Method and apparatus for forming insulated implantable electrodes
First Claim
1. A method for insulating an electrode implanted in a body of a patient, the method comprising:
- surgically exposing a nerve of the patient;
implanting at least one electrode in the body of the patient, wherein said implanting comprises coupling said at least one electrode to said nerve of the patient;
providing a mold form;
disposing said mold form around at least a portion of said at least one electrode and said nerve;
introducing into said mold form a curable liquid insulant;
allowing said curable liquid insulant to cure;
removing said mold form from around said at least one electrode and from said patient'"'"'s body; and
surgically closing said exposure of said nerve.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, and an apparatus are provided for insulating an electrode implanted in a body of a patient. The method comprises surgically exposing a nerve of the patient, implanting at least one electrode in the body of the patient, wherein the implanting comprises coupling theat least one electrode to the nerve of the patient, providing a mold form, disposing the mold form around at least a portion of the at least one electrode and the nerve, introducing into the mold form a curable liquid insulant, allowing the curable liquid insulant to cure, removing the mold form from around the at least one electrode and from the patient'"'"'s body, and surgically closing the exposure of the nerve.
152 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for insulating an electrode implanted in a body of a patient, the method comprising:
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surgically exposing a nerve of the patient;
implanting at least one electrode in the body of the patient, wherein said implanting comprises coupling said at least one electrode to said nerve of the patient;
providing a mold form;
disposing said mold form around at least a portion of said at least one electrode and said nerve;
introducing into said mold form a curable liquid insulant;
allowing said curable liquid insulant to cure;
removing said mold form from around said at least one electrode and from said patient'"'"'s body; and
surgically closing said exposure of said nerve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An implanted medical device system for treating a medical condition of a patient, the implanted medical device system comprising:
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a medical device implanted in the body of the patient for at least one of generating a therapeutic electrical signal and sensing electrical activity on a nerve;
an implanted electrode coupled to a nerve and to the implanted medical device; and
an in situ formed sealed insulation capsule covering the implanted electrode and at least a portion of the nerve to prevent intercellular body fluids outside the nerve from contacting the implanted electrode. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of insulating an implanted electrode coupled to a nerve, the method comprising:
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providing a lead assembly comprising at least one lead body having proximal and distal ends, and at least one electrode coupled to said distal end;
surgically exposing a cranial nerve;
implanting said lead assembly in the body of the patient, wherein implanting comprises coupling the at least one electrode to the cranial nerve;
providing a mold form disposed around said at least one electrode and around at least a portion of said cranial nerve;
introducing into said mold form a liquid insulation comprising at least one of a polymer mixture and a gel;
curing said liquid insulation to form a sealed insulation capsule around said at least one electrode; and
surgically closing said exposure of said cranial nerve. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification