Implantable medical lead

• US 20070150034A1
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Stone, Richard, King, Gary, Wahlstrand, Carl, Cross, Thomas, Rooney, Ethan
• Granted Patent: US 8,204,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators

Abstract

The disclosure describes an implantable medical lead for delivering stimulation to a patient. Electrodes may be located on two or more surfaces of the lead to, for example, selectively deliver stimulation to one or more tissue layers within the patient. The lead may be implanted within or between intra-dermal, deep dermal, or subcutaneous tissue layers, and may be used to, for example, deliver peripheral nerve field stimulation to treat pain experienced by the patient at the site at which the lead is implanted. The lead may comprise a paddle lead or a multiple level lead, e.g., a lead having a plurality of flat or paddle shaped lead bodies arranged in substantially parallel planes. Further, the lead may include fixation structures on the distal end, proximal end, or both ends to prevent migration.

Claims

1. An implantable medical lead comprising:

a lead body including a first lead body surface and a second lead body surface; and

a plurality of electrodes, wherein a first set of the electrodes is located on the first lead body surface, and a second set of the electrodes is located on the second lead body surface.

2. The lead of claim 1, wherein the first lead body surface and the second lead body surface are opposing surfaces of the lead body.

3. The lead of claim 1, wherein the first lead body surface and the second lead body surface are substantially parallel surfaces.

4. The lead of claim 1, wherein the first and second lead body surfaces are located at different depths within the patient when the device is implanted within the patient.

5. The lead of claim 1, wherein the lead body comprises a substantially flat paddle-like shape, and the first and second lead body surfaces comprise opposing, substantially parallel surfaces of the lead body.

6. The lead of claim 1, wherein the lead body comprises a plurality of separate lead body levels arranged in substantially parallel planes, each of the lead body levels including a substantially flat paddle-like shape and at least one of the electrodes.

7. The lead of claim 6, wherein the first and second sets of exposed discrete electrode surfaces are located on adjacent surfaces of adjacent lead body levels.

8. The lead of claim 6, wherein the first and second sets of exposed discrete electrode surfaces are located on opposite surfaces of adjacent lead body levels.

9. The lead of claim 6, wherein each of the lead body levels includes first and second surfaces, and least one of the exposed discrete electrode surfaces is located on each of first and second surfaces of each of the lead body levels.

10. The lead of claim 1, wherein the lead body includes a substantially flat paddle-like shape, the lead further comprising a fixation structure that protrudes from the lead body to secure the lead to tissue of the patient.

11. The lead of claim 10, wherein the fixation structure is located at a distal end of the lead body.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the fixation structure comprises at least one of a tine, a barb, a deployable structure, a collapsible structure, an expandable structure, or a hydrogel.

13. A method comprising:

selecting from among a plurality of electrodes of an implantable medical lead, wherein the lead comprises a lead body including a first lead body surface and a second lead body surface, a first set of the electrodes is located on the first lead body surface, and a second set of the electrodes is located on the second lead body surface; and

delivering electrical stimulation from an implantable medical device to a patient via the selected electrodes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first lead body surface and the second lead body surface comprise at least one of opposing surfaces or substantially parallel surfaces of the lead body.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the lead body comprises a substantially flat paddle-like shape, and the first and second lead body surfaces comprise opposing, substantially parallel surfaces of the lead body.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein delivering stimulation comprises selectively delivering stimulation to tissue located shallower than the lead body via the first set of exposed discrete electrode surfaces or tissue located deeper than the lead body via the second set of exposed discrete electrode surfaces.

17. The method of claim 13,

wherein the lead body comprises a plurality of separate lead body levels arranged in substantially parallel planes, each of the lead body levels including a substantially flat paddle-like shape and at least one of the electrodes, and

wherein delivering stimulation comprises selectively delivering stimulation to tissue of the patient located proximate to one or more of the lead body levels.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein the first and second sets of exposed discrete electrode surfaces are located on adjacent surfaces of adjacent lead body levels, and

delivering stimulation comprises delivering stimulation to tissue located between the two adjacent lead body levels.

19. The method of claim 13,

wherein the lead is implanted within or between at least one of an intra-dermal layer, deep dermal layer, or subcutaneous layer of tissue of the patient, and

wherein delivering stimulation comprises selectively delivering stimulation to one or more of the layers.

20. The method of claim 13,

wherein the lead is implanted in a deep dermal layer of tissue within the patient, and

wherein delivering stimulation comprises selectively delivering stimulation to at least one of an intra-dermal layer of tissue within the patient via the first set of exposed discrete electrode surfaces or a subcutaneous layer of tissue within the patient via the set of exposed discrete electrode surfaces.

21. The method of claim 13,

wherein the lead body is implanted within a region of the body of the patient in which the patient experiences pain, and

wherein delivering stimulation comprises delivering peripheral nerve field stimulation.

22. A system comprising:

an implantable medical lead comprising;

a lead body including a first lead body surface and a second lead body surface, and

a plurality of electrodes, wherein a first set of the electrodes is located on the first lead body surface, and a second set of the electrodes is located on the second lead body surface; and

an implantable medical device that delivers electrical stimulation via a selected combination of the electrodes.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first lead body surface and the second lead body surface comprise at least one of opposing surfaces or substantially parallel surfaces of the lead body.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the lead body comprises a substantially flat paddle-like shape, and the first and second lead body surfaces comprise opposing, substantially parallel surfaces of the lead body.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the implantable medical device selectively delivers stimulation to tissue located shallower than the lead body via the first set of exposed discrete electrode surfaces or tissue located deeper than the lead body via the second set of exposed discrete electrode surfaces.

26. The system of claim 22,

wherein the lead body comprises a plurality of separate lead body levels arranged in substantially parallel planes, each of the lead body levels including a substantially flat paddle-like shape and at least one of the electrodes, and

wherein the implantable medical device delivers stimulation to tissue of the patient located proximate to one or more of the lead body levels.

27. The system of claim 26,

wherein the lead body is implanted within a region of the body of the patient in which the patient experiences pain, and

wherein the implantable medical devices delivers peripheral nerve field stimulation via the selected combination of the electrodes.

28. An implantable medical lead comprising:

a lead body that comprises a substantially flat paddle-like shape and one or more electrodes; and

a fixation structure located at a distal end of the flat paddle-like shape for securing the lead body to tissue of the patient.

29. The lead of claim 28, wherein the fixation structure protrudes from the lead body to engage tissue of the patient.

30. The lead of claim 28, wherein the fixation structure comprises at least one of a tine, a barb, a deployable structure, a collapsible structure, an expandable structure, or a hydrogel.

31. An implantable medical lead comprising:

a lead body that comprises a substantially flat paddle-like shape and one or more electrodes; and

a fixation structure that protrudes from the lead body to engage tissue of the patient for securing the lead body to the tissue.

32. The lead of claim 31, wherein the fixation structure comprises at least one of a tine, a barb, a deployable structure, a collapsible structure, an expandable structure, or a hydrogel.