Drug dispensing body implantable lead employing molecular sieves and methods of fabrication
First Claim
1. A body implantable electrode lead, comprising:
- an elongated insulative lead body having a proximal end and a distal end;
an electrical conductor mounted within said lead body, having a proximal end and a distal end;
an electrical connector mounted to the proximal end of said lead body and electrically coupled to said electrical conductor;
electrode means for contacting body tissue along an exterior surface of said electrode, said electrode mounted to said lead body and electrically coupled to the proximal end of said electrical conductor, said electrode having a cavity therein open to said exterior surface; and
dehydrated molecular sieve material mounted within said cavity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A body implantable lead for the delivery of stimulation energy to a desired body site including a drug dispenser carried by the lead which retains a drug to be dispensed while allowing the dispensing of that drug at least adjacent the desired body stimulation site. The drug is retained in a cavity within the lead, in the form of a solid plug or a powder wherein the drug is compounded with an appropriate molecular sieve material. The drug is released only after the molecular sieves are activated by exposure to water. In those embodiments in which the molecular sieves take the form of a powder, the molecular sieves and drug may be conveniently loaded into the electrode, after manufacture and prior to implant.
621 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A body implantable electrode lead, comprising:
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an elongated insulative lead body having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrical conductor mounted within said lead body, having a proximal end and a distal end; an electrical connector mounted to the proximal end of said lead body and electrically coupled to said electrical conductor; electrode means for contacting body tissue along an exterior surface of said electrode, said electrode mounted to said lead body and electrically coupled to the proximal end of said electrical conductor, said electrode having a cavity therein open to said exterior surface; and dehydrated molecular sieve material mounted within said cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of manufacturing an electrode, comprising the steps of:
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fabricating an electrode having an exterior surface, an internal cavity, a first bore extending from said cavity to said exterior surface, a retainer having pores mounted across said first bore, and a second bore connecting said cavity to the exterior of said electrode; dehydrating a molecular sieve material having a particle size larger than the pore size of said retainer; and loading said dehydrated molecular sieve material into said cavity via said second bore of said electrode. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method of manufacturing an implantable electrode, comprising the steps of:
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fabricating an electrode having an internal cavity, an exterior surface, a first bore open to said exterior surface and to said internal cavity, a retainer having pores mounted across said bore and a dehydrated cavity containing molecular sieve material having particle size greater than the pore size of said retainer, mounted within said internal cavity of said electrode; dissolving a drug having a polar portion smaller than the cavity size of said molecular sieve material in a non-polar solvent; and soaking said electrode in said non-polar solvent in which said drug has been dissolved.
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Specification