Subcutaneous sensing feedthrough/electrode assembly
First Claim
1. An IMD including at least one electrode incorporated into a feedthrough for electrical coupling with a circuit of the IMD to detect physiological signals, the electrode in combination with the feedthrough comprising:
- the electrode disposed in a ferrule conforming to a periphery of IMD;
insulator means between said electrode and said ferrule; and
electrical coupling means between said electrode and said circuit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Structures and methods relating to electrodes for incorporation into a feedthrough with a profile adapted for subcutaneous sensing of physiologic and cardiac signals. Electrode assemblies are adapted for integration with feedthrough to enable maximal electrode spacing, minimal myopotential electrical noise and provide reliable insulation from the IMD housing. Various structures and manufacturing processes are implemented to provide a large sensing surface with a low profile. The subcutaneous sensing electrode assembly provides a leadless sensing system and further enhances installation and follow-up procedures.
381 Citations
38 Claims
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1. An IMD including at least one electrode incorporated into a feedthrough for electrical coupling with a circuit of the IMD to detect physiological signals, the electrode in combination with the feedthrough comprising:
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the electrode disposed in a ferrule conforming to a periphery of IMD;
insulator means between said electrode and said ferrule; and
electrical coupling means between said electrode and said circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A sensing electrode system wherein one or more electrodes are disposed around the perimetric periphery of an implantable medical device (IMD), the sensing electrode system comprising:
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a first end integrated with a feedthrough conductor;
insulator means having an opening to encase a segment of said first end;
braze means to hermetically seal and integrally connect said first end with said insulator and said insulator with a ferrule; and
a second end forming a large surface area extending through said ferrule;
said first end being electrically coupled to a circuit in the IMD, said second end providing sensing to process physiologic signals obtained via said large surface area. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An implantable medical device (IMD) having a hermetically sealed housing having a housing outer wall exposed to the body and a housing inner wall enclosing sensing circuitry within said housing for processing electrical signals of the body detected between at least two sense electrodes supported by the housing, wherein;
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at least one sense electrode comprises a electrical feedthrough mounted to extend between said housing first side and said housing second side, said feedthrough comprising a ferrule having an inner ferrule surface extending between a ferrule first end and a ferrule second end, an electrically conductive feedthrough pin extending between a feedthrough pin first end and a feedthrough pin second end, and an electrical insulator extending between said feedthrough pin and said ferrule inner wall and supporting said feedthrough pin; and
further comprising;
means for mounting said ferrule wall first end to extend said feedthrough pin through said housing to expose said feedthrough pin first end to the body and to hermetically enclose said feedthrough pin second end within said housing; and
means for electrically coupling said feedthrough pin second end with said sensing circuitry thereby enabling said feedthrough pin first end to function as a first sense electrode operable in conjunction with a second sense electrode coupled with the sensing circuitry to enable sensing of electrical signals of the body. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
the ferrule first end is mounted flush with the outer housing wall and the ferrule second end extends within said housing; and
said insulator is mounted to extend between said ferrule inner wall within said housing and said feedthrough pin and supports the feedthrough pin first end recessed into the ferrule away from the ferrule first end.
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11. The IMD of claim 10, wherein in each feedthrough:
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the feedthrough pin has a pin diameter extending through said insulator; and
the feedthrough pin has an enlarged electrode diameter at the feedthrough pin first end providing an enlarged electrode surface area.
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12. The IMD of claim 10, wherein the feedthrough pin first end is subjected to a surface treatment selected from the group consisting of sintering, sputtering, plating, CVD and PVD.
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13. The IMD of claim 10, wherein the feedthrough further comprises a capacitive filter mounted between said ferrule and said feedthrough pin.
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14. The IMD of claim 10, wherein each feedthrough:
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the feedthrough ferrule is cylindrical in shape between the ferrule first end and the ferrule second end and has a ferrule diameter;
the feedthrough pin has an enlarged electrode diameter less than the ferrule diameter at the feedthrough pin first end forming an enlarged electrode surface area.
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15. The IMD of claim 14, wherein the enlarged electrode surface area is enhanced by a surface treatment selected from the group consisting of sintering, sputtering, plating, CVD and PVD.
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16. The IMD of claim 14, wherein the feedthrough further comprises a discoidal capacitive filter mounted between said ferrule inner wall and said feedthrough pin.
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17. The IMD of claim 9, wherein each feedthrough:
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the ferrule first end is mount flush with the outer housing wall and the ferrule second end extends within said housing; and
said insulator is mounted to extend between said ferrule inner wall within said housing and said feedthrough pin and supports the feedthrough pin first end extending past the ferrule first end and outward of the housing exposed wall.
