Implantable medical lead designs

• US 8,010,207 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2003
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Adams, Paul G., Smits, Karel F. A. A., Rutten, Jean J. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Niketa I
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALTER, ALYSSA MARGO
• Application Number:
  US10/420,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,053 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/116, 607/122, 607/123, 607/126, 607/127, 607/128
• US Class Current: 607/116
• 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 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0565 Electrode heads

Abstract

The invention is directed to medical leads for use with implantable medical devices. Various features of medical leads are described, many of which may be useful in a variety of different leads, e.g., used in a variety of different applications. In one embodiment, the invention provides a medical lead of varying stiffness characteristics. In another embodiment, the invention provides a medical lead having a semi-conical shaped distal tip that becomes wider at more distal tip locations. In either case, described lead features may be particularly useful for J-shaped lead configurations used for implantation in a patient'"'"'s right atrium. Many other types of leads, however, could also benefit from various aspects of the invention.

Claims

1. A medical lead comprising:

a first coiled portion including N filar(s) extending along a first segment of the lead; and

a second coiled portion electrically coupled to the first coiled portion, the second coiled portion including N+M filars extending along a second segment of the lead, the N+M filars producing increased stiffness of the second coiled portion relative to the first coiled portion, wherein N and M are positive integers, the second coiled portion being located at a more distal end of the medical lead relative to the first coiled portion;

wherein the M filar(s) in the second coiled portion form M filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein the N filar(s) in the second coiled portion form N filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein at least one M filar coil in the second coiled portion has a coil diameter that is the same as a coil diameter of at least one of the N filar coils;

an electrode located on a distal tip of the medical lead, the electrode being electrically coupled to the second coiled portion; and

an electrically conductive bus to electrically couple the N filar(s) of the first coiled portion to the N+M filars of the second coiled portion.

11. The medical lead of claim 1, wherein at least one N filar coil and at least one M filar coil of the coils of the N+M filars in the second coiled portion are located on the electrically conductive bus, and wherein the at least one N filar coil and the at least one M filar coil on the electrically conductive bus have the same coil diameter as each other, and wherein the at least one N filar coil and the at least one M filar coil on the electrically conductive bus have a different coil diameter than the coils of the N+M filars of a remainder of the second coiled portion.

2. A medical lead comprising:

a first coiled portion including N filar(s) extending along a first segment of the lead; and

a second coiled portion electrically coupled to the first coiled portion, the second coiled portion including N+M filars extending along a second segment of the lead, the N+M filars producing increased stiffness of the second coiled portion relative to the first coiled portion, wherein N and M are positive integers, the second coiled portion being located at a more distal end of the medical lead relative to the first coiled portion;

wherein the M filar(s) in the second coiled portion form M filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein the N filar(s) in the second coiled portion form N filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein at least one M filar coil in the second coiled portion has a coil diameter that is the same as a coil diameter of at least one of the N filar coils;

an electrode located on a distal tip of the medical lead, the electrode being electrically coupled to the second coiled portion; and

a weld to electrically couple the M filar(s) of the second coiled portion to the N filar(s) of the first coiled portion, the N filar(s) of the first coiled portion being the same as the N filar(s) of the second coiled portion.

3. A medical lead comprising:

a first coiled portion including N filar(s) extending along a first segment of the lead; and

a second coiled portion electrically coupled to the first coiled portion, the second coiled portion including N+M filars extending along a second segment of the lead, the N+M filars producing increased stiffness of the second coiled portion relative to the first coiled portion, wherein N and M are positive integers, the second coiled portion being located at a more distal end of the medical lead relative to the first coiled portion;

wherein the M filar(s) in the second coiled portion form M filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein the N filar(s) in the second coiled portion form N filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein at least one M filar coil in the second coiled portion has a coil diameter that is the same as a coil diameter of at least one of the N filar coils;

an electrode located on a distal tip of the medical lead, the electrode being electrically coupled to the second coiled portion; and

wherein the electrode being adapted to be electrically coupled to an implantable medical device at a proximal end via the N+M filars of the second coiled portion and the N filar(s) of the first coiled portion.

