Medical electrical lead having an anchoring sleeve retaining device

Claim 1

A body implantable lead, comprising: a conductor having a proximal end and a distal end; an insulating sleeve having an outer diameter, the insulating sleeve covering the conductor between the proximal end and the distal end; an electrode coupled to the distal end of the conductor; an electrical connector coupled to the proximal end of the conductor; an anchoring sleeve positioned about the insulating sleeve and between the connector and the electrode, the anchoring sleeve having proximal and distal ends, the anchoring sleeve having a first lumen for accepting the conductor an insulting sleeve therewithin, the first lumen having an imaginary axis extending and centered axially therethrough, the first lumen having a first portion having a first diameter greater than the outer diameter of the insulating sleeve and a second portion having a second diameter less than the outer diameter of the insulating sleeve, the second portion being disposed at the proximal end of the anchoring sleeve and forming a manually tearable, thinned segment; and an anchoring sleeve retaining device having distal and proximal ends and a second lumen for accepting the conductor and insulating sleeve therewithin, the second lumen being disposed at least partially within a retaining device body and being aligned axially in respect of the first lumen and the imaginary axis, the retaining device having substantially parallel proximal and distal surfaces that project outwardly away from the central axis and the retaining device body, the surfaces terminating in a common outer edge, the distal end of the retaining device being attached by the thinned segment to the proximal end of the anchoring sleeve, a manually tearable scored tear line extending between the distal and proximal surfaces and from the outer edge to a location propinquant to the thinned segment.