KNITTED ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND INTEGRATED CONNECTOR FOR AN ACTIVE IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20100070007A1
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saluda Medical Pty Ltd., Stroba Limited
• Original Assignee: National ICT Australia Limited
• Inventors: Parker, John L., Robinson, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,897,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0009 Making of catheters or other medical or surgical tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 Structure-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0484 Garment electrodes worn by the patient
• 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 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/12 characterised by thread material
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/16 antistatic; conductive
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02 Cross-sectional features for three-dimensional features D10B2403/033
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02431 with electronic components, e.g. sensors or switches

Abstract

An active implantable medical device (AIMD). The AIMD comprises: a knitted electrode assembly comprising: at least one biocompatible, electrically non-conductive filament arranged in substantially parallel rows each stitched to an adjacent row, and at least one biocompatible, electrically conductive filament having a first end intertwined with a first row of the at least one non-conductive filament, and a second end intertwined with a second row of the at least one non-conductive filament, wherein the first and second rows are spaced from one another.

Claims

1. An active implantable medical device (AIMD), comprising:

a knitted electrode assembly comprising;

at least one biocompatible, electrically non-conductive filament arranged in substantially parallel rows each stitched to an adjacent row, and

at least one biocompatible, electrically conductive filament having a first end intertwined with a first row of the at least one non-conductive filament, and a second end intertwined with a second row of the at least one non-conductive filament, wherein the first and second rows are spaced from one another.

2. The AIMD of claim 1, further comprising:

an electronics module including a connector assembly having a module contact, the connector assembly configured to be detachably coupled to the electrode assembly such that the module contact and the first intertwined end of the at least one conductive filament are electrically connected.

3. The AIMD of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-conductive filament consists of a single non-conductive filament.

4. The AIMD of claim 2, wherein the connector assembly includes a plurality of module contacts, and wherein the at least one conductive filament comprises a plurality of conductive filaments each having first and second ends intertwined with first and second spaced rows, respectively, of the at least one non-conductive filament, and wherein the connector assembly is configured to be detachably coupled to the electrode assembly such that the plurality of module contacts are each electrically connected to first intertwined ends of the plurality of conductive filaments.

5. The AIMD of claim 1, wherein the first and second ends of the at least one conductive filament are each wound around first and second spaced sections, respectively, of the at least one non-conductive filament, and wherein the knitted electrode assembly comprises:

substantially parallel rows of the least non-conductive filament having the conductive filament wound there around.

6. The AIMD of claim 1, wherein the first and second ends of the at least one conductive filament each follow the same course as sections of the at least one non-conductive filament, and wherein the first and second ends of the at least one conductive filament are positioned on the exterior surface of the electrode assembly.

7. The AIMD of claim 2, wherein the electrode assembly has an elongate shape, and wherein the connector assembly comprises an elongate receptacle configured to receive a region of the elongate electrode assembly therein.

8. The AIMD of claim 7, wherein the region of the electrode assembly insertable into the receptacle comprises:

a plurality of spaced intertwined first ends of a plurality of conductive filaments; and

one or more sealing elements positioned about the electrode assembly between adjacent intertwined first ends.

9. The AIMD of claim 2, wherein a section of the electrode assembly comprises and elongate receptacle, and wherein the connector assembly comprises an elongate member configured to inserted into the receptacle section of electrode assembly.

10. The AIMD of claim 1, wherein a region of the electrode assembly comprises a substantially planar member having a plurality of spaced intertwined first ends of a plurality of conductive filaments therein.

11. The AIMD of claim 2, wherein a region of the electrode assembly comprises a coiled tubular member, and wherein the connector assembly comprises:

a section of a surface of the electronics module configured to be positioned adjacent to the coiled member, and

a retention cap configured to fit about the coiled tubular member and to force the coiled member against the surface of the electronics module.

12. The AIMD of claim 1, wherein the knitted electrode assembly is constructed and arranged as an elongate tube.

13. The AIMD of claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly has substantially planar dimensions.

14. The AIMD of claim 2, wherein the module contact comprises a conductive rod configured to be inserted through a stitch of the knitted planar member.

15. The AIMD of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more non-conductive filaments comprises a thermo-softening plastic material, and wherein at least a region of the electrode assembly is configured to be molded into a desired shaped.

16. The AIMD of claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly comprises:

a projection in the surface thereof, and wherein the first intertwined end of the at least one conductive filament is disposed on the projection.

17. The AIMD of claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly comprises:

a concave region in the surface thereof, and wherein the first intertwined end of the at least one conductive filament is disposed in the concave region.

18. The AIMD of claim 11, further comprising:

an elongate support structure positioned in the tube, and wherein the electrode assembly is configured to take the shape of the surface of the elongate structure.

19. A method for manufacturing a knitted implantable electrode assembly comprising:

providing at least one biocompatible, electrically non-conductive filament, and at least one biocompatible, electrically conductive filament; and

knitting the at least one non-conductive filament into substantially parallel rows each stitched to an adjacent row with a first end of the at least one conductive filament intertwined with a first row of the at least one conductive filament and a second end intertwined with a second row of the at least one non-conductive filament, wherein the first and second rows are spaced from one another.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one non-conductive filament consists of a single non-conductive filament, and wherein the method comprises:

knitting the single non-conductive filament into substantially parallel rows each stitched to an adjacent row with the at least one conductive filament intertwined with the non-conductive filament.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

winding the first and second ends of the at least one conductive filament around spaced sections of the at least one non-conductive filament prior to knitting; and

knitting the at least one non-conductive filament having the conductive filament wound there around into substantially parallel rows each stitched to an adjacent row.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

concurrently knitting the first and second ends of at least one conductive filament with first and second sections, respectively, of the at least one non-conductive filament such that the first and second ends each follow the same course as sections of at least one non-conductive filament, and wherein the first and second ends are positioned on the exterior surface of the electrode assembly.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein knitting the at least one non-conductive filament into the plurality of parallel rows comprises:

circular knitting the at least one non-conductive filament into an elongate tube.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein knitting the at least one non-conductive filament into the substantially parallel rows comprises:

flat knitting an electrode assembly having substantially planar dimensions.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

knitting one or more regions of the electrode assembly with one or more of the at least one conductive filament and the at least one non-conductive filament under varying tension.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

knitting at least one region of the electrode assembly about an elongate structure with one or more of the at least one conductive filament and the at least one non-conductive filament under tension such that the at least one region takes the shape of the surface of the elongate structure following the release of the tension from the one or more of the at least one conductive filament and the at least one non-conductive filament.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein providing the one or more non-conductive filaments comprises:

providing at least one non-conductive filament comprising a thermo-softening plastic material.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

molding a region of the electrode assembly into a desired shape.