4. An implantable medical device comprising:

a housing to house circuitry; and

a medical lead electrically coupled to the circuitry, the medical lead including;

a first coiled portion including N filar(s);

a second coiled portion electrically coupled to the first coiled portion, the second coiled portion including N+M filars to produce increased stiffness relative to the first coiled portion, wherein N and M are positive integers, wherein the second coiled portion including N+M filars located at a more distal end of the medical lead relative to the first coiled portion;

wherein the M filar(s) in the second coiled portion form M filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein the N filar(s) in the second coiled portion form N filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein at least one M filar coil in the second coiled portion has a coil diameter that is the same as a coil diameter of at least one of the N filar coils; and

an electrode located on a distal tip of the medical lead, the electrode being electrically coupled to the second coiled portion; and

an electrically conductive bus to electrically couple the N filar(s) of the first coiled portion to the N+M filars of the second coiled portion.

5. An implantable medical device comprising:

a housing to house circuitry; and

a medical lead electrically coupled to the circuitry, the medical lead including;

a first coiled portion including N filar(s);

a second coiled portion electrically coupled to the first coiled portion, the second coiled portion including N+M filars to produce increased stiffness relative to the first coiled portion, wherein N and M are positive integers, wherein the second coiled portion including N+M filars located at a more distal end of the medical lead relative to the first coiled portion;

wherein the M filar(s) in the second coiled portion form M filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein the N filar(s) in the second coiled portion form N filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein at least one M filar coil in the second coiled portion has a coil diameter that is the same as a coil diameter of at least one of the N filar coils;

an electrode located on a distal tip of the medical lead, the electrode being electrically coupled to the second coiled portion; and

a weld to electrically couple the M filar(s) of the second coiled portion to the N filar(s) of the first coiled portion, the N filar(s) of the second coiled portion being the same as the N filar(s) of the first coiled portion.

6. A method comprising:

coiling a first set of N filar(s) to define a first portion of a medical lead;

coiling a second set of N+M filars to define a second portion of the medical lead having increased stiffness relative to the first portion, wherein N and M are positive integers and wherein the second portion of the medical lead comprises a more distal portion of the medical lead relative to the first portion, wherein the M filar(s) in the second portion form M filar coils in the second portion, wherein the N filar(s) in the second portion form N filar coils in the second portion, wherein at least one M filar coil in the second portion has a coil diameter that is the same as a coil diameter of at least one of the N filar coils;

electrically coupling the first set of N filar(s) to the second set of N+M filars; and

electrically coupling an electrode on a distal tip of the medical lead to the second set of N+M filars.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein electrically coupling the first set of N filar(s) to the second set of N+M filars includes:

coiling a portion of the first set of N filar(s) around a first end of an electrically conductive bus; and

coiling a portion of the second set of N+M filars around a second end of the electrically conductive bus.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein electrically coupling the first set of N filar(s) to the second set of N+M filars includes welding the M filar(s) to the N filar(s), the N filar(s) of the first set being the same as the N filar(s) of the second set, wherein a weld defines a transition between the first portion and the second portion.

9. A medical lead comprising:

a first coiled portion including N filars extending along a first segment of the lead; and

a second coiled portion electrically coupled to the first coiled portion, the second coiled portion including N+M filars extending along a second segment of the lead, the N+M filars producing increased stiffness of the second coiled portion relative to the first coiled portion, N and M being positive integers, the second coiled portion including N+M filars being located at a more distal end of the medical lead relative to the first coiled portion, the N filars being integrally wound together with M filars such that a N filar being adjacent to a M filar, wherein one or more of the N+M filars of the second coiled portion comprises a different filar diameter than the N filar of the first coiled portion;

wherein the M filar(s) in the second coiled portion form M filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein the N filar(s) in the second coiled portion form N filar coils in the second coiled portion;

wherein at least one M filar coil in the second coiled portion has a coil diameter that is the same as a coil diameter of at least one of the N filar coils; and

an electrode electrically coupled to the second coiled portion.

10. A medical lead comprising:

a first coiled portion including N filars extending along a first segment of the lead; and

a second coiled portion electrically coupled to the first coiled portion, the second coiled portion including N+M filars extending along a second segment of the lead, the N+M filars producing increased stiffness of the second coiled portion relative to the first coiled portion in which the second coiled portion being distal to the first coiled portion, N and M being positive integers, the second coiled portion including N+M filars being located at a more distal end of the medical lead relative to the first coiled portion,

wherein coils formed by the M filar in the second coiled portion are located between successive pairs of N filar coils in the second coiled portion,

wherein the N filars in the first coiled portion have a different filar diameter as the N filars in the second coiled portion; and

an electrode coupled to the second coiled portion.