ESTABLISHING CONTINUITY BETWEEN A SHIELD WITHIN AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL LEAD AND A SHIELD WITHIN AN IMPLANTABLE LEAD EXTENSION
First Claim
1. A method of shielding an apparatus comprising an implantable lead coupled to an implantable lead extension, the method comprising:
- providing a non-conductive housing at a distal end of the implantable lead extension that includes an opening, a connector within the opening, and an RF pathway from the connector to a shield within the implantable lead extension, the further including stimulation connectors with the connector being distal of the stimulation connectors;
providing a shield electrode on a proximal end of the implantable lead that has an RF pathway to a shield within the implantable lead; and
inserting the proximal end of the implantable lead into the opening to establish contact between the connector of the implantable lead extension and the shield electrode of the implantable lead.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Implantable medical leads and implantable lead extensions include a shield. The implantable medical lead is coupled to the implantable lead extension. Stimulation electrodes of the implantable medical lead contact stimulation connectors within a housing of the implantable extension to establish a conductive pathway for stimulation signals from filars of the implantable extension to filars of the implantable medical lead. Continuity is established between the shield of the implantable medical lead and the implantable extension by providing a radio frequency conductive pathway within the housing. The radio frequency conductive pathway extends from a shield of the implantable extension to a shield connector that contacts a shield electrode of the implantable medical lead. The radio frequency conductive pathway may have various forms such as a jumper wire or an extension of the shield within the implantable extension.
33 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of shielding an apparatus comprising an implantable lead coupled to an implantable lead extension, the method comprising:
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providing a non-conductive housing at a distal end of the implantable lead extension that includes an opening, a connector within the opening, and an RF pathway from the connector to a shield within the implantable lead extension, the further including stimulation connectors with the connector being distal of the stimulation connectors; providing a shield electrode on a proximal end of the implantable lead that has an RF pathway to a shield within the implantable lead; and inserting the proximal end of the implantable lead into the opening to establish contact between the connector of the implantable lead extension and the shield electrode of the implantable lead. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An implantable medical apparatus, comprising:
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an implantable lead extension comprising a non-conductive housing at a distal end of the implantable lead extension that includes an opening, a connector within the opening, and an RF pathway from the connector to a shield within the implantable lead extension, the pathway comprising the shield extended through the housing to contact the connector; and an implantable lead comprising a shield electrode on a proximal end of the implantable lead that has an RF pathway to a shield within the implantable lead, the implantable lead being positioned within the opening so that the connector of the implantable lead extension contacts the shield electrode of the implantable lead. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An implantable lead extension, comprising:
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an extension jacket; a shield within the extension jacket; and a non-conductive housing at a distal end of the extension jacket that includes an opening, a connector within the opening, and an RF pathway from the connector to the shield, the housing comprising a first layer of non-conductive material, with the RF pathway from the connector to the shield being outside of the first layer of non-conductive material and a second layer of non-conductive material that surrounds the RF pathway and the first layer of non-conductive material. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification