Suture sleeve with lead locking device

The invention relates to a suture sleeve (10) for facilitating the ligature of an implanted lead (40) to a patient's vein or underlying tissue. The suture sleeve (10) comprises a main sleeve body (12) having a first, longitudinal throughbore (14) for receiving the lead (40). The suture sleeve (10) is provided with a manually-actuated pushbutton-type locking mechanism (22). With the locking mechanism in an unlocked condition, the suture sleeve (10) is allowed to freely move back and forth along the lead body (40). When the locking mechanism (22) is actuated with a simple pushbutton action, the suture sleeve (10) is substantially prevented from sliding along the lead body (40). The pushbutton mechanism (22) is adapted to be movably received in a second throughbore in said sleeve body (12), the second throughbore being substantially perpendicular to the first longitudinal throughbore (14). The pushbutton mechanism (22) has a throughbore (38) of substantially the same diameter as the first longitudinal throughbore (14) in the sleeve body (12). When the pushbutton mechanism (22) is in the unlocked position, the pushbutton throughbore (38) is in substantial coaxial alignment with the longitudinal throughbore (14) in the sleeve body (12). When the pushbutton mechanism (22) is in the locked position, the pushbutton throughbore (38) is offset from the longitudinal sleeve body throughbore (14), thereby exerting pressure against the side of the lead body (40) and securing the suture sleeve (10) in place on the lead body (40).