Grounding of a shield within an implantable medical lead
First Claim
1. A method of grounding a shield of an implantable lead that includes filars and electrodes at a proximal end and at a distal end wherein the filars provide an electrical connection between the electrodes at the proximal end and the electrodes at the distal end, comprising:
- establishing a pathway capable of conducting electrical energy at radio frequencies between the shield at a first point along the lead and a metal can of an implantable medical device, where the first point along the lead is spaced apart from a proximal end of the lead that is positioned within a header of the implantable medical device such that an entire length of the pathway and the first point are outside of the header.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Grounding of a shield that is located in an implantable medical lead may be done in many ways. The ground pathway may couple to the shield at a point that is outside of a header of an implantable medical device to which the implantable medical lead is attached. The ground pathway may couple to the shield at a point that is within the header of the implantable medical device. The ground pathway may terminate at the metal can of the implantable medical device. As another option, the ground pathway may terminate at a ground plate that is mounted to the header. The ground pathway may be direct current coupled from the shield to the can or ground plate. Alternatively, the ground pathway may include one or more capacitive couplings that provide a pathway for induced radio frequency current.
464 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of grounding a shield of an implantable lead that includes filars and electrodes at a proximal end and at a distal end wherein the filars provide an electrical connection between the electrodes at the proximal end and the electrodes at the distal end, comprising:
establishing a pathway capable of conducting electrical energy at radio frequencies between the shield at a first point along the lead and a metal can of an implantable medical device, where the first point along the lead is spaced apart from a proximal end of the lead that is positioned within a header of the implantable medical device such that an entire length of the pathway and the first point are outside of the header. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An implantable medical system, comprising:
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an implantable medical device housed within a metal can and having a header portion that houses electrical contacts; an implantable lead comprising a shield and filars and further comprising electrodes at a proximal end and at a distal end, wherein the filars provide a direct current connection between the electrodes at the proximal end and the electrodes at the distal end, the proximal end being positioned within the header so that the electrodes on the proximal end establish physical contact with the electrical contacts within the header; a ground conductor entirely outside of the header; a first coupling at a first point along the implantable lead that is spaced from the proximal end and the header, the first coupling establishing a radio frequency pathway between the shield at the first point and the ground conductor; and a second coupling at the can that establishes a radio frequency pathway between the ground conductor and the metal can. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An implantable medical system, comprising:
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an implantable medical device housed within a metal can and having a header portion that houses electrical contacts, a ground plate being affixed to an exterior surface of the header; an implantable lead comprising a shield and filars and further comprising electrodes at a proximal end and at a distal end, wherein the filars provide a direct current connection between the electrodes at the proximal end and the electrodes at the distal end, the proximal end being positioned within the header so that the electrodes on the proximal end establish physical contact with the electrical contacts within the header; a ground conductor entirely outside of the header; a first coupling at a first point along the implantable lead that establishes a radio frequency pathway between the shield at the first point and the ground conductor; and a second coupling at the ground plate that establishes a radio frequency pathway between the ground conductor and the ground plate. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of grounding a shield of an implantable lead that includes filars and electrodes at a proximal end and at a distal end wherein the filars provide an electrical connection between the electrodes at the proximal end and the electrodes at the distal end, comprising:
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providing an implantable medical device having a can and a header attached to the can, the header define a lead passageway; providing a connection block affixed to the can and positioned outside of the header, the connection block providing a pass-through and providing a metal conductor within the pass-through that has a radio frequency pathway from the pass-through to the metal can; providing a ground electrode on the lead distal of the header when the proximal end of the lead is fully inserted into the header such that the ground electrode is outside of the header, where the ground electrode is electrically coupled to the shield; and establishing physical contact between the ground electrode and the metal conductor within the pass-through.
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29. A method, comprising:
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providing an implantable medical device housed within a metal can and having a header portion that houses electrical contacts; providing an implantable lead comprising a shield and filars and further comprising electrodes at a proximal end and at a distal end, wherein the filars provide a direct current connection between the electrodes at the proximal end and the electrodes at the distal end; establishing a ground for the shield by providing a ground conductor entirely outside of the header with a first coupling at a first point along the implantable lead that is spaced from the proximal end and the header, the first coupling establishing a radio frequency pathway between the shield at the first point and the ground conductor and with a second coupling at the can that establishes a radio frequency pathway between the ground conductor and the metal can, wherein the first coupling that is outside of the header is at least one of a connection block with a set screw abutting the ground electrode electrically connected to the shield, a connection block with a spring loaded connector trapping the ground electrode electrically connected to the shield, a weld holding the ground conductor to the ground electrode, or an adhesive bond holding the ground conductor to the ground electrode; and inserting the proximal end of the lead within the header so that the electrodes on the proximal end establish physical contact with the electrical contacts within the header.
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30. A method, comprising:
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providing an implantable medical device housed within a metal can and having a header portion that houses electrical contacts, a ground plate being affixed to an exterior surface of the header; providing an implantable lead comprising a shield and filars and further comprising electrodes at a proximal end and at a distal end, wherein the filars provide a direct current connection between the electrodes at the proximal end and the electrodes at the distal end, the proximal end being positioned within the header so that the electrodes on the proximal end establish physical contact with the electrical contacts within the header; and establishing a ground for the shield by providing a ground conductor entirely outside of the header with a first coupling at a first point along the implantable lead that establishes a radio frequency pathway between the shield at the first point and the ground conductor and with a second coupling at the ground plate that establishes a radio frequency pathway between the ground conductor and the ground plate.
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Specification