Implantable medical device with integrated acoustic

• US 20060149329A1
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Remon Medical Technologies Ltd. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Remon Medical Technologies Ltd. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Penner, Abraham
• Granted Patent: US 7,580,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0028 Body tissue as transmission medium, i.e. transmission systems where the medium is the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3785 generated by biological activity or substance, e.g. body movement

Abstract

An implantable medical device comprises a hermetically sealed housing having a housing wall with an interior surface, and an ultrasonic acoustic transducer, the transducer comprising one or more piezoelectric discs fixed to the interior surface of the housing wall, such that the housing wall acts as a diaphragm in response to induced movement by the one or more piezoelectric material discs.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a hermetically sealed housing having a housing wall with an interior surface; and

an ultrasonic acoustic transducer comprising one or more piezoelectric discs fixed to the interior surface of the housing wall, such that the housing wall acts as a diaphragm in response to induced movement by the one or more piezoelectric material discs.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more piezoelectric discs comprises a material selected from the group of materials comprising piezoelectric crystal, electro-active ceramics, ceramic-polymer composite, PVDF, and PVDF copolymer.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the transducer is configured to operate at a resonance frequency that is between 20-200 KHz.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising an annular ring attached to the interior wall of the surface of the housing wall and surrounding the one or more discs.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a membrane interposed between the interior wall surface and the piezoelectric discs, the membrane having a substantially greater thickness than the enclosure wall.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the membrane is mounted on a pedestal, the pedestal attached to the wall surface, the pedestal having a smaller diameter than do the one or more piezoelectric discs.

7. The device of claim 1, the interior wall surface comprising an indent portion defining a recess, wherein the transducer is mounted to the wall within the recess.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more piezoelectric discs comprise two discs, and further comprising an electrode positioned between the piezoelectric discs.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a respective electrical lead coupled to each of the two discs and the electrode.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising an amplifier integrated with the one or more piezoelectric discs in order to minimize parasitic effects and noises.

11. The device of claim 1, the one or more transducer discs comprising a single disc attached about an outer circumference of the disc to a support structure, the support structure attached to the enclosure wall surface and elevating the transducer disc from the wall so as to allow the disc to flex into a space defined between the disc and the enclosure wall.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the support structure comprises a membrane interposed between the interior wall surface and the piezoelectric disc.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the membrane is mounted on a pedestal, the pedestal attached to the wall surface, the pedestal having a smaller diameter than does the piezoelectric disc.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the transducer is a flexural type acoustic transducer.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the transducer is a flex-tension type acoustic transducer.

16. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a hermemetically sealed housing having at least one hermetic electrical feed through;

an acoustic lead having a proximal end connected to the electrical feed through, and a distal end configured for transmitting and receiving acoustic signals.

17. The device of claim 16, further comprising an ultrasonic acoustic transducer comprising one or more piezoelectric discs coupled to the acoustic lead.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the transducer is coupled to a distal portion of the acoustic lead.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the transducer is coupled to a proximal portion of the acoustic lead.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the transducer is configured to operate at a resonance frequency that is between 20-200 KHz.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein the transducer is a flexural type acoustic transducer.

22. The device of claim 16, wherein the transducer is a flex-tension type acoustic transducer.

23. The device of claim 19, the acoustic lead comprises a wave guide.

24. The device of claim 19, the acoustic lead comprising radiative segment.

25. The device of claim 16, wherein the transducer is a cylinder type acoustic transducer.

26. The device of claim 16, wherein the transducer is a bar type acoustic transducer.

27. The device of claim 16, further comprising means for anchoring the acoustic lead to a location in a body lumen.

28. The device of claim 27, the means for anchoring the lead comprising one or more items selected from the group comprising a radial anchor, a hook, a screw, and an elastic band.

29. The device of claim 16, further comprising an electrical lead coupled to the housing, wherein the acoustic lead is fixed to the electrical lead.

30. An implantable medical device, comprising:

a housing having a housing wall with an interior surface;

an ultrasonic acoustic transducer comprising a plurality of piezoelectric discs fixed to the interior surface of the housing wall; and

an annular ring attached to the interior wall of the surface of the housing wall and surrounding the discs,

wherein the housing wall acts as a diaphragm in response to induced movement by the one or more piezoelectric material discs.