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Abstract

A bipolar electrode insertion apparatus (20) in which a common needle (34) is employed for selectively placing both a heart stimulating fluid (62) and a bipolar electrode pair (40) into the heart. Verification of entry into the heart chamber prior to placement of the fluid or bipolar electrode pair (40) in the heart is also provided. The apparatus (20) of the present invention includes a syringe (22) capable of injecting the fluid (62) into the ventricular cavity (60) for restarting the heart function. The needle (34) is a hollow needle having an inlet end and an outlet end for insertion into the heart with a bifurcated chamber (32) being disposed in flow through communication between the syringe (22) outlet end and the needle (34) inlet end. The fluid (62) is selectively injectable into the chamber inlet end (42) through the syringe (22) outlet end and therefrom through the common needle (34) into the ventricular cavity (60) of the heart. The bifurcated chamber ( 32) contains one branch (42) capable of receiving the fluid (62) from the syringe (22) and another branch (42) comprising an entrance port for a flexible bipolar electrode pair (40) with the entrance port being in flow through communication with the needle (34) inlet end for selective insertion of the bipolar electrode pair (40) through the entrance port into the needle (34) and therefrom through the needle (34) into the ventricular cavity (60). The flexible bipolar electrode pair (40) has a distal end (50) which is preloaded into the needle (34) and a proximal end extending outwardly through a gasket-type seal (54) at the outer end of the entrance port for enabling the selective insertion of the bipolar electrode pair distal end (50) into the ventricular cavity (60).

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First Claim