve)
200: Blood vessel 300: Hole

Claims (6)

A distal end having at least one electrode;
A proximal end having means for connecting to a stimulus generator having an electrode drive power supply;
An electric conductor connected to the distal end and the proximal end for transmitting an electric signal, and a conductor portion made of a tubular body that accommodates the electric conductor;
An electrode support having at least one arm portion on which the electrode is formed, and an electrode lead for implanting a living body, wherein an electrode support introduction portion is connected to at least one arm portion of the electrode support. An electrode lead for living body implantation. The electrode support introducing portion has the electrode support introducing portion main body, and a connecting portion connecting the arm portion and the electrode support introducing portion main body,
The living body implantable electrode lead according to claim 1, wherein the connection portion has a width smaller than that of the electrode support body introduction portion main body and the arm portion.   3. The arm portion connected to the electrode support introducing portion has a curved shape, and the electrode support introducing portion main body has a surface having a smaller curvature than the curved shape. The electrode lead for living body implantation as described in 2.   The living body implantable electrode lead according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the electrode support body introduction part main body has higher hardness than the arm part connected to the electrode support body introduction part.   The living body implanting electrode according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the arm part connected to the electrode support body introducing part has a part having a width larger than the remaining part of the arm part. Lead.   6. The living body implantable electrode lead according to claim 5, wherein the width of the portion having the large width is increased in a tapered shape in a direction away from the connection portion of the electrode support body introduction portion. .

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