Implantable medical elongated member including intermediate fixation

• US 20080103570A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gerber, Martin T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,713,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0536 Preventing neurodegenerative response or inflammatory reaction
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0539 Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0558 Anchoring or fixation means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/057 Anchoring means; Means for fixing the head inside the heart

Abstract

An implantable medical elongated member extends between a proximal end configured to be coupled to a medical device and a distal end. The implantable elongated member includes one or more fixation elements coupled to at least a middle portion and/or a proximal portion of the elongated member in order to substantially fix a position of the elongated member to tissue at one or more intermediate points between the proximal end and the distal end of the elongated member.

Claims

1. An implantable elongated member configured to deliver a therapy from a medical device to a target therapy delivery site in a patient, the implantable elongated member comprising:

an elongated body extending between a proximal end configured to couple to the medical device and a distal end, wherein the elongated body comprises;

a proximal portion adjacent to the proximal end;

a distal portion adjacent to the distal end; and

a middle portion located between the proximal portion and the distal portion,

wherein the proximal portion, the distal portion, and the middle portion have approximately equal lengths; and

a fixation element coupled to at least one of the proximal portion or the middle portion of the elongated body.

2. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein the fixation element is integrally formed with the elongated body.

3. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein the fixation element is a sutureless fixation element.

4. The elongated member of claim 3, wherein the sutureless fixation element at least one of an adhesive element, a tine, a flange, a balloon or a wire-like element.

5. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the elongated body is configured to directly couple to the medical device.

6. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein the elongated body comprises a lead comprising a lead body extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and one or more electrodes proximate to the distal end of the lead body.

7. The elongated member of claim 6, wherein the fixation element comprises a first fixation element, and the implantable elongated member further comprises a second fixation element located between the electrode and the proximal end of the lead body and a third fixation element located between the electrode and the distal end of the lead body.

8. The elongated member of claim 6, wherein the electrode comprises an array of electrodes and the fixation element comprises a first fixation element, the implantable elongated member further comprising a second fixation element disposed between two electrodes of the array of electrodes.

9. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein the fixation element comprises a first fixation element located and a second fixation element axially displaced from the first fixation element by about ten to about sixteen centimeters.

10. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein the elongated body comprises a catheter comprising an inner lumen to deliver a fluid from the medical device to the target therapy delivery site.

11. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein the fixation element is sized to be expandable to a radial dimension in a range of approximately 2 millimeters to 15 millimeters.

12. The elongated member of claim 1, further comprising a radio-opaque material that is detectable by fluoroscopic imaging located on at least a portion of the elongated body.

13. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the elongated body comprises a stretchable material.

14. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein the fixation element is a first fixation element, and the apparatus further comprises a second fixation element coupled to the distal portion of the elongated body.

15. The elongated member of claim 14, further comprising a third fixation element, wherein the first fixation element is coupled to the proximal portion of the elongated body and the third fixation element is coupled to the middle portion.

16. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein the fixation element is located at least 20 centimeters from the distal end of the elongated body.

17. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein the elongated body comprises a lead extension extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and wherein the distal end is configured to couple to a lead comprising at least one electrode to electrically connect the at least one electrode to the medical device.

18. The elongated member of claim 17, wherein the lead extension has a length of about 20 centimeters to about 1 meter.

19. The elongated member of claim 1, wherein the elongated body comprises a lead coupled to a lead extension, the distal end of the elongated body being located on the lead and the proximal end of the elongated body being located on the lead extension.

20. A system comprising:

a medical device; and

an implantable medical elongated member comprising;

an elongated body extending between a proximal end configured to couple to the medical device and a distal end, wherein the elongated body comprises;

a proximal portion adjacent to the proximal end;

a distal portion adjacent to the distal end; and

a middle portion located between the proximal portion and the distal portion, wherein the proximal portion, the distal portion, and the middle portion have approximately equal lengths; and

a fixation element coupled to at least one of the proximal portion or the middle portion of the elongated body.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the fixation element is a first fixation element, and the apparatus further comprises a second fixation element coupled to the distal portion of the implantable elongated body.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the implantable elongated member further comprises a third fixation element, wherein the first fixation element is coupled to the proximal portion of the elongated body and the third fixation element is coupled to the middle portion.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the fixation element includes at least one of an adhesive element, a tine, a flange, a balloon or a wire-like element.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the elongated body comprises at least one of a lead comprising an electrode, a lead extension or a catheter.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the medical device comprises at least one of a sensor to sense a parameter of a patient, an electrical stimulator or a fluid delivery device.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the elongated body is composed of a stretchable material.

27. A method comprising:

inserting an implantable medical elongated member into a body of a patient, the elongated member comprising;

an elongated body extending between a proximal end configured to couple to the medical device and a distal end, wherein the elongated body comprises;

a proximal portion adjacent to the proximal end;

a distal portion adjacent to the distal end; and

a middle portion located between the proximal portion and the distal portion, wherein the proximal portion, the distal portion, and the middle portion have approximately equal lengths; and

a fixation element coupled to at least one of the proximal portion or the middle portion of the elongated body; and

advancing the elongated member through the introducer to a target therapy delivery site.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein inserting the elongated member into the patient comprises introducing an introducer into the patient and inserting the elongated member into a lumen of the introducer.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein introducing the introducer into the patient comprises introducing the introducer proximate to a peripheral nerve of the patient.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein inserting the introducer proximate to the peripheral nerve comprises positioning the introducer substantially transversely across an occipital nerve.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the elongated body comprises at least one of a lead comprising an electrode, a lead extension or a catheter.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising coupling the elongated member to a medical device, the medical device delivering a therapy to the target therapy delivery site via the elongated member.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the medical device is at least one of an electrical stimulator, a sensor or a fluid delivery device.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein at least a portion of the elongated body is elastic.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the fixation element comprises a first fixation element coupled to the proximal portion of the elongated body and a second fixation element coupled to the middle portion of the elongated body.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising placing the first fixation element at a first fixation point within the body of the patient and the second fixation element at a second fixation point within the body of the patient.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein a length of the elongated body between the first and second fixation element is greater than a distance between the first and second fixation points.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein a length of the elongated body between the first and second fixation element is substantially equal to a distance between the first and second fixation points.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the fixation element further comprises a third fixation element coupled to the distal portion of the elongated body.