Multifilar conductor for cardiac leads

• US 20030092303A1
• Filed: 07/10/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oscor Inc
• Original Assignee: Oscor Inc
• Inventors: Osypka, Thomas P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,978,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/274
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems

Abstract

A permanent implantable lead having an elongated lead body with at least one multifilar conductor having electrically active elements for providing electrical communication between connectors at a proximal end and electrical components at a distal end of the lead body, and one or more electrically inactive elements for insulating the electrically active elements from one another.

Claims

1. An implantable cardiac lead, comprising:

a) an elongated lead body having opposed proximal and distal end portions;

b) at least one electrically conductive connector operatively associated with the proximal end portion of the lead body;

c) at least one electrode operatively associated with the distal end portion of the lead body; and

d) a conductor extending through the lead body for electrically connecting the at least one connector and the at least one electrode, the conductor having at least one first and second electrically active elements and at least one electrically inactive element insulating the first and second electrically active elements from each other.

2. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 1, wherein the conductor has a helical configuration.

3. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrically active elements are electrically conductive wires.

4. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrically active elements are electrically conductive wires having insulative sheaths.

5. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 1, wherein the inactive element is an electrically conductive wire having an insulative sheath.

6. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 1, wherein the conductor includes an insulative sheath.

7. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 6, wherein the insulative sheath is defined by a heat shrinkable polymer tube.

8. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 6, wherein the insulative sheath is constructed of a material selected from the following group consisting of silicone, polyurethane, a mixture of silicone and polyurethane, polytetrafloroethylene, and thermoplastic.

9. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 1, wherein the inactive element is made of a nonconductive material.

10. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 1, wherein two conductors extend through the lead body in a coaxial relationship with respect to one another for electrically connecting the at least one connector and the at least one electrode.

11. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 10, wherein the two conductors are insulated from each other by a heat shrinkable polymer tube.

12. An implantable cardiac lead, comprising:

a) an elongated lead body having opposed proximal and distal end portions;

b) at least one electrically conductive connector operatively associated with the proximal end portion of the lead body;

c) at least one electrode operatively associated with the distal end portion of the lead body; and

d) at least one conductor extending through the lead body for electrically connecting the at least one connector and the at least one electrode, the at least one conductor having at least one first set of electrically active elements, at least one second set of electrically active elements and at least one electrically inactive element disposed adjacent the at least one first set of electrically active elements and the at least one second set of active elements so as to insulate the at least one first set of electrically active elements from the at least one second set of active elements.

13. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 12, wherein the first and second sets of electrically active elements each include two electrically active elements.

14. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 12, wherein the conductor has a helical configuration.

15. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 12, wherein at least two conductors extend coaxially through the lead body defining an inner conductor and at least one outer conductor.

16. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 15, further comprising a covering disposed between the inner conductor and at least one outer conductor.

17. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 15, wherein the covering is defined by a heat shrinkable polymer tube.

18. An implantable cardiac lead, comprising

a) an elongated lead body having a proximal and a distal end;

b) a plurality of electrically conductive connectors operatively associated with the proximal end portion of the lead body;

c) a plurality of electrodes operatively associated with the distal end portion of the lead body;

d) at least one coil conductor electrically connecting the plurality of connectors and the plurality of electrodes, the at least one coil conductor having a plurality of helically-wound electrically active elements; and

e) means for minimizing the electrical resistance in the coil conductor.

19. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 18, wherein the means for minimizing the electrical resistance is at least one electrically nonconductive element being helically-wound with the plurality of electrically conductive elements of the at least one coil conductor so as to reduce the operative length of each electrically active element.

20. An implantable cardiac lead as recited in claim 18, wherein the means for minimizing the electrical resistance is an electrically inactive element helically-wound with the plurality of electrically conductive elements of the at least one coil conductor so as to reduce the operative length of each electrically active element.