Termination of a shield within an implantable medical lead

• US 10,086,194 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2010
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kern, Michael J., Olsen, James M., Klardie, Michael R., Stone, Richard T., Cai, Chad Q., Bondhus, Spencer M., Conroy, Mark J., Abraham, Timothy R., Stolz, Brian T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US13/264,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20120035696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,080 Days
• Field of Search: 607115, 607116, 607119, 607122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/048 Electrodes characterised by a specific connection between lead and electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0488 Details about the lead
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/08 Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/086 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] compatible leads
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3718 Monitoring of or protection against external electromagnetic fields or currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/058 Fixing tools
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/0582 Suture sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49016 Antenna or wave energy "plumbing" making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4921 with bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49227 Insulator making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A shield located within an implantable medical lead may be terminated in various ways. The shield may be terminated by butt, scarf, lap, or other joints between insulation layers surrounding the lead and an insulation extension. For lap joints, a portion of an outer insulation layer may be removed and a replacement outer insulation layer is positioned in place of the removed outer insulation layer, where the replacement layer extends beyond an inner insulation layer and the shield. The replacement layer may also lap onto a portion of the insulation extension. Barbs may be located between the replacement layer and the inner insulation layer or the insulation extension. The shield wires have ends at the termination point that may be folded over individually or may be capped with a ring located within one of the insulation layers of the jacket.

Claims

1. A method of terminating an electrically conductive shield within an outermost jacket of an implantable medical lead, comprising:

providing the electrically conductive shield between an inner insulation layer of the outermost jacket and an outermost insulation layer of the jacket, the outermost insulation layer being in direct contact with the electrically conductive shield, the electrically conductive shield terminating by a blunt end of the outermost insulation layer, the outermost insulation layer being outermost at the blunt end and being outermost where in direct contact with the electrically conductive shield, the outermost insulation layer having a tubular shape and having a planar surface that forms a plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubular shape and that comprises the blunt end of the outermost insulation layer; and

bonding an insulation extension directly onto the planar surface forming the blunt end of the outermost insulation layer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing a portion of the insulation extension that is spaced from a bond to the outermost insulation layer and providing a stimulation electrode at the removed portion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the insulation extension is stiffer than the outermost insulation layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the shield comprises a plurality of wires, each wire of the plurality having an end at the shield termination, the method further comprising folding over the end of each wire of the plurality individually.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the shield comprises a plurality of wires, each wire of the plurality having an end at the shield termination, the method further comprising providing a ring that covers the ends of the plurality of wires, the ring being covered by the outermost insulation layer.

6. An implantable medical lead, comprising:

an inner insulation layer;

an outermost insulation layer of the lead surrounding the inner insulation layer;

an electrically conductive shield between the inner insulation layer and the outermost insulation layer of the lead, the outermost insulation layer being in direct contact with the electrically conductive shield, the electrically conductive shield terminating by a blunt end of the outermost insulation layer, the outermost insulation layer being outermost at the blunt end and being outermost where in direct contact with the electrically conductive shield, the outermost insulation layer having a tubular shape and having a planar surface that forms a plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubular shape and that comprises the blunt end of the outermost insulation layer; and

an insulation extension bonded directly onto the planar surface forming the blunt end of the outermost insulation layer.

7. The implantable medical lead of claim 6, wherein a portion of the insulation extension that is spaced from a bond to the outermost insulation layer is removed, the implantable medical lead further comprising a stimulation electrode being positioned about the inner insulation layer in place of the removed portion.

8. The implantable medical lead of claim 6, wherein the insulation extension is stiffer than the outermost insulation layer.

9. The implantable medical lead of claim 6, wherein the shield comprises a plurality of wires, each wire of the plurality having an end at the shield termination, the end of each wire of the plurality being folded over individually.

10. The implantable medical lead of claim 6, wherein the shield comprises a plurality of wires, each wire of the plurality having an end at the shield termination, the implantable medical lead further comprising providing a ring that covers the ends of the plurality of wires, the ring being covered by the outermost insulation layer.

11. The implantable medical lead of claim 6, further comprising:

at least one filar surrounded by the inner insulation layer, the at least one filar extending beyond the end of the outermost insulation layer, the end of the inner insulation layer, and the end of the shield, the at least one filar being surrounded by the insulation extension once beyond the end of the inner insulation layer.

12. A method of terminating an electrically conductive shield within an outermost jacket of an implantable medical lead, comprising:

providing the electrically conductive shield between an inner insulation layer of the outermost jacket and an outermost insulation layer of the jacket, the outermost insulation layer being in direct contact with the electrically conductive shield, the electrically conductive shield extending toward a proximal end of the lead and terminating by a blunt proximal end of the outermost insulation layer such that the electrically conductive shield does not extend more proximally than the blunt proximal end of the outermost insulation layer, the outermost insulation layer being outermost where in direct contact with the electrically conductive shield, the outermost insulation layer having a tubular shape and having a planar surface that forms a plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubular shape and that comprises the blunt end of the outermost insulation layer; and

bonding an insulation extension directly onto the planar surface forming the blunt end of the outermost insulation layer.

13. A method of terminating an electrically conductive shield within an outermost jacket of an implantable medical lead, comprising:

providing the electrically conductive shield between an inner insulation layer of the outermost jacket and an outermost insulation layer of the jacket, the outermost insulation layer being in direct contact with the electrically conductive shield, the electrically conductive shield terminating by a blunt end of the outermost insulation layer, the outermost layer being outermost at the blunt end, the electrically conductive shield comprising a plurality of wires, the outermost insulation layer having a tubular shape and having a planar surface that forms a plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubular shape and that comprises the blunt end of the outermost insulation layer; and

bonding an insulation extension directly onto the planar surface forming the blunt end of the outermost insulation layer.