Monopolar stimulation assembly including at least one remote electrode

• US 7,421,297 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Stypulkowski, Paul H., Werder, Jonathan C., Giftakis, Jonathon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, YUN H
• Application Number:
  US11/095,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20060229686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 607/45
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00434 Neural system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6864 Burr holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0539 Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections

Abstract

An assembly for sensing physiologic signals and delivering monopolar stimulation therapy includes a pulse generator, a lead body that is coupled to the pulse generator and includes a first lead, at least one stimulating electrode coupled to the first lead and adapted to receive stimulating pulses from the pulse generator, and a remote electrode that is coupled to the pulse generator and positioned away from the pulse generator.

Claims

1. An assembly for treating neurological disorders by delivering therapeutic pulses to a targeted tissue of a patient'"'"'s body, the apparatus comprising:

a pulse generator adapted to be implanted in the patient'"'"'s body at a location that is remote from the patient'"'"'s cranium;

a header block coupled to the pulse generator;

a lead body comprising first and second leads, each of said first and second leads having a proximal end coupled to the header block and further having a distal end;

at least one stimulating electrode coupled to the first lead distal end and adapted to receive stimulating pulses from the pulse generator and deliver the pulses to the targeted body tissue;

a ring and cap assembly that includes

a burr ring, defining an aperture and adapted to be secured inside a cranium burr hole and to permit insertion of the first lead through the aperture and into the targeted tissue, and

a cap, adapted to engage the burr ring and thereby close off the aperture and to secure the first lead; and

a remote electrode that is remotely located with respect to the at least one stimulating electrode and thereby adapted to be remotely located with respect to the targeted tissue, coupled to the second lead distal end and joined with the ring and cap assembly.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the remote electrode is imbedded into the cap.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the burr ring includes a lower edge adapted to be positioned inside the cranium burr hole, and the remote electrode is coupled to the burr ring lower edge.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pulse generator includes sensing circuitry adapted to receive and process electrical signals from the targeted body tissue, and the remote electrode is a reference electrode adapted to sense the electrical signals.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a monopolar stimulation assembly and the remote electrode is an indifferent electrode.

6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the remote electrode is at least five times larger than the at least one stimulating electrode.

7. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the remote electrode is at least ten times larger than the at least one stimulating electrode.

8. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lead body further comprises:

an extension connector adapted to detachably connect an intracranial lead of the first lead with lead extension of the first lead, wherein a distal end of the intracranial lead is positioned near the at least one stimulating electrode, and wherein a proximal end of the lead extension is coupled to the pulse generator.

9. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pulse generator comprises:

a pulse generating source; and

EEG sensing circuitry coupled to the pulse generating source and adapted to control the pulse generating source.