NEUROSTIMULATION LEAD AND SYSTEM AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING

• US 20110034970A1
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Barker, John Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/535,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20110034970A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes

Abstract

A lead includes an outer tube body, an inner tube body, conductors, and electrodes. A portion of the inner tube body may be disposed in the outer tube body lumen. The conductors are optionally partially disposed within the inner tube body lumen, wherein a distal end of each conductor extends beyond a distal end of the inner tube body. Each electrode is optionally coupled to a conductor. The outer tube body may be slideable over the inner tube body between a first position in which the conductors and electrodes are disposed in the outer tube body lumen and a second position in which the outer tube body is partially retracted to expose the conductors and electrodes. The lead is optionally configured and arranged such that at least a portion of the inner tube body remains disposed in the outer tube body lumen after completion of implantation of the lead.

Claims

1. A lead comprising:

an outer tube body defining a lumen extending through the outer tube body;

an inner tube body defining a lumen extending through the inner tube body, wherein at least a portion of the inner tube body is disposed in the lumen of the outer tube body;

a plurality of conductors partially disposed within the lumen of the inner tube body, wherein a distal end of each of the conductors extends beyond a distal end of the inner tube body; and

a plurality of electrodes, wherein each electrode is coupled to a one of the conductors,

wherein the outer tube body is slideable over the inner tube body between a first position in which the conductors and the electrodes are disposed in the lumen of the outer tube body and a second position in which the outer tube body is partially retracted to expose the conductors and electrodes,

and wherein the lead is configured and arranged such that at least a portion of the inner tube body remains disposed in the lumen of the outer tube body after completion of implantation of the lead in a patient.

2. The lead of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductors are arranged in a circular array within the lumen of the inner tube body.

3. The lead of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductors are electrically insulated from each other.

4. The lead of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of conductors extend substantially along the length of the lumen of the inner tube body.

5. The lead of claim 1, wherein the inner tube body has no openings except for the openings for the lumen.

6. The lead of claim 1, wherein at least one electrode is cylindrical in shape.

7. The lead of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conductors have different lengths such that the electrodes are disposed in a staggered and non-overlapping position within the lumen of the outer tube body when the outer tube body is disposed in the first position.

8. The lead of claim 1, wherein the outer tube body comprises at least one locking member, wherein the locking member is configured and arranged to maintain the outer tube body in either the first position or the second position.

9. The lead of claim 1, wherein the lead is configured and arranged to be implanted through a hypodermic needle.

10. The lead of claim 8, wherein the inner tube body comprises at least one locking member and wherein the locking members cooperate to maintain an axial position of the outer tube body.

11. A stimulation system comprising:

an implantable pulse generator; and

a lead coupled to the implantable pulse generator, wherein the lead comprises;

an outer tube body defining a lumen extending through the outer tube body;

an inner tube body defining a lumen extending through the inner tube body, wherein at least a portion of the inner tube body is disposed in the lumen of the outer tube body;

a plurality of conductors partially disposed within the lumen of the inner tube body, wherein a distal end of each of the conductors extends beyond a distal end of the inner tube body; and

a plurality of electrodes, wherein each electrode is coupled to a one of the conductors,

wherein the outer tube body is slideable over the inner tube body between a first position in which the conductors and the electrodes are disposed in the lumen of the outer tube body and a second position in which the outer tube body is partially retracted to expose the conductors and electrodes,

and wherein the lead is configured and arranged such that at least a portion of the inner tube body remains disposed in the lumen of the outer tube body after completion of implantation of the lead in a patient.

12. The stimulation system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of electrodes are cylindrical in shape.

13. The stimulation system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of conductors have different lengths such that the electrodes are disposed in a staggered and non-overlapping position within the lumen of the outer tube body when the outer tube body is disposed in the first position.

14. The stimulation system of claim 11, wherein the outer tube body comprises at least one locking member, wherein the locking member is configured and arranged to maintain the outer tube body in either the first position or the second position.

15. The stimulation system of claim 11, wherein both the outer tube body and the inner tube body comprise at least one locking member, and wherein the locking members cooperate to maintain the outer tube body in either the first position or the second position.

16. A method of implanting a lead, comprising:

implanting a lead into a patient, wherein the lead comprises an outer tube body defining a lumen extending through the outer tube body;

an inner tube body defining a lumen extending through the inner tube body, wherein at least a portion of the inner tube body is disposed in the lumen of the outer tube body;

a plurality of conductors partially disposed within the lumen of the inner tube body, wherein a distal end of each of the conductors extends beyond a distal end of the inner tube body; and

a plurality of electrodes, wherein each electrode is coupled to a one of the conductors, wherein the outer tube body is disposed in a first position in which each of the plurality of conductors and each of the plurality of electrodes are disposed in the lumen of the outer tube body; and

partially retracting the outer tube body to expose at least one electrode coupled to at least one conductor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein implanting the lead comprises implanting the lead into the patient through a hypodermic needle.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising disposing the lead in the hypodermic needle, inserting the hypodermic needle into the patient adjacent to a tissue to be stimulated, implanting the lead from the hypodermic needle into the tissue of the patient, and then withdrawing the hypodermic needle from the patient.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the outer tube body comprises at least one locking member and wherein before the lead is implanted into the patient, the locking member is engaged to maintain an axial position of the outer tube body with respect to the inner tube body such that the plurality of electrodes remain disposed within the lumen of the outer tube body during implantation of the lead.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the outer tube body comprises at least one locking member and wherein after the outer tube body is retracted to expose at least one electrode, the locking member is engaged to maintain an axial position of the outer tube body with respect to the inner tube body.