SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COUPLING CONDUCTORS TO CONDUCTIVE CONTACTS OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION SYSTEMS

• US 20100256694A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,214,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/2
• 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 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5224 for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/621 Bolt, set screw or screw clamp
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4921 with bonding

Abstract

An electrical stimulation lead includes a plurality of conductive contacts disposed at a distal end and a proximal end of a lead body. The plurality of conductive contacts includes a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of terminals. At least one of the conductive contacts is a first conductive contact that includes at least one adhesive aperture defined between an inner surface and an outer surface of the at least one conductive contact. A plurality of conductors each electrically couple at least one of the electrodes to at least one of the terminals. Each first conductive contact has a conductor associated with, and electrically coupled to that first conductive contact. The adhesive is disposed in proximity to the at least one adhesive aperture of at least one first conductive contact to adhesively couple that first conductive contact to the at least one associated conductor.

Claims

1. An electrical stimulation lead comprising:

a lead body with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal length;

a plurality of conductive contacts disposed at the distal end and the proximal end of the lead body, the plurality of conductive contacts comprising

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

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

wherein at least one of the conductive contacts is a first conductive contact that comprises at least one adhesive aperture defined between an inner surface and an outer surface of the at least one conductive contact;

a plurality of conductors, each conductor electrically coupling at least one of the electrodes to at least one of the terminals, wherein each first conductive contact has at least one of the conductors associated with, and electrically coupled to that first conductive contact; and

an adhesive disposed in proximity to the at least one adhesive aperture of at least one first conductive contact to adhesively couple that first conductive contact to the at least one associated conductor.

2. The lead of claim 1, wherein the at least one associated conductor is electrically coupled to the inner surface of the at least one first conductive contact.

3. The lead of claim 1, wherein the at least one adhesive aperture comprises a recess in the outer surface of the at least one first conductive contact, the recess defining a first opening to the inner surface of the at least one first conductive contact.

4. The lead of claim 3, wherein the at least one associated conductor extends through the first opening from inside the lead body to the outer surface of the at least one first conductive contact.

5. The lead of claim 4, wherein the at least one associated conductor is electrically coupled to the outer surface of the at least one first conductive contact.

6. The lead of claim 4, wherein the recess defines a second opening to the inner surface of the at least one first conductive contact, and wherein the at least one associated conductor extends through the second opening from the outer surface to the inner surface of the at least one first conductive contact.

7. The lead of claim 3, wherein the adhesive is disposed in proximity to the at least one adhesive aperture such that the adhesive is disposed in the recess.

8. The lead of claim 1, wherein the lead body defines at least one lumen through which the at least one associated conductor extends.

9. The lead of claim 8, wherein the adhesive is disposed in proximity to the at least one adhesive aperture such that the adhesive is disposed in the lumen.

10. The lead of claim 9, wherein the adhesive is disposed in the lumen such that the adhesive is contained beneath the at least one first conductive contact by seals in the lumen at either end of the at least one first conductive contact.

11. The lead of claim 1, wherein adhesively coupling the first conductive contact to the at least one associated conductor comprises at least one of mechanically coupling the first conductive contact to the at least one associated conductor or electrically coupling the first conductive contact to the at least one associated conductor.

12. The lead of claim 1, wherein the lead body is isodiametric.

13. The lead of claim 1, wherein the at least one associated conductor is one of cylindrical shaped or C-shaped.

14. An electrical stimulating system comprising:

a lead body with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal length;

a plurality of conductive contacts disposed at the distal end and the proximal end of the lead body, the plurality of conductive contacts comprising

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

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

wherein at least one of the conductive contacts is a first conductive contact that comprises at least one adhesive aperture defined between an inner surface and an outer surface of the at least one conductive contact;

a plurality of conductors, each conductor electrically coupling at least one of the electrodes to at least one of the terminals, wherein each first conductive contact has at least one of the conductors associated, and electrically coupled, to that first conductive contact;

an adhesive disposed in proximity to the at least one adhesive aperture of the at least one first conductive contact to adhesively couple the at least one first conductive contact to the at least one associated conductor;

a control module configured and arranged to electrically couple to the proximal end of the lead, the control module comprising

a housing, and

an electronic subassembly disposed in the housing; and

a connector for receiving the lead, the connector having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal length, the connector configured and arranged to receive the lead, the connector comprising

a connector housing defining a port at the distal end of the connector, the port configured and arranged for receiving the proximal end of the lead, and

a plurality of connector contacts disposed in the connector housing, the connector contacts configured and arranged to couple to at least one of the plurality of terminals disposed on the proximal end of the lead.

15. The electrical stimulating system of claim 14, further comprising a lead extension having a proximal end and a distal end, the connector disposed on the distal end of the lead extension.

16. The electrical stimulating system of claim 15, wherein the lead extension comprises:

a lead extension body with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal length;

a plurality of terminals disposed at the proximal end of the lead extension body, wherein at least one of the terminals is a first terminal that comprises at least one adhesive aperture defined between an inner surface and an outer surface of the at least one first terminal;

a plurality of conductors, each conductor electrically coupled to at least one of the terminals, wherein each first terminal has at least one of the conductors associated, and electrically coupled, to that first terminal; and

an adhesive disposed in proximity to the at least one adhesive aperture of the at least one first terminal to adhesively couple the at least one first terminal to the at least one associated conductor.

17. A method for forming an electrical stimulation lead, the method comprising:

coupling a plurality of spaced-apart conductive contacts to either end of a lead body, the conductive contacts separated from one another by spacers, the plurality of conductive contacts comprising electrodes disposed on a distal end of the lead body and a plurality of terminals disposed on a proximal end of the lead body, wherein at least one of the conductive contacts is a first conductive contact that comprises at least one adhesive aperture defined between an inner surface and an outer surface of the at least one conductive contact;

electrically coupling the electrodes to the terminals via conductors, wherein at least one of the conductors is associated, and electrically coupled, to the at least one first conductive contact; and

dispensing an adhesive over the at least one adhesive aperture to adhesively couple the at least one first connective contact to the at least one associated conductor.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein electrically coupling the at least one first conductive contact to the at least one associated conductor comprises extending the conductor through a lumen defined in the lead body.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein coupling a plurality of spaced-apart conductive contacts to either end of the lead body further comprises reflowing the conductive contacts and adjacent spacers together such that the lumen seals on either end of the conductive contact to which the conductor is electrically coupled.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein dispensing an adhesive over the at least one adhesive aperture comprises dispensing the adhesive through the at least on adhesive aperture into the lead body.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein dispensing an adhesive over the at least one adhesive aperture comprises dispensing the adhesive into a recess formed in the at least one adhesive aperture.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising grinding the at least one first conductive contact to remove at least some adhesive from the outer surface of the at least one first conductive contact.