METHODS FOR MAKING LEADS WITH SEGMENTED ELECTRODES FOR ELECTRICAL STIMULATION SYSTEMS

• US 20120203321A1
• Filed: 02/08/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Moffitt, Michael Adam, Pianca, Anne Margaret, DiGiore, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/148
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/086 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] compatible leads
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36182 Direction of the electrical field, e.g. with sleeve around stimulating electrode

Abstract

One embodiment is a stimulation lead including a lead body comprising a longitudinal surface, a distal end, and a proximal end; and multiple electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body. The multiple electrodes include multiple segmented electrodes. At least a first portion of the lead body, proximal to the electrodes, is transparent or translucent and at least a second portion of the lead body, separating two or more of the segmented electrodes, is opaque so that the segmented electrodes separated by the second portion of the lead body are visually distinct. Alternatively or additionally, the stimulation lead can include an indicator ring, a stripe, a groove, or a marking aligned with one or more of the segmented electrodes.

Claims

1. A stimulation lead, comprising:

a lead body comprising a longitudinal surface, a distal end, and a proximal end; and

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body, the plurality of electrodes comprising a plurality of segmented electrodes;

wherein at least a first portion of the lead body, proximal to the plurality of electrodes, is transparent or translucent and at least a second portion of the lead body, separating two or more of the segmented electrodes, is opaque so that the segmented electrodes separated by the second portion of the lead body are visually distinct.

2. The stimulation lead of claim 1, wherein at least some of the segmented electrodes are formed into a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two of the segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a first longitudinal position along the lead, and a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two of the segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a second longitudinal position along the lead.

3. The stimulation lead of claim 2, wherein the second portion of the lead body comprises a region between at least two of the segmented electrodes of the first set of segmented electrodes.

4. The stimulation lead of claim 2, wherein the second portion of the lead body comprises a region between at least one of the segmented electrodes of the first set of segmented electrodes and at least one of the segmented electrodes of the second set of segmented electrodes.

5. The stimulation lead of claim 4, wherein the second portion of the lead body further comprises a region between at least two of the segmented electrodes of the first set of segmented electrodes.

6. The stimulation lead of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the lead body comprises a tip region at the distal end of the lead body.

7. The stimulation lead of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes further comprises at least one ring electrode.

8. The stimulation lead of claim 7, wherein at least some of the segmented electrodes are formed into a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two of the segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a first longitudinal position along the lead, and a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two of the segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a second longitudinal position along the lead and wherein the second portion of the lead body comprises a region between the first set of segmented electrodes and a one of the at least one ring electrode.

9. The stimulation lead of claim 7, wherein the at least one ring electrode comprises a first ring electrode located distal to the plurality of segmented electrodes and a second ring electrode located proximal to the plurality of segmented electrodes, wherein the second portion of the lead body comprises a region between the first ring electrode and the second ring electrode.

10. The stimulation lead of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the lead body comprises a region proximal to the plurality of electrodes.

11. A stimulation lead, comprising:

a lead body comprising a longitudinal surface, a distal end, and a proximal end;

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body, the plurality of electrodes comprising a plurality of segmented electrodes; and

an indicator ring disposed distal to the plurality of electrodes and marked to indicate a one of the segmented electrodes.

12. The stimulation lead of claim 11, wherein the plurality of electrodes further comprises at least one ring electrode.

13. A stimulation lead, comprising:

a lead body comprising a longitudinal surface, a distal end, and a proximal end;

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body, the plurality of electrodes comprising a plurality of segmented electrodes, at least some of the segmented electrodes formed into a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two of the segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a first longitudinal position along the lead, and a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two of the segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a second longitudinal position along the lead, wherein the first and second sets of segmented electrodes are adjacent to each other and aligned with each other; and

a stripe extending along at least a distal portion of the lead body and aligned with a one of the segmented electrodes in each of the first and second sets of segmented electrodes.

14. The stimulation lead of claim 13, wherein the stripe extends from a distal end of the lead body.

15. The stimulation lead of claim 14, wherein the stripe extends from the distal end to a most proximal one of the plurality of electrodes.

16. The stimulation lead of claim 15, wherein the stripe extends only between the plurality of electrodes.

17. The stimulation lead of claim 13, wherein the strip is disposed proximal to the plurality of electrodes.

18. A stimulation lead, comprising:

a lead body comprising a longitudinal surface, a distal end, and a proximal end;

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body, the plurality of electrodes comprising a plurality of segmented electrodes, at least some of the segmented electrodes formed into a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two of the segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a first longitudinal position along the lead, and a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two of the segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a second longitudinal position along the lead, wherein the first and second sets of segmented electrodes are adjacent to each other and aligned with each other; and

a groove formed in the lead body and extending along at least a distal portion of the lead body, wherein the groove is aligned with a one of the segmented electrodes in each of the first and second sets of segmented electrodes.

19. The stimulation lead of claim 18, wherein the groove extends from a distal end of the lead body.

20. The stimulation lead of claim 19, wherein the groove extends from the distal end to a most proximal one of the plurality of electrodes.

21. A stimulation lead, comprising:

a lead body comprising a longitudinal surface, a distal end, and a proximal end;

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body, the plurality of electrodes comprising a plurality of segmented electrodes, at least some of the segmented electrodes formed into a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two of the segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a first longitudinal position along the lead, and a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two of the segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a second longitudinal position along the lead, wherein the first and second set of segmented electrodes are adjacent to each other and aligned with each other; and

a marking disposed at or near the distal end of the lead body and distal to all of the plurality of electrodes, wherein the marking is aligned with a one of the segmented electrodes in each of the first and second sets of segmented electrodes.