LEAD CONNECTION SYSTEM FOR AN IMPLANTABLE ELECTRICAL STIMULATION SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR MAKING AND USING THE SYSTEMS

• US 20100070012A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Barker, John Michael, Chinn, Kenny Kinyen
• Granted Patent: US 8,548,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/152
• 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 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections

Abstract

A lead connection system includes a connector housing. A plurality of lead retainers disposed in the connector housing are configured and arranged to removably attach to a proximal end of one of a received plurality of leads. The plurality of lead retainers include at least one of a slidable drawer and at least one pivotable hinged panel. A plurality of connector contacts are configured and arranged for making electrical contact with one or more of the terminals of one or more of the plurality of received leads. A single connector cable has a distal end that is electrically coupled to the plurality of connector contacts and a proximal end that is configured and arranged for insertion into a trial stimulator. A cable connector is electrically coupled, via the connector contacts, to at least one terminal of each of the received plurality of leads.

Claims

1. A lead connection system comprising:

a connector housing configured and arranged to receive a proximal end of each of a plurality of leads, each of the plurality of leads having a plurality of terminals disposed on the proximal end;

a plurality of lead retainers disposed in the connector housing, each lead retainer configured and arranged to removably attach the proximal end of one of the received plurality of leads to the connector housing, the plurality of lead retainers comprising at least one of a slidable drawer or at least one pivotable hinged panel;

a plurality of connector contacts configured and arranged for making electrical contact with one or more of the terminals of one or more of the plurality of received leads; and

a single connector cable having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end electrically coupled to the plurality of connector contacts and the proximal end configured and arranged for insertion into a trial stimulator, the cable connector electrically coupled, via the connector contacts, to at least one terminal of each of the received plurality of leads.

2. The lead connection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one slidable drawer is configured and arranged to removably attach the proximal end of one of the received plurality of leads when the at least one slidable drawer is slid to a closed position against the connector housing.

3. The lead connection system of claim 2, wherein the lead connection system is configured and arranged such that sliding the at least one slidable drawer to a closed position against the connector housing provides electrical coupling between at least one of the terminals on the received lead and the connector cable.

4. The lead connection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one pivotable hinged panel is configured and arranged to removably attach the proximal end of one of the received plurality of leads when the at least one hinged panel is pivoted to a closed position against the connector housing.

5. The lead connection system of claim 4, wherein the lead connection system is configured and arranged such that pivoting the at least one pivotable hinged panel to a closed position against the connector housing provides electrical coupling between at least one of the terminals on the received lead and the connector cable.

6. The lead connection system of claim 4, wherein the at least one pivotable hinged panel comprises a living hinge.

7. The lead connection system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of lead retainers is configured and arranged to removably attach to the proximal end of one of the received plurality of leads such that a stylet inserted into the proximal end of the received lead is usable to guide a non-proximal portion of the received lead while the received lead is attached to the lead retainer.

8. The lead connection system of claim 1, wherein each of the lead retainers comprises a plurality of spaced-apart lead-retention members.

9. The lead connection system of claim 8, wherein the connector housing further comprises a plurality of spaced-apart lead-retention members disposed on an inner surface of the connector housing.

10. The lead connection system of claim 9, wherein each of the received plurality of leads is retainable in the connector housing by sandwiching the received lead between the plurality of lead-retention members disposed on the lead retainer and the plurality of lead-retention members disposed in the connector housing.

11. The lead connection system of claim 1, wherein the lead retainer is configured and arranged for being removably held in the closed position against the connector housing by a snap fit between at least one cantilever snap-fit boss that engages at least one undercut notch.

12. The lead connection system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of connector contacts are coupled together into one or more contact elements.

13. The lead connection system of claim 1, further including at least one connector contact holder disposed in the connector housing, at least one of the plurality of connector contacts disposed in the at least one connector-contact holder.

14. The lead connection system of claim 1, further including at least one printed circuit board electrically coupled to the connector cable and to at least one of the plurality of connector contacts.

15. An electrical-stimulator testing system comprising:

a plurality of leads, each lead having a proximal end and a distal end, each lead comprising

a plurality of electrodes disposed on the distal end of the lead,

a plurality of terminals disposed on the proximal end of the lead, and

a plurality of conductor wires extending along the lead to couple the electrodes electrically to the terminals;

a connector housing configured and arranged to receive the proximal end of each of the plurality of leads;

a plurality of lead retainers disposed in the connector housing, each lead retainer configured and arranged to removably attach the proximal end of one of the received plurality of leads to the connector housing, the plurality of lead retainers comprising at least one of a slidable drawer or at least one pivotable hinged panel;

a plurality of connector contacts disposed in the connector housing and configured and arranged for making electrical contact with one or more of the plurality of terminals of the plurality of received leads; and

a single connector cable having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end electrically coupled to the plurality of connector contacts, the cable connector electrically coupled, via the connector contacts, to at least one of the plurality of lead terminals of each of the received at least one of the plurality of leads; and

a trial stimulator electrically coupleable to the proximal end of the connector cable, the trial stimulator configured and arranged for providing electrical signals to the electrodes on the plurality of leads.

16. The electrical-stimulator testing system of claim 15, wherein the at least one slidable drawer is configured and arranged to removably attach the proximal end of one of the received plurality of leads when the at least one slidable drawer is slid to a closed position against the connector housing.

17. The electrical-stimulator testing system of claim 15, wherein the at least one pivotable hinged panel is configured and arranged to removably attach the proximal end of one of the received plurality of leads when the at least one hinged panel is pivoted to a closed position against the connector housing.

18. A method for stimulating patient tissue, the method comprising:

implanting at least a distal end of a plurality of leads into a patient, each of the plurality of leads comprising a plurality of electrodes disposed on the distal end of the leads and at least one terminal disposed on a proximal end of the lead, wherein the electrodes are electrically coupled to the at least one terminal;

disposing at least two proximal ends of the plurality of leads into a lead connection system comprising a plurality of lead retainers and a single connector cable with a distal end and a proximal end, each lead retainer configured and arranged to receive the proximal end of one of the plurality of leads and electrically couple the received lead to the distal end of the single connector cable, each lead retainer comprising at least one of a slidable drawer or at least one pivotable hinged panel;

inserting the proximal end of the connector cable into a trial stimulator; and

providing electrical signals from the trial stimulator to the electrodes on the plurality of leads.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein implanting the plurality of leads into a patient comprises inserting a stylet into each proximal end of the plurality of leads, each stylet configured and arranged for guiding the distal end of the lead into which the stylet is inserted.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein disposing at least two proximal ends of the plurality of leads into the lead connection system farther includes disposing the at least two proximal ends of the plurality of leads into the lead connection system such that each stylet inserted into each of the proximal ends of the plurality of leads is usable for guiding the distal end of the lead into which the stylet is inserted.