Electrode array with electrodes having cutout portions and methods of making the same

• US 8,295,944 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Howard, Joshua Dale, Pianca, Anne Margaret
• Primary Examiner(s): Manuel, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wieland, Robert N
• Application Number:
  US12/945,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20110130816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 607/16, 607/116, 298/47, 298/82
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors of trolley lines B60M1/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 Assembling terminal to elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

A lead for brain stimulation includes a lead body having a distal end. At least one cable extends within the lead body, each cable comprising at least one conductor. The lead further includes a plurality of electrodes coupled to the at least one cable. Each of the plurality of electrodes defines a cutout portion that receives and attaches to a one of the at least one cable.

Claims

1. A lead for brain stimulation, comprising:

a cylindrical lead body having a distal end and a circumference;

at least one cable extending within the lead body, each cable comprising at least one conductor; and

a plurality of electrodes coupled to the at least one cable and disposed along the distal end, and distributed around the circumference, of the cylindrical lead body, each of the plurality of electrodes defining a cutout portion that receives and attaches to a one of the at least one cable.

2. The lead of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of electrodes has an exterior surface corresponding to at least a portion of a sphere.

3. The lead of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of electrodes has a shape corresponding to a full sphere having a cutout portion.

4. The lead of claim 1, wherein the at least one cable and the plurality of electrodes comprise a first cable and a first electrode, respectively, the first cable comprising a first conductor and an ablated section exposing a portion of the first conductor, wherein at least a portion of the ablated section is disposed within the cutout portion of the first electrode with electrical coupling of the exposed portion of the first conductor to the first electrode.

5. The lead of claim 1, wherein the cutout portion comprises a groove having a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the at least one conductor.

6. The lead of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one cable is coupled to at least two of the plurality of electrodes.

7. The lead of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are disposed at a same longitudinal position on the lead body.

8. The lead of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes are coupled to the at least one cable and disposed on the lead body so that the lead is isodiametric.

9. The lead of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one cable comprises at least two conductors disposed within the cable.

14. An implantable stimulation device, comprising:

the lead of claim 1; and

a control module coupleable to the lead.

15. The implantable stimulation device of claim 14, wherein the implantable stimulation device is a deep brain stimulator.

10. A lead for brain stimulation, comprising:

a plurality of stimulating units, each of the plurality of stimulating units comprising;

at least one cable extending within the lead body, each cable comprising at least one conductor; and

a plurality of electrodes coupled to the at least one cable, each of the plurality of electrodes comprising at least a portion of a sphere and a cutout portion that receives and attaches to a one of the at least one cable; and

a lead body formed about each of the plurality of stimulating units.

11. The lead of claim 10, wherein the plurality of stimulating units are coupled at the proximal end.

12. The lead of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of stimulating units comprises the same number of the plurality of electrodes disposed at the same longitudinal position along each of the at least one cable.

13. The lead of claim 10, wherein the cutout portion comprises a groove having a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the at least one conductor.

16. A method of manufacturing a device for brain stimulation, the method comprising:

forming at least one cable having at least one conductor;

coupling a plurality of electrodes to the at least one cable, each of the plurality of electrodes comprising at least a portion of a sphere and defining a cutout portion that receives and attaches to a one of the at least one cable; and

forming a lead body over the at least one cable.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein coupling a plurality of electrodes comprises crimping a plurality of electrodes to the at least one cable.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein coupling a plurality of electrodes comprises welding a plurality of electrodes to the at least one cable.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein forming a lead body comprises forming a lead body through liquid injection molding.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising grinding the plurality of electrodes so that the lead body and the plurality of electrodes are isodiametric.