EMBEDDED FIXATION DEVICES OR LEADS

• US 20160361535A1
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Published: 12/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Micron Devices LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Devices LLC
• Inventors: Al-Kaisy, Adnan, Perryman, Laura Tyler, Andresen, Chad David
• Application Number:
  US15/178,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20160361535A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0556 Cuff electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0558 Anchoring or fixation means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A wireless neural stimulator device can include: a housing configured to house: a first antenna configured to receive, from a second antenna and through electrical radiative coupling, an input signal containing electrical energy, the second antenna being physically separate from the wireless neural stimulator device; one or more flexible circuits electrically connected to the first antenna, the flexible circuits configured to create the one or more electrical pulses suitable to be applied at the electrodes using the electrical energy contained in the input signal and supply the one or more electrical pulses to one or more electrodes; one or more electrodes disposed on the housing, the one or more electrodes being coupled to the flexible circuits to receive the one or more electrical pulses supplied by the one or more flexible circuits; one or more fixation features disposed on the housing and configured to fixate the device to tissue.

Claims

1. A wireless neural stimulator device comprising:

a housing configured to house;

a first antenna configured to receive, from a second antenna and through electrical radiative coupling, an input signal containing electrical energy, the second antenna being physically separate from the wireless neural stimulator device;

one or more flexible circuits electrically connected to the first antenna, the flexible circuits configured to create the one or more electrical pulses suitable to be applied at the electrodes using the electrical energy contained in the input signal and supply the one or more electrical pulses to one or more electrodes;

one or more electrodes disposed on the housing, the one or more electrodes being coupled to the flexible circuits to receive the one or more electrical pulses supplied by the one or more flexible circuits

one or more fixation features disposed on the housing and configured to fixate the device to tissue.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the one or more fixation features include a cuff formed from a porous material that promotes tissue in-growth.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the one or more fixation features include a surface feature configured to promote tissue adhesion

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the surface feature includes an altered surface area that is increased relative to the surface area of other portions of the housing.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the surface feature includes spirals or dimples.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the one or more fixation features include a tine band.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the tine band includes a hub with a central opening and one or more tines extending radially from the hub and forming an acute angle with respect to a central axis passing through a center of the opening of the hub.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the tines are resilient.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are spaced from the first antenna such that, when the device is implanted in a patient in a position to stimulate a dorsal root ganglion or exiting nerves of the spinal cord, the first antenna is surrounded by fatty tissue.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrodes and the first antenna are spaced such that, when the device is implanted in a patient in a position to stimulate the sacral nerve, the first antenna is substantially parallel to a surface of a back of the patient.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are configured for monopolar stimulation.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the electrodes include multiple electrodes disposed at a distal end of the housing and a remote electrode disposed at the proximal end of the housing, the remote electrode configured as an anode for monopolar stimulation.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless neural stimulator device includes one or more fixation features disposed on a housing of the wireless neural stimulator device, the one or more fixation features configured to fixate the device to tissue.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the one or more fixation features include a cuff formed from a porous material that promotes tissue in-growth.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the one or more fixation features include a surface feature configured to promote tissue adhesion

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more fixation features include a tine band.

13. A method comprising:

implanting a wireless neural stimulator device underneath a patient'"'"'s skin without suturing the wireless neural stimulator to tissue.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein implanting the wireless neural stimulator device underneath a patient'"'"'s skin without suturing the wireless neural stimulator to tissue comprises:

making a surgical incision on the patient'"'"'s skin;

inserting the wireless neural stimulator device through the incision;

advancing the wireless neural stimulator device underneath the patient'"'"'s skin to a target site;

closing the incision without suturing the wireless neural stimulator device to tissue.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein inserting the wireless neural stimulator device through the incision comprises:

inserting an introducer through the surgical incision and underneath the patient'"'"'s; and

inserting the wireless neural stimulator device through an inner lumen of the introducer.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising withdrawing the introducer from the surgical incision after advancing the wireless neural stimulator device underneath the patient'"'"'s skin to the target site.