ACTUATABLE LEAD CONNECTOR FOR AN OPERATING ROOM CABLE ASSEMBLY AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING

• US 20190083793A1
• Filed: 09/14/2018
• Published: 03/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Nageri, Ranjan Krishna Mukhari
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36062 Spinal stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/371 Capture, i.e. successful stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37241 providing test stimulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/62 Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement

Abstract

An operating-room cable-assembly for an electrical-stimulation system includes a lead connector with a lead passageway defined in a housing. Contacts disposed in the housing engage terminals of a lead when the lead is operationally-inserted into the lead passageway. A first biased tab is disposed in a first tab lumen defined in the housing. The first biased tab has a first end exposed to an outer surface of the housing and an opposing second end exposed to the lead passageway. The first biased tab moves to an unlock position and is biased to return to a lock position. When in the lock position, the first biased tab is biased to exert a force against an inserted lead sufficient to resist axial movement of the lead relative to the lead connector.

Claims

1. An operating room cable assembly for an electrical stimulation system, the operating room cable assembly comprising:

a lead connector comprising

a housing having an outer surface, a first end, and an opposing second end,

a lead passageway open at the first end of the housing and extending inwardly towards the second end of the housing,

a plurality of connector contacts disposed in the housing and exposed to the lead passageway, wherein the connector contacts are configured and arranged to engage terminals disposed along a lead or lead extension when the lead or lead extension is operationally inserted into the lead passageway,

a first tab lumen defined along the outer surface of the housing and extending inwardly to the lead passageway, and

a first biased tab disposed in the first tab lumen, the first biased tab having a first end exposed to the outer surface of the housing and an opposing second end exposed to the lead passageway, the first biased tab configured and arranged to move to an unlock position and biased to return to a lock position, wherein, when in the lock position, the first biased tab is biased to exert a force against a lead or lead extension inserted into the lead passageway, the exerted force sufficient to resist axial movement of the lead or lead extension relative to the lead connector.

2. The operating room cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising an elongated body coupled to, and extending from, the lead connector and comprising a plurality of conductors, wherein each of the conductors is coupled to at least one of the connector contacts.

3. The operating room cable assembly of claim 2, further comprising a trial stimulator connector coupled to the elongated body and comprising at least one contact coupled to the plurality of conductors of the elongated body.

4. The operating room cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a stylet lumen open at the second end of the housing and extending to the lead passageway.

5. The operating room cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the first biased tab is pivotally coupled to the housing.

6. The operating room cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one spring disposed between the first biased tab and the housing and configured and arranged to bias the first biased tab to the lock position.

7. The operating room cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the lead connector further comprises

a second tab lumen defined along the outer surface of the housing opposite to the first tab lumen and extending inwardly to the lead passageway;

and

a second biased tab disposed in the second tab lumen, the second biased tab having a first end exposed to the outer surface of the housing and an opposing second end exposed to the lead passageway, the second biased tab configured and arranged to move to an unlock position and biased to return to a lock position, wherein, when in the lock position, the second biased tab is biased to exert a force against a lead or lead extension extending along the lead passageway, the exerted force sufficient to cause the lead or lead extension to resist axial movement relative to the lead connector.

8. The operating room cable assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and second tab lumens intersect with the lead passageway at a position between the first end of the housing and the plurality of connector contacts.

9. The operating room cable assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and second tab lumens intersect with the lead passageway along opposing sides of the lead passageway at a common position between the first end of the housing and the plurality of connector contacts.

10. The operating room cable assembly of claim 7, wherein the first biased tab is configured and arranged to move to the unlock position when the exposed first end is pressed and biased to return to a lock position when the first end is released.

11. The operating room cable assembly of claim 10, wherein the first biased tab is configured and arranged to move to the unlock position when a lead or lead extension is extended along the lead passageway without pressing the first end of the first biased tab.

12. The operating room cable assembly of claim 10, wherein the second biased tab is configured and arranged to move to the unlock position when the exposed first end of the second biased tab is pressed and biased to return to a lock position when the first end of the second biased tab is released, and wherein the first end of the first biased tab and the first end of the second biased tab are configured and arranged to be pressed concurrently.

13. The operating room cable assembly of claim 12, wherein the first end of the first biased tab and the first end of the second biased tab are configured and arranged to be pressed concurrently using a single hand of a user.

14. A trial stimulation system, comprising:

a trial stimulator; and

the operating room cable assembly of claim 1 coupleable, or coupled, to the trial stimulator.

15. The trial stimulation system of claim 14, further comprising a lead coupleable to the lead connector of the operating room cable assembly, the lead comprising a body with a distal portion and an opposing proximal portion.

16. The trial stimulation system of claim 15, wherein the lead defines a recess along the proximal portion of the body, the recess configured and arranged to receive the second end of the first biased tab of the lead connector of the operating room cable assembly when the lead is received by the lead passageway of the lead connector, and when the first biased tab is in the lock position.

17. The trial stimulation system of claim 15, further comprising a lead extension coupleable to the lead and the lead connector of the operating room cable assembly.

18. An insertion kit comprising:

the operating room cable assembly of claim 1; and

at least one electrical stimulation lead, each electrical stimulation lead having a distal portion and a proximal portion and comprising

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the distal portion of the electrical stimulation lead,

a plurality of terminals disposed along the proximal portion of the electrical stimulation lead, and

a plurality of conductors coupling the electrodes to the terminals,

wherein the proximal portion of the electrical stimulation lead is insertable into the lead connector of the operating room cable assembly.

19. A method for performing a trial stimulation on a patient, the method comprising:

providing the operating room cable assembly of claim 1;

advancing a distal portion of an electrical stimulation lead into the patient with a proximal portion of the electrical stimulation lead extending outward from the patient, wherein the distal portion of the electrical stimulation lead is advanced to a position where a plurality of electrodes disposed along the distal end portion of the electrical stimulation lead are in proximity to a target stimulation location; and

placing the proximal portion of the electrical stimulation lead into the lead connector of the operating room cable assembly.

20. A method for performing a trial stimulation on a patient, the method comprising:

providing the operating room cable assembly of claim 1;

advancing a distal portion of an electrical stimulation lead into the patient with a proximal portion of the electrical stimulation lead extending outward from the patient, wherein the distal portion of the electrical stimulation lead is advanced to a position where a plurality of electrodes disposed along the distal portion of the electrical stimulation lead are in proximity to a target stimulation location;

coupling the lead to a lead extension; and

placing a proximal portion of the lead extension into the lead connector of the operating room cable assembly.