Systems and methods for making and using electrode or terminal extensions for coupling to leads of implantable electrical systems

• US 9,308,364 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2013
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: McDonald, Matthew Lee, Muhleman, Jacob Matthew, Carbunaru, Rafael
• Primary Examiner(s): Stigell, Theodore
• Assistant Examiner(s): So, Elizabeth K
• Application Number:
  US13/864,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20130282086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 Structure-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• 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 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/02 Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92

Abstract

A lead assembly includes an implantable lead. Electrodes are disposed along a distal end of the lead in an electrode array. Terminals are disposed along a proximal end of the lead in a proximal-most terminal array and a medial terminal array. A terminal extension electrically couples to the medial terminal array. A port is defined in a connector at a first end of the terminal extension. The port has a first end and an opposing second end and forms a continuous passageway therebetween. The port receives the medial terminal array. A contact array includes connector contacts that are disposed within the port and that couple electrically with a terminal array disposed along a second end of the terminal extension. The contact array couples electrically with terminals of the medial terminal array of the lead when the medial terminal array is received by the port.

Claims

1. A lead assembly for an implantable electrical stimulation system comprising:

a lead configured and arranged for insertion into a patient, the lead comprising

a lead body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal length,

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the distal end of the lead body, the plurality of electrodes arranged into at least one electrode array,

a plurality of terminals disposed along the proximal end of the lead body, the plurality of terminals arranged into a plurality of terminal arrays, each terminal array comprising a plurality of the terminals, wherein the plurality of terminal arrays comprises a proximal-most terminal array and a medial terminal array axially-spaced-apart from one another along the longitudinal length of the lead body with the medial terminal array being disposed distal to the proximal-most terminal array along the longitudinal length of the lead body, and

a plurality of conductors electrically coupling the plurality of electrodes to at least one of the plurality of terminals; and

a terminal extension configured and arranged to electrically couple to the medial terminal array, the terminal extension comprising

a terminal extension body having a first end and an opposing second end,

a terminal extension connector disposed at the first end of the terminal extension body,

a port defined in the terminal extension connector, the port having a first open end and an opposing second open end and forming a continuous passageway therebetween, the port configured and arranged to receive the medial terminal array and to permit the lead body to extend through both of the first open end and the opposing second open end when the medial terminal array is received by the port,

a connector contact array comprising a plurality of connector contacts disposed within the port, the connector contact array configured and arranged to couple electrically with terminals of the medial terminal array when the medial terminal array is received by the port,

a terminal extension terminal array comprising a plurality of terminals disposed along the second end of the terminal extension body, and

a plurality of terminal extension conductors electrically coupling the connector contact array to the terminal extension terminal array.

2. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the terminal extension terminal array is configured and arranged for insertion into a system connector of one of a control module or a lead extension.

3. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the medial terminal array is a first medial terminal array, and wherein the plurality of terminal arrays further comprises a second medial terminal array axially-spaced-apart from the first medial terminal array and the proximal-most terminal array along the longitudinal length of the lead body with the second medial terminal array being disposed distal to the proximal-most terminal array along the longitudinal length of the lead body.

4. The lead assembly of claim 3, wherein the terminal extension is a first terminal extension, and wherein the lead assembly further comprises a second terminal extension configured and arranged to electrically couple to the second medial terminal array.

5. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged into a plurality of electrode arrays, the plurality of electrode arrays comprising a distal-most electrode array and a medial electrode array axially-spaced-apart from one another along the longitudinal length of the lead body with the medial electrode array being disposed proximal to the distal-most electrode array along the longitudinal length of the lead body.

6. The lead assembly of claim 5, further comprising, an electrode extension configured and arranged to electrically couple to the medial electrode array, the electrode extension comprising

an electrode extension body having a first end and an opposing second end,

an electrode extension connector disposed at the first end of the electrode extension body,

a port defined in the electrode extension connector, the port having a first open end and an opposing second open end and forming a continuous passageway therebetween, the port configured and arranged to receive the medial electrode array and to permit the lead body to extend through both of the first open end and the opposing second open end when the medial electrode array is received by the port,

a connector contact array comprising a plurality of connector contacts disposed within the port, the connector contact array configured and arranged to couple electrically with terminals of the medial electrode array when the medial electrode array is received by the port,

an electrode extension electrode array comprising a plurality of electrodes disposed along the second end of the electrode extension body, and

a plurality of electrode extension conductors electrically coupling the connector contact array to the electrode extension electrode array.

7. The lead assembly of claim 6, wherein the distal-most electrode array of the lead and the electrode extension electrode array are collectively configured and arranged to operate as a multi-column electrode array, where the distal-most electrode array of the lead forms a first column of the multi-column electrode array and the electrode extension electrode array forms a second column of the multi-column electrode array.

8. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the lead body has a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the proximal end of the lead body.

9. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the lead body is more rigid between the proximal-most terminal array and the medial terminal array than between the medial terminal array and the at least one electrode array.

10. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the lead body is isodiametric.

11. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the lead is a paddle lead.

12. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein a center-to-center spacing between adjacent terminals of the proximal-most terminal array and a center-to-center spacing between adjacent terminals of the medial terminal array are each equal in distance to one another.

13. The lead assembly of claim 12, wherein a distance between a center of a distal-most terminal of the proximal-most terminal array and a center of a proximal-most terminal of the medial terminal array is at least two times larger than the center-to-center spacing between adjacent terminals of the proximal-most terminal array and the medial terminal array.

14. An electrical stimulation system comprising:

the lead assembly of claim 1;

a control module configured and arranged to electrically couple to the lead assembly, the control module comprising

a housing, and

an electronic subassembly disposed in the housing; and

at least one system connector configured and arranged for receiving a portion of at least one of the lead body or the terminal extension body, the at least one system connector having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal length, the at least one connector comprising

a connector housing defining a port at the distal end of the connector, the port configured and arranged for receiving at least one of the proximal end of the lead body or the second end of the terminal extension body, and

a plurality of connector contacts disposed in the connector housing, the plurality of connector contacts configured and arranged to couple to one of the proximal-most terminal array of the lead body or the terminal extension terminal array.

15. The electrical stimulation system of claim 14, wherein the system connector is disposed on the control module.

16. The electrical stimulation system of claim 14, further comprising a lead extension configured and arranged to couple the lead to the control module, wherein the system connector is disposed on the lead extension.