Implantable Medical Device Header With Optical Interface

• US 20080077190A1
• Filed: 09/21/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Kubas, Amy Christine, Pavlovic, Jennifer Lynn, CARPENTER, Greg Paul, KANE, Michael John
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4248 Feed-through connections for the hermetical passage of fibres through a package wall see provisionally also G02B6/4428

Abstract

Disclosed herein, among other things, is an implantable medical device header assembly with an optical interface. The header assembly can include a housing defining a cavity; an electrical contact disposed along the cavity; an electrical conductor configured to electrically couple the electrical contact with the implantable medical device; and an optical conductor. The header assembly can include a housing defining a first cavity for receiving a proximal end of an electrical lead; and a second cavity for receiving a proximal end of an optical lead. The header assembly can include a housing configured to be coupled to the implantable medical device, the housing defining a lead port for receiving a proximal end of a lead, the port configured to be in electrical and optical communication with the lead; a transducer disposed within the housing, and an electrical conductor disposed within the housing. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Claims

1. A header assembly for an implantable medical device, the header assembly comprising:

a housing defining a cavity for receiving a proximal end of a lead;

an electrical contact disposed along the cavity;

an electrical conductor configured to electrically couple the electrical contact with the implantable medical device; and

an optical conductor configured to optically couple the lead with the implantable medical device.

2. The header assembly of claim 1, the housing configured to be coupled to a pulse generator.

3. The header assembly of claim 1, the cavity bounded by a side wall and an end wall, the optical conductor configured to optically couple the end wall of the cavity with the implantable medical device.

4. The header assembly of claim 3, the end wall of the cavity comprising peripheral edges and a center point equidistant from the peripheral edges, the optical conductor disposed on the center point of the end wall of the cavity.

5. The header assembly of claim 1, the cavity bounded by a side wall and an end wall, the optical conductor configured to optically couple the side wall of the cavity with the implantable medical device.

6. The header assembly of claim 1, the cavity bounded by a side wall and an end wall, the electrical contact disposed in the side wall of the cavity.

7. The header assembly of claim 1, the optical conductor comprising a waveguide.

8. The header assembly of claim 7, the waveguide comprising an optical fiber.

9. The header assembly of claim 1, the optical conductor comprising an optical lens.

10. The header assembly of claim 9, the optical lens comprising a GRIN lens.

11. The header assembly of claim 1, the optical conductor comprising a mirror.

12. The header assembly of claim 1, the optical conductor comprising a prism.

13. The header assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second electrical contact disposed along the cavity and a second electrical conductor configured to electrically couple the second electrical contact with the implantable medical device.

14. The header assembly of claim 1, the electrical conductor welded to the electrical contact.

15. The header assembly of claim 1, the optical conductor configured to redirect light passing through the header assembly by about 0 degrees to about 180 degrees.

16. The header assembly of claim 1, the optical conductor configured to redirect light passing through the header assembly by about 90 degrees.

17. A header assembly for an implantable medical device, the header assembly comprising:

a housing defining a first cavity for receiving a proximal end of an electrical lead; and

a second cavity for receiving a proximal end of an optical lead;

an electrical conductor configured to electrically couple the electrical lead with the implantable medical device; and

an optical conductor configured to optically couple the optical lead with the implantable medical device.

18. The header assembly of claim 17, the second cavity comprising a side wall and an end wall, the optical conductor configured to optically couple the end wall of the second cavity with the implantable medical device.

19. The header assembly of claim 17, the optical conductor configured to redirect light passing through the header assembly by about 0 degrees to about 180 degrees.

20. The header assembly of claim 17, the optical conductor configured to redirect light passing through the header assembly by about 90 degrees.

21. A header assembly for an implantable medical device, the header assembly comprising:

a housing configured to be coupled to the implantable medical device, the housing defining a lead port for receiving a proximal end of a lead, the port configured to be in electrical and optical communication with the lead;

a transducer disposed within the housing, the transducer in optical communication with the lead port and configured to transform an optical signal into an electrical signal, to transform an electrical signal into an optical signal, or to transform an electrical signal to an optical signal and an optical signal to an electrical signal;

an electrical conductor disposed within the housing, the electrical conductor configured to provide electrical communication between the transducer and the implantable medical device.

22. The header assembly of claim 21, the transducer comprising a photodiode.

23. The header assembly of claim 21, the transducer comprising a light emitting diode.