CYLINDRICAL MULTI-CONTACT ELECTRODE LEAD FOR NEURAL STIMULATION AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

• US 20070168004A1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics Corporation (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Walter, Jeryle
• Granted Patent: US 7,650,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes

Abstract

An implantable lead includes a tubular polymer body having a plurality of wire conductors embedded or carried within the inner tube body. A ring contact, e.g., a platinum ring contact, is electrically and mechanically connected to at least one of the plurality of wires at at least one end of the tubular body. In one embodiment, ring contacts are attached at both ends of the tubular body. In another embodiment, a lumen passes longitudinally through the length of the lead body.

Claims

1. A method of making an implantable lead comprising:

providing a plurality of ring contacts, wherein each ring contact is mechanically and electrically connected to at least one of a plurality of wire conductors;

creating a plurality of access ports in at least a distal end of a polymer tube body;

threading each wire conductor through a corresponding one of the access ports; and

sliding the ring contacts over the tube body.

2. The method of claim 1, further including attaching the plurality of ring contacts to at least a distal end of the tube body with an adhesive.

3. The method of claim 1 further including adding a filler material to the inside area of the polymer tube body.

4. The method of claim 1 further including adding a spacer to the longitudinal length of the polymer tube body, wherein a central lumen is formed by adding a filler material to the inside area of the polymer body.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein attaching the plurality of ring contacts comprises adding a medical grade epoxy.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a plurality of ring contacts comprises laser welding each ring contact to at least one of the plurality of wire conductors.

7. The method of claim 1 further including forming the ring contacts from platinum, titanium, stainless steel, or alloys thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymer tube body comprises silicone, polyurethane, or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a plurality of access ports comprises creating the access ports spaced apart a distance S.

10. The method of claim 1, sliding the ring contact over the tube body comprises applying tension to the tube body to allow each of the ring contacts to slide over the corresponding one of the access ports.

11. An implantable lead comprising:

a tubular body having a plurality of wire conductors disposed within the tubular body;

wherein each wire conductor is threaded through an access port in the tubular body; and

a plurality of ring contacts, wherein each ring contact is electrically and mechanically attached to at least one of the plurality of wire conductors at at least one end of the tubular body.

12. The implantable lead of claim 11 wherein the plurality of ring contacts are mechanically and electrically attached to the plurality of wire conductors at both ends of the tubular body.

13. The implantable lead of claim 11 wherein the tubular body is made from silicone, polyurethane, or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

14. The implantable lead of claim 11 wherein the ring contacts are made from platinum, titanium, stainless steel or alloys thereof.

15. The implantable lead of claim 11 wherein the conductor wires are made from platinum, titanium, stainless steel or alloys thereof.

16. An implantable neural stimulation system, comprising:

an electronic control unit; and

an implantable lead electrically coupled to the electronic control unit, the implantable lead comprising

a tubular body having a plurality of access ports formed therethrough,

a plurality of ring contacts disposed on the tubular body, and

a plurality of wire conductors, wherein each of the wire conductors is electrically and mechanically attached to a corresponding one of the ring contacts and is threaded through a corresponding one of the access ports over which the corresponding one of the ring contacts is disposed.

17. The implantable neural stimulation system of claim 16, wherein the electronic control unit comprises an implantable pulse generator.

18. The implantable neural stimulation system of claim 16, wherein the access ports are staggered radially around the tubular body.

19. The implantable neural stimulation system of claim 16, wherein the ring contacts are disposed at a distal end of the lead.

20. The implantable neural stimulation system of claim 16, wherein the ring contacts are disposed at both a distal end of the lead and at a proximal end of the lead.