MEDICAL ELECTRICAL LEADS AND CONDUCTOR ASSEMBLIES THEREOF

• US 20090082655A1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Marshall, Mark T., Seifert, Kevin R., Boser, Gregory A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,494,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/373
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/0823 Parallel wires, incorporated in a flat insulating profile
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49194 Assembling elongated conductors, e.g., splicing, etc.

Abstract

A conductor assembly for a medical electrical lead includes a web and plurality of conductors. The web includes a plurality of longitudinally extending elements, or sidewalls, each of which define a longitudinally extending lumen, and a plurality of longitudinally extending connectors, each of which join a pair of adjacent sidewalls. Each of the plurality of conductors extends within a corresponding lumen, and each may include an insulative jacket. If each conductor includes an insulative jacket, the jacket is preferably formed from one or more of the following materials: PEEK, PVDF and polysulfone. One or more of the connectors of the web may be flexible to allow for a connected separation, or a gap between adjacent sidewalls; and one or more of these connectors may further include a discrete wall section adapted to facilitate widening of the corresponding gap. Preferably the conductor assembly is coiled for incorporation into the lead.

Claims

1. A conductor assembly for a medical electrical lead, the assembly comprising:

a web including a plurality of longitudinally extending sidewalls and a plurality of longitudinally extending connectors, each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls defining a longitudinally extending lumen and each connector of the plurality of connectors joining a pair of adjacent sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls; and

a plurality of conductors, each conductor of the plurality of conductors extending longitudinally within a corresponding lumen of the plurality of lumens and including an insulative jacket extending thereabout; and

wherein the insulative jacket of each conductor of the plurality of conductors includes at least one layer formed from an insulative material selected from the group consisting of;

PEEK, PVDF and polysulfone.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each connector of the web is flexible to allow for a gap between connected adjacent sidewalls of the web.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each conductor is a cable including a plurality of conductive wire strands.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the insulative jacket of each conductor of the plurality of conductors comprises a first layer formed from a first insulative material and a second layer formed from a second insulative material, which is different from the first material.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the web and the conductors are formed in a coil.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductors are fewer in number than the plurality of longitudinally extending sidewalls of the web.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein at least one lumen of the plurality of lumens defined by the longitudinally extending sidewalls encloses an open space for passage therethrough of at least one of an elongate member and an injectable medium.

8. A conductor assembly for a medical electrical lead, the assembly comprising:

a web including a plurality of longitudinally extending sidewalls and a plurality of longitudinally extending flexible connectors, each sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls defining a longitudinally extending lumen and each connector of the plurality of flexible connectors joining a pair of adjacent sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls and providing a gap between the connected pair of adjacent sidewalls; and

a plurality of conductors, each conductor of the plurality of conductors extending longitudinally within a corresponding lumen of the plurality of lumens; and

wherein at least one connector of the plurality of connectors includes a discrete wall section adapted to facilitate a widening of the gap between a corresponding adjacent pair of sidewalls, the discrete wall section extending continuously along a length of the at least one connector.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the discrete wall section of the at least one connector comprises a notch.

10. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the discrete wall section of the at least one connector comprises a U-shaped fold.

11. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the web is formed from an insulative material selected from the group consisting of:

PEEK, PVDF and polysulfone.

12. The assembly of claim 8, wherein each conductor is a cable including a plurality of conductive wire strands.

13. The assembly of claim 8, wherein each conductor includes an insulative jacket.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the insulative jacket of each conductor of the plurality of conductors comprises a first layer formed from a first insulative material and a second layer formed from a second insulative material, which is different from the first material.

15. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the insulative jacket of each conductor of the plurality of conductors includes at least one layer formed from an insulative material selected from the group consisting of:

PEEK, PVDF and polysulfone.

16. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the web and the conductors are formed in a coil.

17. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the plurality of conductors are fewer in number than the plurality of longitudinally extending sidewalls of the web.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein at least one lumen of the plurality of lumens defined by the longitudinally extending sidewalls encloses an open space for passage therethrough of at least one of:

an elongate member and an injectable medium.

19. The assembly of claim 8, wherein a thickness of each of the connectors is substantially less than a thickness of each of the sidewalls.

20. A medical electrical lead comprising:

a proximal electrical connector including a first contact electrically isolated from a second contact;

a first electrode;

a second electrode electrically isolated from the first electrode and spaced distally apart, along a length of the lead, from the first electrode; and

a coiled conductor assembly having an inner diameter, the conductor assembly comprising;

a web including a first sidewall defining a first lumen extending along a helical path of the coiled assembly, a second sidewall defining a second lumen extending along the helical path, and a connector joining the first sidewall to the second sidewall, the second sidewall extending distally, along the length of the lead, beyond the first sidewall, and the connector being flexible to allow separation between the first and second sidewalls;

a first conductor extending within the first lumen and coupling the first contact of the proximal electrical connector to the first electrode; and

a second conductor extending within the second lumen and coupling the second contact of the proximal electrical connector to the second electrode.

21. The lead of claim 20, further comprising:

a third electrode electrically isolated from the first and second electrodes and spaced distally apart, along the length of the lead, from the second electrode;

a third conductor extending longitudinally within the inner diameter of the coiled conductor assembly; and

wherein the proximal electrical connector further includes a third contact electrically isolated from the first and second contacts; and

the third conductor couples the third contact to the third electrode.

22. The lead of claim 20, wherein the web of the coiled conductor assembly further includes third sidewall defining a third lumen extending along the helical path and another connector joining the third sidewall to one of the first and second sidewalls.

23. The lead of claim 20, wherein the web of the coiled conductor assembly is formed from an insulative material selected from the group consisting of:

PEEK, PVDF and polysulfone.

24. The lead of claim 20, wherein each of the first and second conductors is a cable including a plurality of conductive wire strands.

25. The lead of claim 20, wherein each of the first and second conductors includes an insulative jacket.

26. The lead of claim 25, wherein the insulative jacket of each of the first and second conductors includes at least one layer formed from an insulative material selected from the group consisting of:

PEEK, PVDF and polysulfone.

27. A method for making a lead body subassembly, the method comprising:

assembling a conductor assembly about an insulative sheath, the conductor assembly including a web, a first conductor and a second conductor, the web including a first sidewall that defines a lumen through which the first conductor extends, a second sidewall that defines a lumen through which the second conductor extends, and a connector joining the first sidewall to the second sidewall; and

trimming the first sidewall and the first conductor of the conductor assembly, together, such that the first sidewall and the first conductor have a length that is less than a length of the second sidewall and the second conductor.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein assembling the conductor assembly about the insulative sheath comprises coiling the conductor assembly about the sheath and bonding portions of the conductor assembly to the sheath.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising coiling the conductor assembly prior to assembling the conductor assembly about the insulative sheath.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the trimming is performed between the steps of coiling and assembling.