Radio frequency antenna in a header of an implantable medical device
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a header assembly for an implantable medical device, the header assembly configured to provide an electrical connection for a lead extending away from the header assembly, comprising;
an antenna configured to be coupled to an electronic circuit within a housing of the implantable medical device, the electronic circuit configured for radio frequency communication using the antenna; and
a dielectric material comprising one or more of polytetrafluoroethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetheretherketone, or a thermoplastic polyurethane, the dielectric material configured to isolate the antenna from tissue of a patient when the header assembly is implanted in the patient, and to dispose at least a portion of the antenna within the dielectric material at a specified distance from a surface of the header assembly, the dielectric material comprising a trench filled with a silicone material when the antenna is positioned within the trench, the trench configured to retain at least a portion of the antenna at a specified depth from the surface of the header assembly.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for enabling far-field radio frequency communications with an implantable medical device in which an antenna structure is disposed within a header assembly of the device. The antenna structure, in various embodiments, includes a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, an inverted F antenna, a patch antenna and a slot antenna.
100 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a header assembly for an implantable medical device, the header assembly configured to provide an electrical connection for a lead extending away from the header assembly, comprising;
an antenna configured to be coupled to an electronic circuit within a housing of the implantable medical device, the electronic circuit configured for radio frequency communication using the antenna; and
a dielectric material comprising one or more of polytetrafluoroethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetheretherketone, or a thermoplastic polyurethane, the dielectric material configured to isolate the antenna from tissue of a patient when the header assembly is implanted in the patient, and to dispose at least a portion of the antenna within the dielectric material at a specified distance from a surface of the header assembly, the dielectric material comprising a trench filled with a silicone material when the antenna is positioned within the trench, the trench configured to retain at least a portion of the antenna at a specified depth from the surface of the header assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- a header assembly for an implantable medical device, the header assembly configured to provide an electrical connection for a lead extending away from the header assembly, comprising;
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12. An apparatus comprising:
- a header assembly for an implantable medical device, the header assembly configured to provide an electrical connection for a lead extending away from the header assembly, the header assembly comprising;
an antenna configured to be coupled to an electronic circuit within a housing of the implantable medical device, the electronic circuit configured for radio frequency communication using the antenna; and
a dielectric material comprising one or more of polytetrafluoroethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetheretherketone, or a thermoplastic polyurethane, the dielectric material configured to isolate the antenna from tissue of a patient when the header assembly is implanted in the patient, and configured to dispose at least a portion of the antenna within the dielectric material at a specified distance from a surface of the header assembly to load the antenna with a specified dielectric constant, the dielectric material comprising a trench configured to retain at least a portion of the antenna at a specified depth from the surface of the header assembly when the antenna is positioned within the trench; and
a silicone material configured to fill the trench when the antenna is positioned within the trench, the silicone material configured to retain the antenna and isolate the antenna from tissue of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
- a header assembly for an implantable medical device, the header assembly configured to provide an electrical connection for a lead extending away from the header assembly, the header assembly comprising;
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15. A method, comprising:
- forming an antenna configured to be coupled to an electronic circuit within a housing of an implantable medical device, the electronic circuit configured for radio frequency communication using the antenna; and
locating the antenna within a dielectric material comprising one or more of polytetrafluoroethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetheretherketone, or a thermoplastic polyurethane, the dielectric material formed to provide a header assembly configured to provide an electrical connection for a lead extending away from the header assembly and to isolate the antenna from tissue of a patient when the header assembly is implanted in the patient, and the dielectric material comprising a trench configured to retain at least a portion of the antenna at a specified depth from the surface of the header assembly when the antenna is positioned within the trench; and
filling the trench with a silicone material configured to retain the antenna and isolate the antenna from tissue of the patient.
- forming an antenna configured to be coupled to an electronic circuit within a housing of an implantable medical device, the electronic circuit configured for radio frequency communication using the antenna; and
Specification