SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING SUPPORT ELEMENTS FOR ELONGATED MEMBERS OF IMPLANTABLE ELECTRIC STIMULATION SYSTEMS

• US 20110009932A1
• Filed: 07/08/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Howard, Joshua Dale, Pianca, Anne Margaret, McDonald, Matthew Lee
• Granted Patent: US 8,340,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• 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 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An implantable lead includes a lead body. A plurality of conductors are disposed within the lead body and electrically couple at least one electrode to at least one terminal. At least one of the conductors includes a plurality of units. Each of the units includes a first conductor segment extending along the lead body from a beginning point to a first position, a second conductor segment extending from the first position to a second position, and a third conductor segment extending along the elongated member from the second position to an endpoint. The conductor segments are arranged so as to form alternating single-coil regions and multi-coil regions. At least one support element is disposed along at least a portion of at least one of the single-coil regions and is configured and arranged to increase the stiffness of the at least one of the single-coil regions.

Claims

1. An implantable lead comprising:

a lead body comprising an outer layer and having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal length;

a plurality of electrodes disposed on the distal end of the lead body;

a plurality of terminals disposed on the proximal end of the lead body;

a plurality of conductors disposed within the outer layer of the lead body, each conductor electrically coupling at least one of the electrodes to at least one of the terminals, wherein at least one of the conductors comprises a plurality of units, each of the units comprising

a first conductor segment extending along the lead body from a beginning point to a first position,

a second conductor segment extending from the first position to a second position, and

a third conductor segment extending along the elongated member from the second position to an endpoint,

wherein the conductor segments are arranged so as to form alternating single-coil regions and multi-coil regions; and

at least one support element disposed along at least a portion of at least one of the single-coil regions, the at least one support element configured and arranged to increase stiffness of the at least one of the single-coil regions.

2. The lead of claim 1, wherein for each unit the single-coil regions extend from the beginning point to the second position and from the first position to the endpoint, and the multi-coil regions extend from the second position to the first position.

3. The lead of claim 1 further comprising a conductor placement sleeve extending along at least a portion of the lead body, wherein at least one of the conductor segments is wrapped around the conductor placement sleeve.

4. The lead of claim 3, wherein at least one of the support elements comprises a reinforced region of the conductor placement sleeve positioned beneath at least one of the single-coil regions.

5. The lead of claim 3, wherein at least one of the support elements is disposed over a portion of the conductor placement sleeve.

6. The lead of claim 1, wherein at least one of the support elements is disposed over a portion of at least one of the single-coil regions.

7. The lead of claim 1, wherein at least one of the support elements is disposed over the outer layer of the lead body at a location corresponding to one of the single-coil regions.

8. The lead of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of conductors comprises a plurality of units having aligned single-coil regions, wherein at least one of the at least one support element is disposed along at least a portion of each of the aligned single-coil regions.

9. The lead of claim 1, wherein the lead is isodiametric.

10. The lead of claim 1, wherein at least one of the support elements comprises at least one fluid-filled reservoir positioned around at least a portion of the single-coil region.

11. The lead of claim 1, wherein at least one of the support elements comprises at least one material that is flowable when applied to the conductor and configured and arranged to set or cross-link after flowing.

12. The lead of claim 1, further comprising at least one support element disposed over a region of the conductors adjacent to at least one of one of the plurality of electrodes or one of the plurality of terminals.

13. The lead of claim 1, wherein at least one of the support elements comprises a material that is at least one of braided, coiled, or formed as a mesh.

14. The lead of claim 13, wherein the material is encased in a polymer.

15. An electrical stimulating system comprising:

a lead comprising an outer layer and having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal length;

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

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

a plurality of conductors disposed within the outer layer of the lead, each conductor electrically coupling at least one of the electrodes to at least one of the terminals, wherein at least one of the conductors comprises a plurality of units, each of the units comprising

a first conductor segment extending along the lead from a beginning point to a first position,

a second conductor segment extending from the first position to a second position, and

a third conductor segment extending along the elongated member from the second position to an endpoint,

wherein the conductor segments are arranged so as to form alternating single-coil regions and multi-coil regions; and

at least one support element disposed along at least a portion of at least one of the single-coil regions, the at least one support element configured and arranged to increase stiffness of the at least one of the single-coil regions;

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 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.

16. The electrical stimulating system of claim 15, wherein the connector is disposed on the control module.

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

18. The electrical stimulating system of claim 17, wherein the proximal end of the lead extension is configured and arranged for insertion into another connector.

19. The electrical stimulating system of claim 17, wherein the lead extension comprises an outer layer and has a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal length, the lead extension comprising

a plurality of conductor contacts disposed on the distal end of the lead extension;

a plurality of terminals disposed on the proximal end of the lead extension;

a plurality of conductors, each conductor electrically coupling at least one of the conductor contacts to at least one of the terminals, wherein at least one of the conductors comprises a plurality of units, each of the units comprising

a first conductor segment extending along the lead extension from a beginning point to a first position,

a second conductor segment extending from the first position to a second position, and

a third conductor segment extending along the lead extension from the second position to an endpoint,

wherein the conductor segments are arranged so as to form alternating single-coil regions and multi-coil regions; and

at least one support element disposed along at least a portion of at least one of the single-coil regions, the at least one support element configured and arranged to increase stiffness of the at least one of the single-coil regions.

20. A method for forming an implantable lead, the method comprising:

forming an elongated conductor into a plurality of units, the plurality of units comprising

a first conductor segment extending in a first direction from a beginning point to a first position,

a second conductor segment extending in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction from the first position to a second position, and

a third conductor segment extending in the first direction from the second position to an endpoint,

wherein the conductor segments are arranged so as to form alternating single-coil regions and multi-coil regions along a length of the conductor;

disposing a support element along at least a portion of at least one of the single-coil regions to increase the stiffness of each of the at least one single-coil region;

disposing the conductor in an elongated outer layer;

coupling a first end of the conductor to an electrode; and

coupling a second end of the conductor to a terminal.