Lead having a conductive polymer conductor

• US 8,660,663 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Wolf, Peter J., Rud, Jared, Desai, Shrojalkumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US13/301,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 607/116
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems

Abstract

A medical electrical lead includes a conductive polymer conductor fabricated from a conductor-filled polyisobutylene urethane, urea or urethane/urea copolymer.

Claims

1. A medical electrical lead comprising:

a lead body extending from a terminal connector located at a proximal end portion of the lead body to a distal end portion, the lead body comprising at least one outer layer of an insulating material, the insulating material including a polyisobutylene urethane, urea or urethane/urea copolymer;

at least one conductive polymer conductor extending within the lead body from the terminal connector located at the proximal end portion of the lead body in a direction toward the distal end portion of the lead body, the conductive polymer conductor comprising a conductive material blended within a polyisobutylene urethane, urea or urethane/urea copolymer; and

at least one electrode located on the lead body, the at least one electrode operatively coupled to the at least one conductive polymer conductor extending within the lead body.

2. The medical electrical lead according to claim 1, wherein the at least one conductive polymer conductor further comprises an elongated conductive element encompassed within the polyisobutylene urethane, urea or urethane/urea copolymer.

3. The medical electrical lead according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode is a defibrillation coil, a ring electrode, or a tip electrode.

4. The medical electrical lead according to claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises gold, nickel, silver, platinum, iridium oxide, or combinations thereof.

5. The medical electrical lead according to claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises graphite, graphene, or combinations thereof.

6. The medical electrical lead according to claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises graphite nanotubes, carbon nanotubes, or combinations thereof.

7. The medical electrical lead according to claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises any one of microparticles, nanoparticles, microspheres, nanospheres, filaments, tubes, nanotubes, fibers, or combinations thereof.

8. The medical electrical lead according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the conductive material incorporated into the polyisobutylene urethane, urea or urethane/urea copolymer ranges from about 80 wt. % to about 99 wt. %.

9. The medical electrical lead according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the conductive material incorporated into the polyisobutylene urethane, urea or urethane/urea copolymer ranges from about 90 wt. % to about 99 wt. %.

10. The medical electrical lead according to claim 1, wherein the polyisobutylene urethane, urea or urethane/urea copolymer comprises fluoropolymer diol soft segments, fluorinated polyether diol soft segments, or fluorinated polysiloxane diol soft segments.