Internally interconnected electrode assembly for a lead and method therefor

• US 20060259105A1
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Sundberg, Gregory L., Arnholt, Devon N., Gebauer, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 8,437,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs

Abstract

An internally connected interconnect for an electrode and method for forming same.

Claims

1. A lead subassembly comprising:

an electrode defined in part by an outer contact surface;

the electrode having a first major inner lumen defined by a first inner surface;

the electrode having at least a second inner lumen disposed between the first major lumen and the outer surface; and

at least one conductor disposed within the second inner lumen.

2. The lead subassembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the second inner lumen has a first uncollapsed position and a second collapsed position.

3. The lead subassembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a projection disposed adjacent the second inner lumen.

4. The lead subassembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the projection has a collapsed position closing at least a portion of the second inner lumen over at least a portion of the at least one conductor.

5. The lead subassembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the second inner lumen is defined by a surface, and the surface is a textured surface.

6. The lead subassembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the second inner lumen has a substantially circular cross-section.

7. A lead assembly comprising:

a lead body extending from a proximal end to a distal end and having an intermediate portion therebetween;

at least one conductor extending within the lead body;

at least one electrode disposed along the lead body;

the at least one electrode defined in part by an outer contact surface and an inner conductor lumen; and

the at least one electrode including deformable material disposed adjacent to the inner conductor lumen.

8. The lead assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one electrode includes at least one recess disposed adjacent to the deformable material.

9. The lead assembly as recited in claim 7, further comprising means for deforming the deformable material.

10. The lead assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the inner conductor lumen has a first uncollapsed position and a second collapsed position.

11. A method comprising:

retaining an electrode, the electrode defined in part by an outer contact surface, the electrode having a first major inner lumen defined by a first inner surface, the electrode having at least a conductor inner lumen disposed between the first major lumen and the outer surface;

disposing at least one conductor within the conductor lumen;

applying mechanical force to an inner surface of an electrode; and

deforming material of the electrode adjacent to the at least one conductor lumen.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein applying mechanical force to the inner surface is performed without deforming the outer surface of the electrode.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising disposing at least a portion of deformed material into one or more recesses adjacent to the at least one conductor lumen.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising at least partially collapsing the at least one conductor lumen and mechanically coupling the at least one conductor with the electrode.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein deforming material includes placing force on an inner surface of the electrode without deforming the outer contact surface of the electrode.

16. A method comprising:

providing an inner lumen on an internal portion of an electrode;

inserting at least one conductor through at least a portion of the inner lumen;

closing at least a portion of the inner lumen; and

coupling the at least one conductor with the internal portion of the electrode.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising collapsing at least one projection toward the inner lumen.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the electrode has a major inner lumen, and collapsing at least one projection is collapsed toward the inner lumen from a portion of the major lumen toward the inner lumen.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising deforming material of the projection into one or more recesses adjacent to the inner lumen.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the inner lumen has an outer surface internal to the electrode, and staking the outer surface of the inner lumen and mechanically and electrically coupling the conductor with the electrode.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein staking the outer surface of the inner lumen includes staking from within a major lumen of the electrode.

22. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein closing at least a portion of the inner lumen includes moving a tool portion within a major lumen of the electrode, and moving the tool portion toward the inner lumen.