ELECTRODE CONSTRUCTION FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL ELECTRICAL LEADS
First Claim
1. An implantable electrode lead for electrical stimulation of a body, comprising:
- an elongated insulative lead body;
a conductor within the lead body; and
an electrode coupled to the conductor comprising a coiled wire comprising a platinum-iridium cladding directly overlaying an un-smoothed melt quality tantalum core, the cladding forming an exposed surface of the electrode and having a maximum thickness of less than three microns.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable electrode for electrical stimulation of a body, for example, being a component of an implantable medical electrical lead, is preferably in the form of a coiled conductor wire, wherein the wire is formed by a tantalum (Ta) core directly overlaid with a platinum-iridium (Pt—Ir) cladding. When a maximum thickness of the Pt—Ir cladding defines a cladded zone between an outer, exposed surface of the electrode and the Ta core, a surface of the Ta core encroaches into the cladded zone by no more than approximately 50 micro-inches. The tantalum core may be cold worked to improve surface quality or formed from a sintered and, preferably, grain stabilized tantalum.
6 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An implantable electrode lead for electrical stimulation of a body, comprising:
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an elongated insulative lead body; a conductor within the lead body; and an electrode coupled to the conductor comprising a coiled wire comprising a platinum-iridium cladding directly overlaying an un-smoothed melt quality tantalum core, the cladding forming an exposed surface of the electrode and having a maximum thickness of less than three microns.
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5. A method of producing an implantable electrode lead for electrical stimulation of a body of the type comprising an elongated insulative lead body, a conductor within the lead body;
- and an electrode coupled to the conductor, comprising;
including as the electrode a coiled wire comprising a platinum-iridium cladding directly overlaying an un-smoothed melt quality tantalum core, the core wire cladding forming an exposed surface of the electrode and having a maximum thickness of less than three microns.
- and an electrode coupled to the conductor, comprising;
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6. A system of producing an implantable electrode lead for electrical stimulation of a body of the type comprising an elongated insulative lead body, a conductor within the lead body and an electrode coupled to the conductor, comprising:
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employing Anomet, Inc to apply a platinum-iridium cladding to a tantalum core to produce an electrode wire in which the cladding forms an exposed surface of the electrode having a maximum thickness of less than three microns; and means for coiling the wire to form the electrode. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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11. A method of producing an implantable electrode lead for electrical stimulation of a body of the type comprising an elongated insulative lead body, a conductor within the lead body and an electrode coupled to the conductor, comprising:
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employing Anomet, Inc to apply a platinum-iridium cladding to a tantalum core to produce an electrode wire in which the cladding forms an exposed surface of the electrode having a maximum thickness of less than three microns; and coiling the wire to form the electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 10, 12, 13, 14)
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11-1. A method of producing an implantable electrode lead for electrical stimulation of a body of the type comprising an elongated insulative lead body, a conductor within the lead body and an electrode coupled to the conductor, comprising:
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employing Anomet, Inc to apply a platinum-iridium cladding to a tantalum core to produce an electrode wire in which the cladding forms an exposed surface of the electrode having a maximum thickness of less than three microns; and coiling the wire to form the electrode, wherein the electrode does not require smoothing of a surface of the core wire.
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12-2. A method according to claim 11 wherein the maximum thickness of the cladding is one micron.
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13-3. A method according to claim 11 wherein the maximum thickness of the cladding is two microns.
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14-4. A method according to claim 12 wherein the cladding of about 1 micron does not expose a melted quality tantalum core.
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15. A method according to claim 12 wherein the cladding of about 1 micron does not expose a melted quality tantalum core.
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15-5. A method of producing an implantable electrode lead for electrical stimulation of a body of the type comprising an elongated insulative lead body, a conductor within the lead body and an electrode coupled to the conductor, comprising:
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employing Anomet, Inc to apply a platinum-iridium cladding to a tantalum core to produce an electrode wire in which the cladding forms an exposed surface of the electrode having a maximum thickness of less than about one micron; and coiling the wire to form the electrode.
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- 16. A method according to claim 16 wherein the electrode does not require smoothing of a surface of the core wire.
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18. A method of producing an implantable electrode lead for electrical stimulation of a body of the type comprising an elongated insulative lead body, a conductor within the lead body and an electrode coupled to the conductor, comprising:
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employing Anomet, Inc to apply a platinum-iridium cladding to a tantalum core to produce an electrode wire in which the cladding forms an exposed surface of the electrode having a maximum thickness of less than three microns; and coiling the wire to form the electrode, wherein the electrode does not require smoothing of a surface of the core wire. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification