MODULAR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20070208384A1
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical AB (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical AB (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Stegfeldt, Olof, Micski, Eva, Sjogren, Bjorn, Skoog Andersson, Eva, Hoernfeldt, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,647,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

In an implantable medical device and a manufacturing method therefore, the implantable medical device has at least an electronics module and a battery module, each contributing functionally as well as to the shape of the outer enclosure of the implantable medical device. Different modules, and different versions of different modules, can be combined in different combinations, according to a device specification, to form different medical devices.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A method for manufacturing an implantable medical device, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of modules, each containing a functional subsystem for an implantable medical device, said modules being available in respectively different version of the subsystem contained therein;

specifying requirements, including designation of modules and designations of versions of said modules, for a complete implantable medical device;

selecting modules, meeting said requirements, from among said plurality of modules to form said complete medical device; and

permanently joining the selected modules to form said complete medical device, with the permanently joined modules forming a hermetically sealed outer enclosure for said complete medical device.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 comprising including in said modules a module comprising a battery subsystem, a module comprising an electronic subsystem and a module comprising a connector subsystem.

21. A method as claimed in claim 19 comprising including in said plurality of modules a module comprising a battery subsystem, and wherein said requirements for said complete implantable medical device include said module comprising said battery subsystem, and comprising employing an electrochemical enclosure potential of said module comprising said battery subsystem as an enclosure potential of the outer enclosure of said complete medical device.

22. A method as claimed in claim 19 comprising including in said plurality of modules a module comprising a battery subsystem, and wherein said requirements for said complete medical device include said module comprising said battery subsystem, and comprising isolating an electrochemical enclosure potential of said module comprising said battery subsystem from an enclosure potential of said outer enclosure of said complete medical device.

23. A method as claimed in claim 19 comprising including in said plurality of modules a module comprising a battery subsystem utilizing a battery chemistry selected from the group consisting of lithium-iodine, lithium-silver, vanadium oxide, lithium-carbon monofluoride, and a combination of lithium-silver vanadium oxide and lithium-carbon monofluoride.

24. A method as claimed in claim 19 comprising including in said plurality of modules a module comprising a battery subsystem, said module comprising a battery subsystem having a module enclosure, and wherein said requirements for said complete implantable medical device include said module comprising said battery subsystem, and comprising forming a part of said hermetically sealed outer enclosure of said complete medical device with said module enclosure.

25. A method as claimed in claim 19 comprising including in said plurality of modules a plurality of modules comprising a connector subsystem respectively in versions comprising one pacing/sensing terminal, two pacing/sensing terminals, three pacing/sensing terminals and four pacing/sensing terminals.

26. A method as claimed in claim 19 comprising including in said plurality of modules a plurality of modules comprising a electronics subsystem respectively in versions comprising one pacing/sensing terminal, two pacing/sensing terminals, three pacing/sensing terminals and four pacing/sensing terminals.

27. A method as claimed in claim 19 comprising the steps of:

including among said plurality of modules, a module comprising a connector subsystem and a module comprising an electronics subsystem, said module comprising a connector subsystem including a connector tube and a module encapsulation said requirements for said complete implantable medical device include said module comprising a connector subsystem and said module comprising an electronics subsystem;

rolling a flex circuit on said connector tube before inserting said connector tube into said module encapsulation;

unrolling said flex circuit from said connector tube and thereafter welding said connector tube to said module encapsulation; and

electrically connecting said module comprising said connector subsystem to said module comprising said electronics subsystem via said flex circuit.