METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN ACTIVE FIXATION ELECTRODE

• US 20100037457A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical AB (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical AB (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nilssson, Susanne, Forslund, Mikael, Norlin Weissenrieder, Anna, Herstedt, Marie, Hill, Rolf, Stegfeldt, Olof
• Granted Patent: US 8,250,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/882
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0573 chacterised by means penetrating the heart tissue, e.g. helix needle or hook
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing conductors or cables
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49073 by assembling coil and core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 Assembling terminal to elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49201 with overlapping orienting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49218 with deforming

Abstract

In a method for manufacturing active fixation helices for the stimulation and/or sensing of organs, an elongated helix precursor body is produced that has one or more electrical conductors surrounded by an insulating material. This helix precursor body is then shaped into a helix, material removed in predetermined places in order to expose the areas of the conductors which will be used as electrodes in the final product. The body is coated with an electrically conducting biocompatible coating which is subsequently partly removed in continuous loops from around the electrodes in order to electrically insulate them from each other and to ensure that the electrically active areas of the electrodes are of the correct dimensions.

Claims

1. Method of fabricating an electrically active helix for an electrical medical lead comprising the steps of:

a) forming an elongated helix body precursor having a proximal end and a distal end, said helix body precursor comprising at least one electrically conducting core partially surrounded by an insulating sheath whereby a portion of the surface of each electrically conducting core between said distal end and said proximal end is exposed; and

,

b) forming said helix body precursor into a helix body in which a plurality of helical revolutions are formed between said proximal end and said distal end of said helix body precursor, and wherein each exposed surface of each electrically conducting core faces in a predetermined direction.

2. Method in accordance with claim 1 wherein step a) comprises the steps of:

i) forming at least one electrically conducting core and a surrounding insulating sheath; and

ii) removing a portion of said insulating sheath in order to expose a portion of each electrically conducting core.

3. Method in accordance with claim 1 wherein step a) comprises the step of forming at least one electrically conducting core surrounded by an insulating sheath which leaves a portion of each electrically conducting core exposed.

4. Method in accordance with claim 1, comprising, before step b) the steps of:

A) applying a continuous electrically conducting, biocompatible coating to the longitudinally-extending surface of said insulating sheath and each exposed surface of each electrically conducting core;

B) removing a portion of said electrically conducting biocompatible coating on the insulating sheath surrounding each continuous portion of the surface of each electrically conducting core such that each electrically conducting coating on the exposed surface of each electrically conducting core is not in electrical contact with the remaining electrically conducting coating on said insulating sheath.

5. Method in accordance with claim 4 comprising, in step B) removing said portion of electrically conducting biocompatible coating by polishing or cutting or grinding or a combination thereof.

11. Method in accordance with claim 1 comprising employing a biocompatible coating selected from the group consisting of TiN or TiSiC or platinum black or a metal oxide or other electrically conducting material.

6. Method of fabricating an electrically active helix for an electrical medical lead comprising the steps of:

a) forming a helix body having a proximal end and a distal end connected by a plurality of helical revolutions, said body comprising at least one electrically conducting core partially surrounded by an insulating sheath whereby a portion of the surface of each electrically conducting core extending from said distal end towards said proximal end and facing in a predetermined direction is exposed;

b) applying a continuous electrically conducting, biocompatible coating to surface of said insulating sheath and each exposed surface of each electrically conducting core;

c) removing a portion of said electrically conducting biocompatible coating on the insulating sheath surrounding each continuous portion of the surface of each electrically conducting core such that the electrically conducting coating on the exposed surface of each electrically conducting core is not in electrical contact with the remaining electrically conducting coating on said insulating sheath.

7. Method in accordance with claim 6 wherein step a) comprises the steps of:

i) forming an elongated helix body precursor having a proximal end and a distal end, said helix body precursor comprising at least one electrically conducting core and a surrounding insulating sheath in which there is at least one longitudinally extending slit in said insulating sheath which exposes a portion of each electrically conducting core; and

,

ii) forming said elongated helix body precursor in a helix body in which a plurality of helical revolutions are formed between said proximal end and said distal end of said helix body precursor, and wherein said exposed surface of each electrically conducting core faces in a predetermined direction.

8. Method in accordance with claim 7 wherein step i) comprises the step of forming at least one electrically conducting core surrounded by an insulating sheath which leaves at least one portion of each electrically conducting core exposed.

9. Method in accordance with claim 6 comprising, in step c), removing said portion of electrically conducting biocompatible coating by polishing or cutting or grinding or a combination thereof.

10. Method in accordance with claim 6 comprising employing a biocompatible coating selected from the group consisting of TiN or TiSiC or platinum black or a metal oxide or other electrically conducting material.