Neural stimulator with percutaneous connectivity
First Claim
1. A percutaneous implant system comprising:
- a percutaneous port, said percutaneous port comprisinga bowl-like receptacle adapted to be embedded on or in the skin, including a tubular member that defines a cavity with an open end and a bottom wall formed at least in part by an insulative plate that defines a closed end, the insulative plate having an inside surface open to areas above said skin by way of said cavity and an outside surface exposed to living tissue below said skin;
a plurality of feedthrough pins extending through said insulative plate, each feedthrough pin having a conductor that allows electrical connection to be established between a proximal end and a distal end of each feedthrough pin, the proximal end of each feedthrough pin extending above the inside surface of the insulative plate and terminating at a point adjacent to the inside surface of the insulative plate, and the distal end of each feedthrough pin extending below the outside surface of the insulative plate into said living tissue;
a mesh material disposed around a periphery of said bowl-like receptacle, said mesh material comprising a biocompatible material configured to promote tissue ingrowth and vascularization;
an external part including a plug, the plug being configured to be removably inserted into the cavity of said percutaneous port and having a plurality of conductors that are positioned to make electrical contact with the proximal ends of said feedthrough pins when said plug is inserted into said bowl-like receptacle and to electrically disconnect from said feedthrough pins when said plug is removed from said bowl-like receptacle; and
an implanted part connected to the distal end of at least one of said feedthrough pins;
wherein said mesh material in combination with living tissue that grows and vascularizes therein provides a protective seal around said insulative plate for protecting against infection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable neurostimulation system includes both implantable and external components. Electrical connectivity between the external and implanted components is achieved through a plurality of feedthrough pins located within an insulative wall of a percutaneous port embedded in the skin. The percutaneous port has the general shape and appearance of a small thimble, embedded in the skin with its open end facing outwardly from the skin surface, and with its closed end located below the skin surface, thereby forming a cavity or dimple in the skin. Various plugs or cartridges can be removably inserted into the cavity of the percutaneous port, in various orientations, to facilitate appropriate connectivity between the external and implanted components of the system through selected ones of the feedthrough pins. A mesh edging secured around the periphery wall of the port promotes tissue ingrowth and vascularization, thereby forming a percutaneous seal around the port that prevents infection.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A percutaneous implant system comprising:
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a percutaneous port, said percutaneous port comprising a bowl-like receptacle adapted to be embedded on or in the skin, including a tubular member that defines a cavity with an open end and a bottom wall formed at least in part by an insulative plate that defines a closed end, the insulative plate having an inside surface open to areas above said skin by way of said cavity and an outside surface exposed to living tissue below said skin; a plurality of feedthrough pins extending through said insulative plate, each feedthrough pin having a conductor that allows electrical connection to be established between a proximal end and a distal end of each feedthrough pin, the proximal end of each feedthrough pin extending above the inside surface of the insulative plate and terminating at a point adjacent to the inside surface of the insulative plate, and the distal end of each feedthrough pin extending below the outside surface of the insulative plate into said living tissue; a mesh material disposed around a periphery of said bowl-like receptacle, said mesh material comprising a biocompatible material configured to promote tissue ingrowth and vascularization; an external part including a plug, the plug being configured to be removably inserted into the cavity of said percutaneous port and having a plurality of conductors that are positioned to make electrical contact with the proximal ends of said feedthrough pins when said plug is inserted into said bowl-like receptacle and to electrically disconnect from said feedthrough pins when said plug is removed from said bowl-like receptacle; and an implanted part connected to the distal end of at least one of said feedthrough pins; wherein said mesh material in combination with living tissue that grows and vascularizes therein provides a protective seal around said insulative plate for protecting against infection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In an implantable medical system comprising implanted components and external components, a percutaneous port for providing direct electrical connection between the implanted components and external components, the percutaneous port comprising:
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a bowl-like receptacle configured to be embedded in the skin of a user of the implanted medical system, said bowl-like receptacle having an upper rim that defines a periphery of the receptacle, and a wall extending down from the upper rim and formed to define a single cavity adapted to receive a single removable plug and having a closed bottom inside said rim, at least a portion of said wall comprising an insulative plate; three or more feedthrough pins extending through the insulative plate into said single cavity, each feedthrough pin having a proximal end and a distal end and an electrical conductive body that connects the proximal end and the distal end, the proximal end comprising the end of the feedthrough pin accessible from the inside of the cavity of the percutaneous port, and the distal end comprising the end of the feedthrough pin accessible from the outside of the cavity of the percutaneous port; a mesh material disposed around a periphery of said upper rim, said mesh material comprising a biocompatible material configured to promote tissue ingrowth and vascularization; wherein said percutaneous port is configured to be embedded in the skin of a user so that the upper rim of the percutaneous port is even with, or extends slightly above, a surface of the skin, and so that the volume of the cavity defined by the walls of said percutaneous port lies largely below skin level so as to form a dimple or indentation in the skin; wherein the wall of said percutaneous port protects tissue under the skin from exposure and infection; and wherein the mesh material provides a location where living tissue can grow into the mesh material and provide a barrier around the periphery of the percutaneous port that protects the tissue from infection; and
furtherwherein direct electrical connection may be established between external components of the implanted medical system and implanted components of the implanted medical system through said feedthrough pins passing through the wall of said percutaneous port.
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Specification