Etched grooved electrode for pacing lead and method for making same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for making an implantable tip electrode member for use with a pacing lead, said method including the steps of:
- forming a tip electrode member from an electrically conductive material, said member having a proximal end and a round-in-cross-section distal end;
coating said distal end with a photosensitive material;
directing a light source against said distal end through a template having light passage means therein permitting passage of light therethrough, to create a pattern of light-exposed areas and a pattern of non-exposed or dark areas between said light-exposed areas on said distal end, said photosensitive material on said light-exposed areas being polymerized to an insoluble state thereby forming a protective coating on said light-exposed areas;
applying a first solvent to said tip electrode member, said first solvent removing said photosensitive material from said non-exposed areas of said tip member thereby leaving a pattern of light-exposed areas having said photosensitive material adhered thereto;
applying an etchant to said tip electrode member to etch a plurality of grooves in said non-exposed areas with said light-exposed areas being protected by said photosensitive material to form a plurality of ridges between said grooves;
arranging and locating said light passage means so that said plurality of grooves includes a first set of grooves comprising at least two grooves extending circumferentially around said generally round-in-cross-section distal end in generally parallel spaced planes and a second set of grooves comprising at least two grooves extending over said round-in-cross-section distal end in planes perpendicular to the planes of said first set of grooves; and
applying a second solvent to said tip electrode member to remove said photosensitive material from said light-exposed areas.
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Abstract
The tip electrode member has a rounded or bullet shaped distal end and has grooves etched into the distal end to increase the surface area of the electrode member within a small displaced surface area to minimize polarization of the tip electrode member while ensuring sufficient electric current flow to cause heart muscle depolarization. Preferably, the tip electrode member is made of titanium or a titanium alloy and is coated with carbon.
107 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for making an implantable tip electrode member for use with a pacing lead, said method including the steps of:
- forming a tip electrode member from an electrically conductive material, said member having a proximal end and a round-in-cross-section distal end;
coating said distal end with a photosensitive material;
directing a light source against said distal end through a template having light passage means therein permitting passage of light therethrough, to create a pattern of light-exposed areas and a pattern of non-exposed or dark areas between said light-exposed areas on said distal end, said photosensitive material on said light-exposed areas being polymerized to an insoluble state thereby forming a protective coating on said light-exposed areas;
applying a first solvent to said tip electrode member, said first solvent removing said photosensitive material from said non-exposed areas of said tip member thereby leaving a pattern of light-exposed areas having said photosensitive material adhered thereto;
applying an etchant to said tip electrode member to etch a plurality of grooves in said non-exposed areas with said light-exposed areas being protected by said photosensitive material to form a plurality of ridges between said grooves;
arranging and locating said light passage means so that said plurality of grooves includes a first set of grooves comprising at least two grooves extending circumferentially around said generally round-in-cross-section distal end in generally parallel spaced planes and a second set of grooves comprising at least two grooves extending over said round-in-cross-section distal end in planes perpendicular to the planes of said first set of grooves; and
applying a second solvent to said tip electrode member to remove said photosensitive material from said light-exposed areas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- forming a tip electrode member from an electrically conductive material, said member having a proximal end and a round-in-cross-section distal end;
- 13. An implantable tip electrode member made of an electrically conductive material and having a proximal end and a generally hemispherically shaped distal end, said generally hemispherically shaped distal end of said tip electrode member having a plurality of grooves in the surface thereof forming a plurality of ridges between said grooves to provide a large surface area within a small displaced surface area, said grooves including a first set of grooves comprising at least two grooves extending circumferentially around said generally hemispherically shaped distal end in generally parallel spaced planes, and a second set of grooves comprising at least two grooves extending over said hemispherically shaped distal end in planes which are perpendicular to the planes of said first set of grooves, thereby to minimize polymerization of the tip electrode member while ensuring sufficient current flow to cause heart muscle depolarization.
Specification