METHODOLOGY AND APPARATUS TO TERMINATE ABANDONED ACTIVE IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE LEADS

• US 20100324639A1
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Frysz, Christine A., Dabney, Warren S., Brendel, Richard L., Stevenson, Robert A., Lardo, Albert C., Moschiano, Holly Noelle, Muffoletto, Barry C., Brainard, Scott, Truex, Buehl E., Johnson, Robert Shawn, Halperin, Henry R., Kondabatni, Kishore Kumar, Williams, Christopher Michael, Fleigle, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/374 NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/283 Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• 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 1/086 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] compatible leads
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3718 Monitoring of or protection against external electromagnetic fields or currents
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/285 Invasive instruments, e.g. catheters or biopsy needles, specially adapted for tracking, guiding or visualization by NMR

Abstract

An energy management system facilitates the transfer of high frequency energy coupled into an implanted abandoned lead at a selected RF frequency or frequency band, to an energy dissipating surface. This is accomplished by conductively coupling the implanted abandoned lead to the energy dissipating surface of an abandoned lead cap through an energy diversion circuit including one or more passive electronic network components whose impedance characteristics are at least partially tuned to the implanted abandoned lead'"'"'s impedance characteristics.

Claims

1. A system for terminating an abandoned implanted lead to minimize heating in a high power electromagnetic field environment, comprising:

an implanted abandoned lead having a proximal end and a distal end, and impedance characteristics at a selected RF frequency or frequency band;

an abandoned lead cap associated with the proximal end of the implanted abandoned lead, comprising an energy dissipating surface and a housing in which the proximal end of the implanted lead is disposed; and

an energy diversion circuit conductively coupling the implanted abandoned lead to the energy dissipating surface to facilitate transfer to the energy dissipating surface of high frequency energy induced on the implanted abandoned lead at the selected RF frequency or frequency band.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy diversion circuit comprises one or more passive electronic network components whose impedance characteristics are at least partially tuned to the implanted abandoned lead'"'"'s impedance characteristics.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the selected RF frequency or frequency band comprises an MRI frequency.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy diversion circuit has a reactance and is vectorially opposite to the characteristic reactance of the implanted lead.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy diversion circuit has a capacitive reactance generally equal and opposite to the characteristic inductive reactance of the implanted lead.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy diversion circuit comprises at least one series resonant LC trap filter.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy dissipating surface comprises convolutions or fins, for increasing the surface area thereof.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy dissipating surface comprises a plurality of spaced-apart energy dissipating surfaces.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy diversion circuit includes at least one non-linear circuit element.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy diversion circuit comprises a high pass filter.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the high pass filter prevents low frequency gradient field-induced energy in the implanted lead or the leadwire from passing through the diversion circuit to the energy dissipating surface.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the high pass filter comprises a capacitor.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy diversion circuit comprises a short to the energy dissipating surface.

14. The system of claim 1, including an RFID tag associated with the abandoned lead cap.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy dissipating surface comprises grade 5 or grade 23 titanium.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy dissipating surface includes one or more slots for reducing eddy current heating therein.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the implanted abandoned lead comprises an IS-1, IS-4 or DF-1 connector.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy diversion circuit comprises at least one discrete electronic network component taken from the group of an inductor, a capacitor, a resistor, a diode, or a pin diode.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the abandoned lead cap housing includes a seal which engages the lead to isolate the proximal end of the implanted abandoned lead from body fluid.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy dissipating surface comprises a material capable of being visualized during a magnetic resonance scan.