Concavity of an implantable medical device

• US 7,529,586 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Randall, James E., Singhal, Ruchika, Skime, Robert M., Janzig, Darren A., Scott, Erik R., Wahlstrand, Carl D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): SARCIONE, JESSICA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/731,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• Field of Search: 607/45, 607/57, 607/2, 607 36- 38, 607/116, 607/46, 623/11.11, 623/10, D24/155, D24/187, D24/189, 600/25
• US Class Current: 607/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37514 Brain implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37518 Anchoring of the implants, e.g. fixation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing

Abstract

At least one surface of an implantable medical device is concave along at least one axis such that it substantially conforms to a surface within a patient, such as the cranium, when it is implanted on that surface. In some embodiments, the surface of the implantable medical device substantially conforms to an arc with a radius that is between 4.5 and 9.5 centimeters, and is preferably approximately equal to 7 centimeters. In some embodiments, the implantable medical device comprises a plurality of interconnected modules, and an overmold that at least partially encapsulates each of the modules. In such embodiments, at least one surface of the overmold is concave along at least one axis. Further, each of the modules of such an implantable medical device may comprise a housing, and at least one surface of at least one of the housings may be concave along at least one axis.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device comprising:

a plurality of interconnected modules, wherein at least one of the interconnected modules comprises a metallic housing, and wherein the plurality of interconnected modules are horizontally distributed such that a space exists between each of the plurality of interconnected modules;

a flexible overmold that at least partially encapsulates each of the interconnected modules such that the flexible overmold separately encapsulates each of the modules and exists with and at least partially fills the space;

a therapy delivery element to deliver a therapy to a brain of a patient; and

control electronics to control the delivery of the therapy by the therapy delivery element,

wherein the therapy delivery element and control electronics are located within one of the interconnected modules,

wherein the flexible overmold is formed such that a surface of the flexible overmold is concave along two perpendicular axes prior to manipulation of the implantable medical device and is adapted to be implanted proximate to a cranium of the patient, and

wherein the flexible overmold does not encapsulate at least a portion of the metallic housing.

2. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the overmold comprises silicone.

3. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the overmold comprises at least two materials.

4. The implantable medical device claim 1, wherein the surface of the flexible overmold is concave such that the surface is adapted to conform substantially to the cranium.

5. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein he surface of the flexible overmold is concave such that the flexible overmold conforms substantially to an arc, and a radius of the arc is within a range from 4.5 to 9.5 centimeters.

6. The implantable medical device of claim 5, wherein the radius of the arc is approximately equal to 7 centimeters.

7. The implantable medical device of claim 5, wherein the surface comprises a first surface of the flexible overmold, and a second surface of the flexible overmold that is adapted to be implanted distal from the cranium substantially conforms to the arc prior to manipulation of the implantable medical device.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the interconnected modules are positioned within the flexible overmold in one of a triangular configuration and a linear configuration.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of interconnected modules each comprise a metallic housing, and wherein the flexible overmold does not encapsulate a portion of each of the at least two metallic housings.

10. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein a surface of the metallic housing is adapted to be implanted proximate to the cranium and is concave along at least one axis prior to manipulation of the implantable medical device.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 10, wherein the at least one of the interconnected modules that comprises the metallic housing comprises a control module that includes control electronics, and the surface of the metallic housing of the control module is concave along two perpendicular axes.

12. The implantable medical device of claim 10, wherein the at least one of the interconnected modules that comprises the metallic housing comprises a power source module that includes a battery with a wound coil construction, and the surface of the metallic housing of the power source module and the wound coil battery are each concave along at least one axis prior to manipulation of the implantable medical device.

13. The implantable medical device of claim 10, wherein the at least one of the interconnected modules that comprises the metallic housing comprises a power source module that includes a battery with a foil pack construction, and the surface of the metallic housing of the power source module and the foil pack battery are each concave along at least one axis prior to manipulation of the implantable medical device.

14. The implantable medical device of claim 10, wherein at least one of the interconnected modules comprises a recharge module that includes a recharge coil for inductively receiving energy, and a surface of a housing of the recharge module and the coil are each concave along two perpendicular axes prior to manipulation of the implantable medical device.

15. The implantable medical device of claim 10, wherein the surface of the metallic housing is concave such that the surface is adapted to conform substantially to the cranium.

16. The implantable medical device of claim 10, wherein the surface of the metallic housing is concave such that the surface conforms substantially to an arc, and a radius of the arc is within a range from 4.5 to 9.5 centimeters.

17. The implantable medical device of claim 16, wherein the radius of the arc is approximately equal to 7 centimeters.

18. The implantable medical device of claim 16, wherein the surface of the metallic housing comprises a first surface of the housing, and a second surface of the housing that is adapted to be implanted distal from the cranium conforms substantially to the arc.

19. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the therapy comprises stimulation.

20. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of interconnected modules comprises at least two modules, each of the modules comprising a metallic housing.

21. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the metallic housing is hermetic and formed of titanium or stainless steel.

22. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a power source located within the metallic housing.

23. An implantable medical device comprising:

a plurality of interconnected modules, wherein at least one of the interconnected modules comprises a metallic housing, and wherein the plurality of interconnected modules are horizontally distributed such that a space exists between each of the plurality of interconnected modules;

a flexible overmold that at least partially encapsulates each of the interconnected modules such that the flexible overmold separately encapsulates each of the modules and exists with and at least partially fills the space;

a therapy delivery element to deliver a therapy to a brain of a patient; and

control electronics to control the delivery of the therapy by the therapy delivery element,

wherein the therapy delivery element and control electronics are located within one of the interconnected modules,

wherein the flexible overmold is formed such that a surface of the flexible overmold is adapted to be implanted proximate to a cranium of the patient and is concave along two perpendicular axes prior to manipulation of the implantable medical device, and

wherein the flexible overmold is configured to allow relative motion between the plurality of interconnected modules.

24. The implantable medical device of claim 23, wherein the therapy comprises stimulation.