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18. The IMD of claim 17, wherein each feedthrough:
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the feedthrough pin has a [in] diameter extending through said insulator; and
the feedthrough pin has an enlarged electrode having an enlarged electrode diameter at the feedthrough pin first end providing an enlarged electrode surface area extending outward over the housing outer wall.
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19. The IMD of claim 18, wherein the feedthrough pin first end is subjected to a surface treatment selected from the group consisting of sintering, sputtering, plating, CVD and PVD.
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20. The IMD of claim 18, wherein the feedthrough further comprises a capacitive filter mounted between said ferrule and said feedthrough pin.
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21. The IMD of claim 18, further comprising unseating means separating the enlarged electrode extending outward over the housing outer wall from the ferrule first end and the housing outer wall.
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22. The IMD of claim 18, wherein each feedthrough:
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the feedthrough ferrule is cylindrical in shape between the ferrule first end and the ferrule second end and has a ferrule diameter;
the feedthrough pin has a pin diameter extending through said insulator; and
the feedthrough pin has an enlarged electrode having electrode diameter exceeding the ferrule diameter at the feedthrough pin first end forming an enlarged electrode surface area extending outward over the housing outer wall.
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23. The IMD of claim 22, further comprising insulating means for electrically insulating the enlarged electrode extending outward over the housing outer wall from the ferrule first end and the housing outer wall.
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24. The IMD of claim 22, wherein the enlarged electrode surface area is enhanced by a surface treatment selected from the group consisting of sintering, sputtering, plating, CVD and PVD.
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25. The IMD of claim 22, wherein the feedthrough further comprises a discoidal capacitive filter mounted between said ferrule inner wall and said feedthrough pin.
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26. The IMD of claim 9, wherein the feedthrough pin first end is subjected to a surface treatment.
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27. The IMD of claim 9 wherein, wherein a plurality of sense electrodes are each formed of a like plurality of said feedthroughs each electrically connected with said sensing circuitry to process a plurality of electrical signals detected from selected pairs of feedthrough pin first ends.
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28. The IMD of claim 9 wherein:
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a plurality of sense electrodes are each formed of a like plurality of said feedthroughs each electrically connected with said sending circuitry to process a plurality of electrical signals detected from selected pairs of feedthrough pin first ends; and
said housing comprises a pair of opposed major housing walls joined at their peripheries by a perimeter, and each ferrule of said plurality of feedthroughs is attached to an opening through said perimeter of said housing.
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29. The IMD of claim 9, wherein each feedthrough:
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the feedthrough pin has a pin diameter extending through said insulator;
the feedthrough pin has an enlarged electrode diameter at the feedthrough pin first end providing an enlarged electrode surface area.
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30. The IMD of claim 9, wherein said housing comprises a pair of opposed major housing walls joined at their peripheries by a perimeter, and the ferrule of said feedthrough is attached to an opening through said perimeter of said housing.
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31. The IMD of claim 9, wherein the feedthrough pin first end is subjected to a surface treatment selected from the group consisting of sintering, sputtering, plating, CVD and PVD.
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32. The IMD of claim 9, wherein each feedthrough further comprises a capacitive filter mounted between said ferrule and said feedthrough pin.
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33. The IMD of claim 9, wherein the insulator further comprises an electrically insulating glass extending between a portion of the length of the feedthrough pin and at least a portion of the inner ferrule surface and adhered thereto to form a hermetic seal of the pin to the ferrule.
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34. The IMD of claim 9, wherein the insulator further comprises an electrically insulating ceramic insulator extending between a portion of the length of the feedthrough pin and adhered thereto by a braze and to at least a portion of the inner ferrule surface and adhered thereto by a braze to form a hermetic seal of the pin to the ferrule.
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35. The IMD of claim 9, wherein the insulator extends between a first portion of the length of the feedthrough pin and a first portion of the inner ferrule surface, and the feedthrough further comprises:
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a capacitive filter mounted between a second portion of the inner ferrule surface and the feedthrough pin; and
a polyamide disk between the capacitive filter and the insulator to facilitate hermetic leak testing of the insulator.
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36. The IMD of claim 9 wherein a shape memory alloy is implemented to provide ease of assembly between the feedthrough and the sensing electrode.
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37. The IMD of claim 36 wherein said shape memory alloy is structured to support the feedthrough and the sensing electrode forming a compact assembly thereof.
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38. The IMD of claim 9 wherein said feedthrough and said electrode are integrally attached using one of a weld and mechanical forming process.
Specification