Drug dispensing medical electrode lead and method for making same
First Claim
1. An electrically conductive lead suitable for implantation in a human or animal body, comprising:
- a proximal end portion adapted for attachment to an electrical medical therapy device;
a distal end portion having an exterior;
at least one electrode member disposed at said distal end portion for at least one of emitting and sensing electrical signals associated with said medical therapy;
an elongated body extending between, and mechanically and electrically connecting, said proximal end portion and said distal end portion;
a drug-dispensing member disposed at said distal end portion and comprising a drug adapted for release into tissue, said drug-dispensing member having a surface and a configuration so that at least a portion of said surface is exposed at the exterior of said distal end portion and said configuration automatically causing an amount of said drug released into said tissue after implantation to smoothly vary with time from a larger amount to a smaller amount in accordance with a predetermined relationship of the amount of drug released as a function of time; and
said distal end portion having at least one cavity therein with an opening disposed at said exterior of said distal end portion, and said drug-dispensing member being disposed in said cavity, said cavity having a shape that configures said dispensing member for said automatic control of said release.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an electrically conductive lead adapted for implantation in a human or animal body, and a method for making such a lead, a drug-dispensing member is disposed at a distal end portion of the lead, at which an electrode member is disposed that is adapted to emit and/or sense electrical signals associated with medical therapy. The drug-dispensing member has a configuration so that, after implantation, the amount of drug released into the body per time unit is automatically controlled to smoothly vary with time from al larger amount to a smaller amount in accordance with a predetermined relationship of the amount of drug released as a function of time.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An electrically conductive lead suitable for implantation in a human or animal body, comprising:
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a proximal end portion adapted for attachment to an electrical medical therapy device; a distal end portion having an exterior; at least one electrode member disposed at said distal end portion for at least one of emitting and sensing electrical signals associated with said medical therapy; an elongated body extending between, and mechanically and electrically connecting, said proximal end portion and said distal end portion; a drug-dispensing member disposed at said distal end portion and comprising a drug adapted for release into tissue, said drug-dispensing member having a surface and a configuration so that at least a portion of said surface is exposed at the exterior of said distal end portion and said configuration automatically causing an amount of said drug released into said tissue after implantation to smoothly vary with time from a larger amount to a smaller amount in accordance with a predetermined relationship of the amount of drug released as a function of time; and said distal end portion having at least one cavity therein with an opening disposed at said exterior of said distal end portion, and said drug-dispensing member being disposed in said cavity, said cavity having a shape that configures said dispensing member for said automatic control of said release. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An electrically conductive lead suitable for implantation in a human or animal body, comprising:
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a proximal end portion adapted for attachment to an electrical medical therapy device; a distal end portion having an exterior; at least one electrode member disposed at said distal end portion for at least one of emitting and sensing electrical signals associated with said medical therapy; an elongated body extending between, and mechanically and electrically connecting, said proximal end portion and said distal end portion; a drug-dispensing member disposed at said distal end portion and comprising a drug adapted for release into tissue, said drug-dispensing member having a surface and a configuration so that at least a portion of said surface is exposed at the exterior of said distal end portion and said configuration automatically causing an amount of said drug released into said tissue after implantation to smoothly vary with time from a larger amount to a smaller amount in accordance with a predetermined relationship of the amount of drug released as a function of time; and said drug dispensing member having a configuration causing a decrease in said amount of said drug released into tissue from a maximum amount released in first hours after implantation to an amount approximately one-third of said maximum amount, occurs over at least 24 hours. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for producing an electrically conductive lead adapted for implantation in a human or animal body, comprising the steps of:
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mechanically and electrically connecting a proximal end portion, adapted for attachment to an electrical medical therapy device, to a distal end portion having an exterior, with an elongated body portion; disposing at least one electrode member at said distal end portion adapted for at least one of emitting and sensing electrical signals associated with said medical therapy; disposing a drug-dispensing member at said distal end portion containing a drug for release into tissue and configuring said dug-dispensing member to expose a portion of a surface of said drug-dispensing member at said exterior of said distal end portion and, by said configuration, automatically controlling release of an amount of said drug into tissue after implantation per time unit to smoothly vary over time from a larger amount to a smaller amount according to a predetermined relationship of the amount of drug released as a function of time; and providing said distal end portion with at least one cavity therein with an opening disposed at said exterior of said distal end portion, and disposing said drug-dispensing member in said cavity and providing said cavity with a shape that configures said dispensing member for said automatic control of said release. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for producing an electrically conductive lead adapted for implantation in a human or animal body, comprising the steps of:
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mechanically and electrically connecting a proximal end portion, adapted for attachment to an electrical medical therapy device, to a distal end portion having an exterior, with an elongated body portion; disposing at least one electrode member at said distal end portion adapted for at least one of emitting and sensing electrical signals associated with said medical therapy; disposing a drug-dispensing member at said distal end portion containing a drug for release into tissue and configuring said dug-dispensing member to expose a portion of a surface of said drug-dispensing member at said exterior of said distal end portion and, by said configuration, automatically controlling release of an amount of said drug into tissue after implantation per time unit to smoothly vary over time from a larger amount to a smaller amount according to a predetermined relationship of the amount of drug released as a function of time; and configuring said drug dispensing member to cause a decrease in said amount of said drug released into tissue from a maximum amount released in first hours after implantation to an amount approximately one-third of said maximum amount, occurs over at least 24 hours. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification