Collapsible/expandable electrode leads
First Claim
1. A medical lead, comprising:
- an electrically insulative membrane having a first stiffness and tissue-contacting outer surface;
a resilient skeletal spring layer disposed on the tissue-contacting outer surface of the insulative membrane, wherein the spring layer has a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness; and
at least one electrode associated with the insulative membrane.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A medical lead and method of treating a patient are provided. The medical lead comprises an electrically insulative membrane, a resilient spring element associated with the insulative membrane, and at least one electrode associated with the insulative membrane. The spring layer is configured to urge that insulative membrane into an expanded geometry. The medical lead is configured to be collapsed into a compact form for percutaneous delivery into the patient, thereby obviating the need to perform an invasive surgical procedure on the patient. The patient can be treated by placing the medical lead into a collapsed state by applying a compressive force to the medical lead, percutaneously delivering the collapsed medical lead into the patient adjacent tissue to be treated, and placing the medical lead into an expanded state by releasing the compressive force.
298 Citations
47 Claims
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1. A medical lead, comprising:
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an electrically insulative membrane having a first stiffness and tissue-contacting outer surface; a resilient skeletal spring layer disposed on the tissue-contacting outer surface of the insulative membrane, wherein the spring layer has a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness; and at least one electrode associated with the insulative membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A medical lead, comprising:
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an electrically insulative membrane having a longitudinal axis and a tissue-contacting surface; a resilient spring element associated with the tissue-contacting surface of the insulative membrane, wherein the spring element comprises a main segment that extends along the longitudinal axis and a plurality of secondary segments that branch off of the main segment; and at least one electrode associated with the insulative membrane. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A medical lead, comprising:
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an electrically insulative body having a tissue-contacting planar region; a resilient skeletal spring element in contact with the tissue-contacting planar region of the insulative body; and at least one electrode associated with the planar region. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification