IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL LEAD HAVING PASSIVE LOCK MECHANICAL BODY TERMINATIONS

• US 20110009934A1
• Filed: 07/13/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Conger, Steven R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,033 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 1/0558 Anchoring or fixation means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/057 Anchoring means; Means for fixing the head inside the heart
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an implantable medical lead configured to receive a stylet. The lead may include a tubular body and a structure. The tubular body may include a distal end and a proximal end. The body may be configured to receive the stylet. The structure longitudinally may extend through the body between the distal end and the proximal end. The structure may be anchored within the body such that a tensile force arising within the body by the stylet being extended through the body causes the tensile force to be substantially carried by the structure.

Claims

1. An implantable medical lead configured to receive a stylet, the lead comprising:

a tubular body including a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen longitudinally extending through the tubular body between the proximal end and the distal end and configured to receive the stylet;

a stylet stop coupled to the body near the distal end;

a most distal electrode coupled to the body proximal the stylet stop;

a lead connector end coupled to the body near the proximal end and including at least one electrical contact; and

a conductor proximally beginning at the lead connector end and extending through the body and mechanically connecting to the stylet stop, wherein the conductor places the electrical contact in electrical communication with the most distal electrode.

2. The lead of claim 1, wherein conductor extends along a lateral side of the stylet stop.

3. The lead of claim 2, wherein a distal end of the conductor is at least one of generally even with a distal end of the stylet stop.

4. The lead of claim 1, wherein a proximal end of the stylet stop is distal of a distal end of the most distal electrode.

5. The lead of claim 1, wherein the conductor includes an electrically conductive core and an electrical insulation jacket.

6. The lead of claim 1, further comprising a grooved member including a groove defined in an outer surface of the member, wherein the conductor is received in the groove and the member extends from a distal end of the lead connector end.

7. The lead of claim 6, wherein the groove is helically routed along the outer surface.

8. The lead of claim 6, wherein the member is at least one of cylindrically shaped and distally tapering.

9. The lead of claim 1, wherein the conductor is at least one of a solid wire conductor and a cable conductor.

10. The lead of claim 1, wherein the conductor is a wall conductor and at least one of helically routed and straight routed.

11. An implantable medical lead comprising:

a longitudinally extending body;

a stylet stop in the body;

an electrode mounted on the lead body; and

an electrical conductor extending through a wall of the body, directly mechanically connected to the stylet stop, and in electrical communication with the electrode.

12. The lead of claim 11, wherein the conductor includes an electrically conductive core and an electrical insulation jacket.

13. The lead of claim 11, wherein the electrode is a most distal electrode and the stylet stop is distal of the electrode.

14. The lead of claim 11, wherein the stylet stop includes an outer shell and the conductor is directly mechanically connected to the outer shell via a heat shrink layer.

15. The lead of claim 14, wherein the stylet stop further includes an insert portion received in the shell and configured to be engaged by a distal end of a stylet.

16. The lead of claim 14, wherein an outer surface of the shell is threaded.

17. The lead of claim 14, wherein an insulation layer of the body extends between an outer surface of the shell and an inner surface of the heat shrink layer.

18. The lead of claim 11, further comprising a grooved member including a groove defined in an outer surface of the member, wherein the conductor is received in the groove and the member is near a proximal end of the body.

19. The lead of claim 18, further comprising a lead connector end on a proximal end of the lead, wherein the member extends from a distal end of the lead connector end.

20. The lead of claim 18, wherein the groove is helically routed along the outer surface.

21. The lead of claim 18, wherein the member is at least one of cylindrically shaped and distally tapering.

22. The lead of claim 11, wherein the conductor is at least one of a solid wire conductor and a cable conductor.

23. The lead of claim 11, wherein the conductor is at least one of helically routed and straight routed.

24. An implantable medical lead configured to receive a stylet, the lead comprising:

a tubular body including a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the body is configured to receive the stylet; and

a structure longitudinally extending through a wall of the body between the distal end and the proximal end, wherein the structure is anchored within the body such that a tensile force arising within the body by the stylet being extended through the body causes the tensile force to be substantially carried by the structure.

25. The lead of claim 24, wherein the structure includes a lumen.

26. The lead of claim 25, wherein the lumen includes a polymer.

27. The lead of claim 26, wherein the body further includes an insulation layer forming the wall and the polymer is different from a material forming the insulation layer.

28. The lead of claim 24, wherein the structure is a conductor.

29. The lead of claim 28, wherein the conductor includes at least one of a conductive core and an insulation jacket.

30. The lead of claim 24, further comprising at least one of a stylet stop near the distal end and a grooved member near the proximal end.

31. The lead of claim 30, wherein the structure is directly mechanically connected to the stylet stop and is routed along a groove of the grooved member.

32. A method of assembling an implantable medical lead, the method comprising:

providing a tubular insulation layer;

routing an electrical conductor through the insulation layer; and

inserting a stylet stop into a distal end of the insulation layer such that the conductor is positioned between the insulation layer and the stylet stop.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising causing the stylet stop to be threaded into the insulation layer.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising applying a heat shrink layer around a portion of the insulation layer extending around the stylet stop.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising providing a grooved member in a proximal end of the insulation layer and routing the conductor along a groove extending along the member.