IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL LEADS

• US 20150142090A1
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: van Venrooij, Paulus C., Duijsens, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 9,555,234 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 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36182 Direction of the electrical field, e.g. with sleeve around stimulating electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/32 electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49158 with molding of insulated base

Abstract

An assembly for a medical lead includes an elongated lead body, and a conductive element located at a distal portion of the lead body. The conductive element substantial!)′ encircles a longitudinal axis of the lead body. The assembly further includes a plurality of insulated conductors extending within the lead body, each of the insulated conductors being in electrical contact with the conductive element and extending to a proximal end of the lead body. Each of the insulated conductors contacts a different circumferential portion of the conductive element. The conductive element is configured to facilitate mechanical and electrical separation of different circumferential portions of the conductive element to form two or more electrode segments for the medical lead from the conductive element.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a medical lead comprising:

removing material from a conductive element to mechanically separate a plurality of circumferential portions of the conductive element from each other to form two or more electrode segments from the conductive element,

wherein the conductive element is part of an assembly, the assembly comprising;

an elongated lead body,

the conductive element, wherein the conductive element is located at a distal portion of the lead body, and wherein the conductive element substantially encircles a longitudinal axis of the lead body, and

a plurality of insulated conductors extending within the lead body, each of the insulated conductors being in electrical contact with the conductive element and extending to a proximal end of the lead body,

wherein each of the insulated conductors is electrically coupled to a different one of the plurality of circumferential portions of the conductive element before removing material from the conductive element, and

wherein each of the insulated conductors contacts a different one of the electrode segments after removing the material from the conductive element to form the electrode segments.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the assembly further includes a connector located at a proximal portion of the lead body, wherein each of the insulated conductors is in electrical contact with the conductive element and the connector.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

securing the conductive element within an elongated mold; and

injecting a polymeric material into the mold to form the elongated lead body.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the conductive element is configured to facilitate mechanical and electrical separation of different circumferential portions of the conductive element to form two or more electrode segments for the medical lead from the conductive element, and

wherein the different circumferential portions of the conductive element include portions configured to be removed alternating with the portions configured to form the electrode segments for the medical lead.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the portions configured to form the electrode segments for the medical lead are substantially congruent with an outer surface of the lead body, and wherein the portions configured to be removed extend outwardly beyond the outer surface of the lead body.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting the medical lead to a stimulation generator configured to deliver deep brain stimulation (DBS) to a patient via the medical lead.

7. An assembly for a medical lead comprising:

an elongated lead body;

a conductive element located at a distal portion of the lead body, wherein the conductive element substantially encircles a longitudinal axis of the lead body; and

a plurality of insulated conductors extending within the lead body, each of the insulated conductors being in electrical contact with the conductive element and extending to a proximal end of the lead body,

wherein each of the insulated conductors contacts a different one of a plurality of circumferential portions of the conductive element, and

wherein the conductive element is configured to facilitate mechanical and electrical separation of different circumferential portions of the conductive element to form two or more electrode segments for the medical lead from the conductive element.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the different circumferential portions of the conductive element include portions configured to be removed alternating with portions configured to form the electrode segments for the medical lead.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the portions configured to be removed and the portions configured to form the electrode segments for the medical lead are substantially congruent with an outer surface of the lead body, whereas the portions configured to be removed extend outwardly beyond the outer surface of the lead body.

10. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the portions configured to be removed define widths as measured in a longitudinal direction of the lead body that are substantially less than widths of the portions configured to form the electrode segments for the medical lead as measured in the longitudinal direction.

11. The assembly of claim 7, further comprising a connector located at the proximal end of the lead body, wherein each of the insulated conductors are in electrical contact with the conductive element and the connector.

12. A medical lead comprising:

an elongated lead body; and

an assembly including a set of two or more electrode segments coupled to at least one insulative element in a circular arrangement within the elongated lead body,

wherein each of the electrode segments includes an exposed outer surface.

13. The medical lead of claim 12,

wherein the at least one insulative element includes an electrode segment holder forming receptacles configured to receive the electrode segments, and

wherein protrusions of the electrode segments are positioned within the receptacles of the electrode segment holder.

14. The medical lead of claim 12,

wherein the electrode segments and the at least one insulative element form a ring arrangement, and

wherein the at least one insulative element is a unitary component that forms an internal surface of the ring arrangement and extends between the electrode segments.

15. The medical lead of claim 12,

wherein the electrode segments and the at least one insulative element form a ring arrangement, and

wherein the at least one insulative element includes a plurality of insulative elements, each of the plurality of insulative element extending between two adjacent electrode segments of the electrode segments in the ring arrangement.

16. A method of manufacturing a medical lead comprising:

coupling each of a set of two or more electrode segments to at least one insulative element;

securing the electrode segments and the at least one insulative element within an elongated mold, wherein the at least one insulative element combines with the mold to constrain the electrode segments in a circular arrangement at a common longitudinal position within the mold; and

injecting a polymeric material into the mold to form an elongated lead body, wherein, following the formation of the lead body, each of the electrode segments includes an exposed outer surface.

17. The method of claim 16,

wherein coupling each of the set of two or more electrode segments to at least one insulative element comprises forming an assembly including the set of two or more electrode segments and the at least one insulative element, and

wherein securing the electrode segments and the insulative element within the elongated mold comprises locating the assembly within the mold after forming the assembly.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein forming the assembly including the set of two or more electrode segments and the at least one insulative element comprises holding the electrode segments in the circular arrangement and overmolding the at least one insulative element on the electrode segments held in the circular arrangement.

19. The method of claim 16,

wherein coupling each of a set of two or more electrode segments to at least one insulative element comprises securing the electrode segments by assembling the electrode segments and the at least one insulative element into a ring arrangement, and

wherein the at least one insulative element is a unitary component that forms an internal surface of the ring arrangement and extends between the electrode segments.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

electrically connecting one of a plurality of conductors to each of the electrode segments before injecting the polymeric material into the mold to form the elongated lead body,

wherein after injecting the polymeric material into the mold to form the elongated lead body, each of the plurality of conductors extends from one of the electrode segments to a proximal end of the lead body.