Implantable medical device lead connection assembly

• US 8,200,335 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Donofrio, William T., Burnes, John E., Krause, Paul G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): SARCIONE, JESSICA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US12/363,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 607 36- 38, 439/909, 439 38- 40, 439/129
• US Class Current: 607/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5224 for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/909 Medical use or attached to human body

Abstract

A lead connection assembly of an implantable medical device (IMD) may include at least two different types of electrical connectors. In some examples, the lead connection assembly may include first and second electrical connectors that have at least one of a different electrical contact arrangement, a different lead connection receptacle geometry or a different size than the first electrical connector. The first electrical connector may be electrically connected to a first therapy module that generates cardiac rhythm therapy that is delivered to a heart of a patient, and the second electrical connector may be electrically connected to a second therapy module that generates electrical stimulation that is delivered to a tissue site within the patient. The second electrical connector may be configured to be incompatible with a lead that delivers the cardiac rhythm therapy to the patient.

Claims

1. An implantable medical system comprising:

a housing;

a first therapy module enclosed within the housing and configured to generate at least one of a pacing, cardioversion or defibrillation therapy that is delivered to a heart of a patient;

a second therapy module enclosed within the housing and configured to generate electrical stimulation that is delivered to a tissue site within the patient; and

a lead connection assembly comprising;

a first electrical connector electrically coupled to the first therapy module and configured to electrically connect to a first lead that delivers the at least one of the pacing, cardioversion, and defibrillation therapy to the heart of the patient; and

a second electrical connector electrically coupled to the second therapy module and configured to electrically connect to a second lead that delivers the electrical stimulation to the tissue site, wherein the second electrical connector is configured to be at least partially incompatible with the first lead, and wherein, when uncoupled from the first lead, the first electrical connector defines a magnetic polarity different from a magnetic polarity defined by the second electrical connector when uncoupled from the second lead.

2. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the tissue site comprises at least one of a nonmyocardial tissue site, and nonvascular cardiac tissue site.

3. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the tissue site comprises at least one of an extravascular tissue site, and a tissue site proximate a nerve.

4. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical connectors comprise at least one of a different size, a different shape, and a different electrical contact arrangement.

5. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the second electrical connector is configured to be at least one of physically incompatible, and at least partially electrically incompatible with the first lead.

6. The implantable medical system of claim 1, further comprising the first lead, wherein the first lead comprises a proximal portion including one or more first electrical contacts in a first configuration, and the second electrical connector comprises one or more second electrical contacts in a second configuration that is different than the first configuration.

7. The implantable medical system of claim 6, wherein the second electrical connector is configured such that when the proximal portion of the first lead is introduced into the second electrical connector, the one or more first electrical contacts of the first lead do not substantially align with the one or more second electrical contacts of the second electrical connector.

8. The implantable medical system of claim 1, further comprising the first lead, wherein the first lead comprises a proximal portion defining a first physical dimension, and the second electrical connector comprises an opening defining a second physical dimension that is different than the first physical dimension.

9. The implantable medical system of claim 8, wherein the first physical dimension comprises a lead diameter, and the second physical dimension comprises an opening diameter, wherein the opening diameter is less that the lead diameter.

10. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector is configured to be incompatible with the second lead.

11. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector defines a first opening configured to receive the first lead and the second electrical connector defines a second opening configured to receive the second lead, wherein the first and second openings face different directions.

12. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulation comprises a frequency of approximately 1 Hertz to approximately 100 Hertz.

13. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector is marked with a first visible identifier and the second electrical connector is marked with a second visible identifier that is different than the first visible identifier.

14. The implantable medical system of claim 13, wherein the first and second visible identifiers comprise at least one of an alphanumeric identifier, a geometric identifier, and a color.

15. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the second electrical connector comprises a component that is configured to electrically connect to an electrical contact of the second lead, the implantable medical system further comprising a processor that determines whether the component is electrically connected to the electrical contact of the second lead prior to controlling the second therapy module to deliver electrical stimulation to the patient via the second lead.

16. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector comprises a component that is configured to electrically connect to an electrical contact of the first lead, the implantable medical system further comprising a processor that determines whether the component is electrically connected to the electrical contact of the first lead prior to controlling the first therapy module to deliver the generating at least one of pacing, cardioversion, and defibrillation therapy to the patient via the first lead.

