SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AN AUXILIARY ELECTRICAL CONNECTION ALONG AN ELECTRICAL STIMULATION SYSTEM

• US 20180369596A1
• Filed: 06/25/2018
• Published: 12/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2017
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Funderburk, Jeffery Van
• Application Number:
  US16/017,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20180369596A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/048 Electrodes characterised by a specific connection between lead and electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0488 Details about the lead
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/08 Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3606 adapted for a particular treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36062 Spinal stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37241 providing test stimulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3727 characterised by the modulation technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement

Abstract

An electrical stimulation lead or lead extension with a body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a longitudinal length. Distal contacts are disposed along the distal portion of the body; terminals are disposed along the proximal portion of the body; and conductors electrically couple the terminals to the distal contacts. An auxiliary terminal includes an electrically-conductive material and is disposed along the proximal portion of the body. An antenna is attached to the auxiliary terminal and extends along the longitudinal length of the electrical stimulation lead or lead extension no more than 10 cm.

Claims

1. An electrical stimulation lead or lead extension, comprising:

a body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a longitudinal length;

a plurality of distal contacts disposed along the distal portion of the body;

a plurality of terminals disposed along the proximal portion of the body;

a plurality of conductors electrically coupling the plurality of terminals to the plurality of distal contacts;

an auxiliary terminal comprising an electrically-conductive material and disposed along the proximal portion of the body; and

an antenna attached to the auxiliary terminal and extending along the longitudinal length of the body by no more than 10 cm.

2. The electrical stimulation lead or lead extension of claim 1, wherein the antenna terminates within the body.

3. The electrical stimulation lead or lead extension of claim 1, wherein the antenna does not attach to any of the plurality of distal contacts.

4. The electrical stimulation lead or lead extension of claim 1, wherein the antenna is configured to receive data at frequencies no less than 1 GHz and no greater than 10 GHz.

5. The electrical stimulation lead or lead extension of claim 1, wherein the antenna extends along the longitudinal length of the body by no more than 5 cm.

6. The electrical stimulation lead or lead extension of claim 1, wherein the plurality of distal contacts comprises lead-extension contacts disposed in a connector of a lead extension configured and arranged to couple with an electrical stimulation lead.

7. The electrical stimulation lead or lead extension of claim 1, wherein the plurality of distal contacts comprises electrodes disposed along an electrical stimulation lead.

8. An electrical stimulation system comprising:

the electrical stimulation lead or lead extension of claim 1; and

a control module coupleable with the electrical stimulation lead or lead extension, the control module comprising

a housing,

an electronic subassembly disposed in the housing,

a connector disposed in the housing and configured and arranged to receive a portion of the electrical stimulation lead or lead extension, the connector comprising a connector lumen and a plurality of connector contacts arranged along the connector lumen and electrically coupled to the electronic subassembly, and

an auxiliary connector contact disposed in the connector along the connector lumen and electrically coupled to the electronic subassembly, the auxiliary connector contact comprising a retention assembly formed, at least in part, from an electrically-conductive material and configured and arranged to physically engage the auxiliary terminal of the lead or lead extension to facilitate retention of the received portion of the electrical stimulation lead or lead extension in the connector.

9. The electrical stimulation system of claim 8, further comprising a programmer configured and arranged to communicate stimulation parameters to the electronic subassembly at a programming frequency, wherein the antenna is designed to receive the stimulation parameters from the programmer at the programming frequency.

16. A method for stimulating patient tissue, the method comprising:

advancing a lead to a target stimulation location within a patient, the lead comprising a plurality of electrodes disposed along a distal portion of the lead, a plurality of terminals disposed along a proximal portion of the lead, a plurality of conductors electrically coupling the plurality of terminals to the plurality of electrodes, an auxiliary terminal comprising electrically-conductive material and disposed along the proximal portion of the lead, and an auxiliary conductor attached to the auxiliary terminal and extending along a longitudinal length of the lead;

coupling the lead to the control module claim 9 with the plurality of terminals electrically coupled to the plurality of connector contacts of the control module and the auxiliary terminal electrically coupled to the auxiliary connector contact of the control module; and

stimulating patient tissue using the plurality of electrodes.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising communicating stimulation parameters, using a programmer, to the electronic subassembly of the control module at a programming frequency, wherein the auxiliary conductor functions as an antenna designed to receive the stimulation parameters from the programmer at the programming frequency and provide the received stimulation parameters to the electronic subassembly.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising stimulating patient tissue using an auxiliary electrode disposed along the lead and electrically coupled to the auxiliary conductor.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising sensing electrical activity at the target stimulation location using an auxiliary electrode disposed along the lead and electrically coupled to the auxiliary conductor.

20. A method for stimulating patient tissue, the method comprising:

providing the electrical stimulation system of claim 8;

implanting the electrical stimulation lead or lead extension of the electrical stimulation system into a patient;

implanting the control module into the patient;

coupling the control module to the electrical stimulation lead or lead extension; and

delivering stimulation parameters to the control module through the antenna of the electrical stimulation lead or lead extension.

10. A control module of an electrical stimulation system, the control module comprising:

a housing;

an electronic subassembly disposed in the housing;

a connector disposed in the housing and configured and arranged to receive a portion of a lead or lead extension, the connector comprising a connector lumen and a plurality of connector contacts arranged along the connector lumen and electrically coupled to the electronic subassembly; and

an auxiliary connector contact disposed in the connector along the connector lumen and electrically coupled to the electronic subassembly, the auxiliary connector contact comprising a retention assembly formed, at least in part, from an electrically-conductive material and configured and arranged to physically engage the received portion of the lead or lead extension to facilitate retention of the received portion of the lead or lead extension in the connector.

11. The control module of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of interconnect wires electrically coupling the plurality of connector contacts to the electronic subassembly.

12. The control module of claim 10, further comprising an auxiliary interconnect wire electrically coupling the auxiliary connector contact to the electronic subassembly.

13. The control module of claim 12, wherein the auxiliary interconnect wire is shielded.

14. An electrical stimulation system comprising:

the control module of claim 10;

a lead coupleable to the control module, the lead comprising

a lead body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a longitudinal length;

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the distal portion of the lead body;

a plurality of terminals disposed along the proximal portion of the lead body;

a plurality of conductors electrically coupling the plurality of terminals to the plurality of electrodes;

an auxiliary terminal comprising an electrically-conductive material and disposed along the proximal portion of the lead body, the auxiliary terminal configured and arranged to electrically couple with the electronic subassembly;

an auxiliary electrode disposed along the lead body; and

an auxiliary conductor electrically coupling the auxiliary terminal to the auxiliary electrode.

15. The electrical stimulation system of claim 14, further comprising a lead extension configured and arranged to electrically couple the auxiliary terminal of the lead to the auxiliary connector contact of the control module.