Medical device electrical lead design for preventing transmittance of unsafe currents to a patient
First Claim
1. An electrical lead, comprising:
- a conductor assembly having one or more conductors;
an electrode in electrical communication with one of the conductors, the electrode having an outer contact adapted for contacting adjacent body tissue of a patient; and
a thermally sensitive material integrated with the electrode in forming an assembly, the thermally sensitive material being completely encased within the electrode and being electrically connected between the one conductor and the electrode outer contact so that current from the one conductor flows through a substantial portion of the thermally sensitive material in order to reach the outer contact, the thermally sensitive material configured to exhibit high impedance in the presence of currents considered unsafe to the patient, thereby preventing the unsafe currents from flowing through the substantial portion of the thermally sensitive material and through the electrode outer contact potentially causing the adjacent body tissue to increase in temperature to an unsafe level, the unsafe currents causing the thermally sensitive material to increase in temperature, thereby causing the material to transition to a high impedance state.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical lead including a conductor assembly, an electrode, and a thermally sensitive material. The conductor assembly has one or more conductors. The electrode is in electrical communication with one of the conductors and has an outer contact adapted for contacting adjacent body tissue of a patient. The thermally sensitive material is electrically connected between the one conductor and the electrode outer contact, and is configured to exhibit high impedance in the presence of currents considered unsafe to the patient, thereby preventing the unsafe currents from flowing through the thermally sensitive material and through the electrode outer contact potentially causing the adjacent body tissue to increase in temperature to an unsafe level. The unsafe currents cause the thermally sensitive material to increase in temperature, thereby causing the material to transition to a high impedance state.
60 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An electrical lead, comprising:
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a conductor assembly having one or more conductors; an electrode in electrical communication with one of the conductors, the electrode having an outer contact adapted for contacting adjacent body tissue of a patient; and a thermally sensitive material integrated with the electrode in forming an assembly, the thermally sensitive material being completely encased within the electrode and being electrically connected between the one conductor and the electrode outer contact so that current from the one conductor flows through a substantial portion of the thermally sensitive material in order to reach the outer contact, the thermally sensitive material configured to exhibit high impedance in the presence of currents considered unsafe to the patient, thereby preventing the unsafe currents from flowing through the substantial portion of the thermally sensitive material and through the electrode outer contact potentially causing the adjacent body tissue to increase in temperature to an unsafe level, the unsafe currents causing the thermally sensitive material to increase in temperature, thereby causing the material to transition to a high impedance state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electrode, comprising:
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an outer contact adapted for contacting adjacent body tissue of a patient; an inner contact adapted for electrical coupling to a lead conductor; and a thermally sensitive material electrically connected between the inner contact and the outer contact so that current from the one conductor flows through a substantial portion of the thermally sensitive material in order to reach the outer contact, the thermally sensitive material forming an assembly with the outer contact and inner contact whereby the thermally sensitive material is completely encased, the thermally sensitive material configured to exhibit high impedance in the presence of currents considered unsafe to the patient, thereby preventing the unsafe currents from flowing through the substantial portion of the thermally sensitive material and through the outer contact potentially causing the adjacent body tissue to increase in temperature to an unsafe level, the unsafe currents causing the thermally sensitive material to increase in temperature, thereby causing the material to transition to a high impedance state. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of providing an electrical lead configured to prevent currents considered unsafe to a patient, comprising:
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providing a conductor assembly having one or more conductors; providing an electrode in electrical communication with one of the conductors, the electrode having an outer contact adapted for contacting adjacent body tissue of a patient; integrating a thermally sensitive material with the electrode to form an assembly such that the thermally sensitive material is completely encased within the electrode; and electrically connecting the thermally sensitive material between the one conductor and the electrode outer contact so that current from the one conductor flows through a substantial portion of the thermally sensitive material in order to reach the electrode outer contact, the thermally sensitive material configured to exhibit high impedance in the presence of currents considered unsafe to the patient, thereby preventing the unsafe currents from flowing through the substantial portion of the thermally sensitive material and through the electrode outer contact potentially causing the adjacent body tissue to increase in temperature to an unsafe level, the unsafe currents causing the thermally sensitive material to increase in temperature, thereby causing the material to transition to a high impedance state. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An electrical lead, comprising:
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a conductor assembly having one or more conductors; an electrode in electrical communication with one of the conductors, the electrode having an outer contact adapted for contacting adjacent body tissue of a patient; and a positive temperature coefficient material integrated with the electrode in forming an assembly, the positive temperature coefficient material being completely encased within the electrode and being electrically connected between the one conductor and the electrode outer contact so that current from the one conductor flows through a substantial portion of the positive temperature cofficient material in order to reach the electrode outer contact, the positive temperature coefficient material integrated into an assembly with the electrode, the positive temperature coefficient material configured to exhibit high impedance in the presence of currents considered unsafe to the patient, thereby preventing the unsafe currents from flowing through the substantial portion of the positive temperature coefficient material and through the electrode outer contact potentially causing the adjacent body tissue to increase in temperature to an unsafe level, the unsafe currents causing the positive temperature coefficient material to increase in temperature, thereby causing the material to transition to a high impedance state. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification