SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MAKING AND USING ENHANCED ELECTRODES FOR ELECTRICAL STIMULATION SYSTEMS

• US 20130296956A1
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Published: 11/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Ayanoor-Vitikkate, Vipin, Pianca, Anne Margaret, Colvin, Michael S., Barker, John Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,818,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/2
• 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 1/36064 Epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36067 Movement disorders, e.g. tremor or Parkinson disease stimulating motor muscle A61N1/36003
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36096 Mood disorders, e.g. depression, anxiety or panic disorder

Abstract

A lead assembly for providing electrical stimulation of patient tissue includes at least one elongated lead body, each of the at least one lead bodies having a distal end and a proximal end. A plurality of electrodes are disposed at the distal end of the at least one lead body, each of the electrodes having an outer surface. A plurality of dimples are defined along the outer surface of at least one of the plurality of electrodes, the plurality of dimples configured and arranged to provide a larger surface area for the at least one dimpled electrode than that of a similarly-sized electrode with a flat outer surface. A plurality of terminal are disposed at the proximal end of the at least one lead body. A plurality of conductive wires couple each of the plurality of electrodes to at least one of the plurality of terminals.

Claims

1. A medical lead for providing electrical stimulation of patient tissue, the medical lead comprising:

a lead body having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion;

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the distal end portion of the lead body, each of the plurality of electrodes having a width, a length, and an outer surface, wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes is a grooved electrode that defines a plurality of grooves along the outer surface, the plurality of grooves extending non-linearly along the grooved electrode such that each of the plurality of grooves forms a curved line;

a plurality of terminals disposed along the proximal end portion of the lead body; and

a plurality of conductive wires coupling the plurality of terminals to the plurality of electrodes.

2. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one grooved electrode has a thickness, and each of the plurality of grooves defined along the at least one grooved electrode has a depth, and wherein the depth of each of the plurality of grooves defined along the at least one grooved electrode is no more than one-half of the thickness of the at least one grooved electrode.

3. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of grooves defined along the at least one grooved electrode are spaced-apart from one another such that the grooves do not abut one another.

4. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein an entire non-grooved portion of the outer surface of the at least one grooved electrode is flat.

5. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of grooves extend non-linearly along the width of the grooved electrode.

6. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of grooves extend non-linearly along the length of the grooved electrode.

7. The lead assembly of claim 1, further comprising a surface coating disposed over at least a portion of the outer surface of the at least one grooved electrode.

8. The lead assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of grooves are defined along the outer surfaces of each of the plurality of electrodes.

9. The medical lead of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of non-linearly-extending grooves extending along the outer surface of the grooved electrode extends in a wave-shaped pattern.

10. The medical lead of claim 1, wherein at least one groove of the plurality of grooves has a U-shaped cross-section along an axis that is perpendicular to the outer surface and perpendicular to a length of the at least one groove of the plurality of grooves.

11. The medical lead of claim 1, wherein at least one groove of the plurality of grooves has a V-shaped cross-section along an axis that is perpendicular to the outer surface and perpendicular to a length of the at least one groove of the plurality of grooves.

12. The medical lead of claim 1, wherein at least one groove of the plurality of grooves has a rectangular cross-sectional shape along an axis that is perpendicular to the outer surface and perpendicular to a length of the at least one groove of the plurality of grooves.

13. The lead assembly of claim 1, further comprising a paddle body disposed along the distal end portion of the lead body, wherein the at least one grooved electrode is disposed on the paddle body.

14. The lead assembly of claim 13, wherein the at least one grooved electrode comprises at least one side wall at least partially inset into the paddle body.

15. The lead assembly of claim 14, wherein the at least one grooved electrode comprises at least one anchoring aperture defined in the at least one side wall, the at least one anchoring aperture configured and arranged to receive a portion of the paddle body.

16. An electrical stimulating system comprising:

the lead assembly of claim 1;

a control module configured and arranged to electrically couple to the proximal end portion of the lead body of the lead assembly, the control module comprising

a housing, and

an electronic subassembly disposed in the housing; and

a connector configured and arranged for receiving the lead body, the connector comprising

a connector housing defining at least one port configured and arranged for receiving the proximal end portion of the lead body, and

a plurality of connector contacts disposed in the at least one port, the plurality of connector contacts configured and arranged to couple to the plurality of terminals when the proximal end portion of the lead body is received by the port.

17. An electrical stimulation lead for providing electrical stimulation of patient tissue, the electrical stimulation lead comprising:

a lead body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a circumference;

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the distal end portion of the lead body, wherein each of the plurality of electrodes has an outer surface, wherein at least some of the plurality of electrodes are segmented electrodes that each extend around less than the entire circumference of the lead body, wherein at least one of the segmented electrodes defines a surface texture defined in the outer surface of the segmented electrode, the surface texture configured and arranged to provide a larger surface area for the at least one segmented electrode than that of a similarly-sized segmented electrode with a flat outer surface;

a plurality of terminals disposed along the proximal end portion of the lead body; and

a plurality of conductive wires coupling the plurality of terminals to the plurality of electrodes.

18. The electrical stimulation lead of claim 17, wherein the surface texture comprises a plurality of indentations.

19. The electrical stimulation lead of claim 18, wherein the plurality of indentations comprises a plurality of grooves.

20. The electrical stimulation lead of claim 18, wherein the plurality of indentations comprises a plurality of dimples.