Acutely stiff implantable electrodes
First Claim
1. A device for stimulating tissue inside a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
- an electrode paddle that is configured to be acutely stiff outside the patient'"'"'s body and during insertion into the patient'"'"'s body and then becomes chronically non-stiff within the patient'"'"'s body, wherein the electrode paddle comprises an internal lumen transitioning from a proximal end towards a distal end of the electrode paddle along a longitudinal axis of the electrode paddle, wherein the internal lumen is configured and arranged to be pressurized with a liquid or gas to modify the electrode paddle to be acutely stiff, and wherein after implantation into the patient'"'"'s body, the pressure can be released to enable the electrode paddle to become chronically non-stiff, wherein the internal lumen comprises a plurality of branches within the electrode paddle and the internal lumen is sealed except at one opening at the proximal end of the electrode paddle through which the internal lumen can be pressurized with the liquid or gas; and
a plurality of stimulating electrode contacts disposed on the electrode paddle in at least two adjacent columns, each column comprising a plurality of the stimulation electrode contacts.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable device for stimulating body tissue that includes an electrode lead body and at least one stimulating electrode contact disposed on the electrode lead body. The electrode lead body may be a percutaneous electrode lead or an electrode paddle that is configured and arranged to be substantially stiff outside the patient'"'"'s body and during insertion into the patient'"'"'s body and then becomes non-stiff within the patient'"'"'s body. The stiffness may be modified using, for example, resorbable materials, temperature sensitive materials, or a lumen within the lead body for introducing a pressurized gas or liquid to modify a stiffness of the lead body. In one embodiment, the lead body may have different acute and/or chronic shapes.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A device for stimulating tissue inside a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
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an electrode paddle that is configured to be acutely stiff outside the patient'"'"'s body and during insertion into the patient'"'"'s body and then becomes chronically non-stiff within the patient'"'"'s body, wherein the electrode paddle comprises an internal lumen transitioning from a proximal end towards a distal end of the electrode paddle along a longitudinal axis of the electrode paddle, wherein the internal lumen is configured and arranged to be pressurized with a liquid or gas to modify the electrode paddle to be acutely stiff, and wherein after implantation into the patient'"'"'s body, the pressure can be released to enable the electrode paddle to become chronically non-stiff, wherein the internal lumen comprises a plurality of branches within the electrode paddle and the internal lumen is sealed except at one opening at the proximal end of the electrode paddle through which the internal lumen can be pressurized with the liquid or gas; and a plurality of stimulating electrode contacts disposed on the electrode paddle in at least two adjacent columns, each column comprising a plurality of the stimulation electrode contacts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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Specification