17. The implantable medical system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic polarity defined by the first electrical connector when uncoupled from the first lead is substantially opposite a magnetic polarity defined by the second lead when uncoupled from the second electrical connector.

18. An implantable medical system comprising:

a housing;

means for generating at least one of pacing, cardioversion, and defibrillation therapy that is delivered to a heart of a patient, wherein the means for generating the at least one of pacing, cardioversion or defibrillation therapy is enclosed within the housing;

means for generating electrical stimulation that is delivered to a tissue site within the patient, wherein the means for generating electrical stimulation is enclosed within the housing; and

means for receiving leads, the means for receiving leads comprising;

means for electrically coupling a first lead to the means for generating the at least one of pacing, cardioversion, and defibrillation therapy; and

means for electrically coupling a second lead to the means for generating the electrical stimulation, wherein the means for electrically coupling the second lead to the means for generating electrical stimulation is configured to be at least partially incompatible with the first lead, and wherein, when uncoupled from the first lead, the means for electrically coupling the first lead to the means for generating the at least one of pacing, cardioversion, and defibrillation therapy defines a magnetic polarity that is different from a magnetic polarity defined by the means for electrically coupling the second lead to the means for generating the electrical stimulation when uncoupled from the second lead.

19. The implantable medical system of claim 18, wherein the means for electrically coupling the first lead to the means for generating the at least one of pacing, cardioversion, and defibrillation therapy and the means for electrically coupling the second lead to the means for generating the electrical stimulation comprise at least one of a different size, different shape, and different electrical contact arrangement.

20. The implantable medical system of claim 18, wherein the means for electrically coupling the first lead to the means for generating the at least one of pacing, cardioversion, and defibrillation therapy defines a first opening configured to receive the first lead and the means for electrically coupling the second lead to the means for generating the electrical stimulation defines a second opening configured to receive the second lead, wherein the first and second openings face different directions.

21. The implantable medical system of claim 18, wherein the magnetic polarity defined by means for electrically coupling the first lead to the means for generating the at least one of pacing, cardioversion, and defibrillation therapy when uncoupled from the first lead is substantially opposite a magnetic polarity defined by the second lead when uncoupled from the means for electrically coupling a second lead to the means for generating the electrical stimulation.

22. A method comprising:

delivering at least one of pacing, cardioversion, and defibrillation therapy to a heart of a patient with at least one electrode of a first lead that is electrically coupled to a first therapy module of an implantable medical device, wherein the implantable medical device comprises a first electrical connector that electrically connects the first lead to the first therapy module; and

delivering electrical stimulation to a tissue site within the patient with at least one electrode of a second lead that is electrically coupled to a second therapy module of the implantable medical device, wherein the implantable medical device comprises a second electrical connector that electrically connects the second lead to the second therapy module, wherein the second electrical connector is configured to be at least partially incompatible with the first lead, and wherein, when uncoupled from the first lead, the first electrical connector defines a magnetic polarity different from a magnetic polarity defined by the second electrical connector when uncoupled from the second lead.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the tissue site comprises at least one of a nonmyocardial tissue site, and a nonvascular cardiac tissue site.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the first and second electrical connectors comprise at least one of a different size, a different shape, and a different electrical contact arrangement.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the second electrical connector is configured to be at least one of physically incompatible, and at least partially electrically incompatible with the first lead.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the first lead comprises a proximal portion including one or more first electrical contacts in a first configuration, and the second electrical connector comprises one or more second electrical contacts in a second configuration that is different than the first configuration.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the first lead comprises a proximal portion defining a first physical dimension, and the second electrical connector comprises an opening defining a second physical dimension that is different than the first physical dimension.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the first electrical connector is configured to be at least partially incompatible with the second lead.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the first electrical connector defines a first opening configured to receive the first lead and the second electrical connector defines a second opening configured to receive the second lead, wherein the first and second openings face different directions.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein delivering electrical stimulation to the tissue site within the patient comprises delivering electrical stimulation comprising a frequency of approximately 1 Hertz to approximately 100 Hertz.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the magnetic polarity defined by the first electrical connector when uncoupled from the first lead is substantially opposite a magnetic polarity defined by the second lead when uncoupled from the second electrical connector.