Hydrodynamically propelled pacing catheter

Claim 1

A hydrodynamically propelled pacing catheter of the type primarily used for insertion of permanent pacemaker leads into the hearts of patients, said pacing catheter comprising: an elongated flexible catheter tube for insertion through the patient's blood vessels into the heart, said catheter tube having a cephalic end and a rearward end; said cephalic end including a plurality of rearwardly facing ports substantially equally spaced around the perimeter thereof; said catheter tube further having a fluid lumen disposed longitudinally inside said tube, a distal end of said fluid lumen being in fluid-communicating relation to said ports and a rearward end of said fluid lumen being defined by said rearward end of said catheter tube; said catheter tube further having a side lumen formed therein substantially adjacent said rearward end in communicating relation to said fluid lumen whereby a second catheter may be connected to said pacing catheter for the introduction of a fluid through said fluid lumen and out said ports to impart a forward thrust to said cephalic end; said pacing catheter further comprising a first pacing electrode, said first pacing electrode defining the tip of said cephalic end, a first electrical connector disposed on said rearward end of said catheter tube, and a first electrical conductor operatively disposed in interconnecting relation between said first pacing electrode and said first electrical connector, said first electrical connector being dimensioned and configured to operatively engage a source of electricity whereby an electrical stimulus may be applied to the patient's heart.