SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISPOSING ONE OR MORE LAYERS OF MATERIAL BETWEEN LEAD CONDUCTOR SEGMENTS OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION SYSTEMS

• US 20110046706A1
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: McDonald, Matthew Lee, Venook, Ross Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,406,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/086 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] compatible leads
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 Assembling terminal to elongated conductor

Abstract

An implantable lead includes a lead body having a plurality of electrodes disposed on a distal end, a plurality of terminals disposed on a proximal end, and a plurality of conductors, each conductor electrically coupling at least one of the electrodes to at least one of the terminals. At least one of the conductors includes at least one unit having a multi-layer region of overlapping conductor segments. The unit including a first conductor segment extending 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 from the second position to an endpoint. The first position is between the second position and the endpoint. The second position is between the beginning point and the first position. An interlayer material is disposed between the overlapping conductor segments of the at least one multi-layer region.

Claims

1. An implantable lead comprising:

a lead body 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; and

a plurality of conductors, 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 at least one unit comprising a multi-layer region of overlapping conductor segments, the at least one unit comprising

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

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

a third conductor segment extending along the lead body from the second position to an endpoint, wherein the first position is between the second position and the endpoint, and the second position is between the beginning point and the first position, and

an interlayer material disposed between the overlapping conductor segments of the at least one multi-layer region.

2. The lead of claim 1, wherein the interlayer material is configured and arranged to alter at least one of capacitance or inductance of the lead.

3. The lead of claim 1, wherein a conductor insulation is disposed over at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of conductors, the conductor insulation disposed between the conductor and the interlayer material.

4. The lead of claim 1, wherein the interlayer material is formed from a flowable material that is configured and arranged to set or cross-link when cooled after flowing.

5. The lead of claim 1, wherein each of the conductor segments is coiled.

6. The lead of claim 1, wherein a physical composition of the interlayer material varies along the longitudinal length of the lead body.

7. The lead of claim 1, further comprising a conductor placement sleeve disposed in the lead body and extending along at least a portion of the lead body, wherein the plurality of conductors are disposed over the conductor placement sleeve.

8. The lead of claim 7, further comprising a second interlayer material disposed between the conductor placement sleeve and the overlapping conductor segments of the multi-layer region.

9. The lead of claim 8, wherein the unit comprises at least one single-layer region of non-overlapping conductor segments.

10. The lead of claim 9, wherein the second interlayer material is disposed between the conductor placement sleeve and the non-overlapping conductor segments of the single-layer region.

11. The lead of claim 1, wherein the interlayer material comprises at least one of silicone elastomer, a thermoplastic polymer, a composite material, a doped material, a thermoset polymer, or a foam.

12. An electrical stimulating system comprising:

a lead 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, 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 at least one unit comprising a multi-layer region of overlapping conductor segments, the at least one unit comprising a first conductor segment extending along the lead from a beginning point to a first position,

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

a third conductor segment extending along the lead from the second position to an endpoint, wherein the first position is between the second position and the endpoint, and the second position is between the beginning point and the first position, and

an interlayer material disposed between the overlapping conductor segments of the at least one multi-layer region;

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.

13. The electrical stimulating system of claim 12, wherein the connector is disposed on the control module.

14. The electrical stimulating system of claim 12, further comprising a lead extension having a proximal end and a distal end, the connector disposed on the distal end of the lead extension.

15. The electrical stimulating system of claim 14, wherein the proximal end of the lead extension is configured and arranged for insertion into another connector.

16. The electrical stimulating system of claim 14, wherein the lead extension has a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal length, the lead extension comprising

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

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

a plurality of conductors, 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 at least one unit comprising a multi-layer region of overlapping conductor segments, the at least one unit comprising

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

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

a third conductor segment extending along the lead extension from the second position to an endpoint, wherein the first position is between the second position and the endpoint, and the second position is between the beginning point and the first position, and

an interlayer material disposed between the overlapping conductor segments of the at least one multi-layer region.

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

coiling a plurality of elongated conductors arranged in a single layer in a first direction from a beginning point to a first position to form a first conductor segment;

disposing a first layer of interlayer material over at least a portion of the first conductor segment;

coiling the plurality of elongated conductors over the first layer of interlayer material in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction from the first position to a second position to form a second conductor segment;

disposing a second layer of interlayer material over at least a portion of the second conductor segment;

coiling the plurality of elongated conductors over the second layer of interlayer material in the first direction from the second position to an endpoint to form a third conductor segment;

coupling a first end of each of the plurality of elongated conductors to an electrode; and

coupling a second end of each of the plurality of elongated conductors to a terminal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein coiling a plurality of elongated conductors arranged in a single layer in a first direction from a beginning point to a first position to form a first conductor segment comprises disposing the plurality of elongated conductors along at least a portion of a length of a conductor placement sleeve.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising disposing a third layer of interlayer material between the conductor placement sleeve and the first conductor segment.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first or second conductor segments and at least one of the first or second layers of interlayer material are formed by concurrently extending the first or second conductor segment and the corresponding first or second layer of interlayer material through a conductor winding head.