Methods of manufacturing leads with a radially segmented electrode array

• US 9,270,070 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Pianca, Anne Margaret
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Donghai D
• Application Number:
  US13/776,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20130160287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 298/25, 298/44, 298/47, 298/57, 298/58, 298/61, 607/115, 607/116, 607/118
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/567 Traverse cable outlet or wire connection
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/62 Connections between conductors of different materials; Connections between or with aluminium or steel-core aluminium conductors H01R4/68 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors of trolley lines B60M1/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A method of making a lead for a stimulation device includes forming at least one pre-electrode in the shape of a ring, the at least one pre-electrode comprises at least two thin-walled portions separated by at least two thick-walled portions; disposing the at least one pre-electrode near a distal end of a lead body; joining at least one conductor to each thick-walled portion of the at least one pre-electrode; and grinding the lead body and the at least one pre-electrode to remove the thin-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode to form segmented electrodes from the thick-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode.

Claims

1. A method of making a lead for a stimulation device comprising:

forming at least one pre-electrode in a shape of a ring, the at least one pre-electrode comprises at least two thin-walled portions separated by at least two thick-walled portions;

disposing the at least one pre-electrode near a distal end of a lead body;

joining at least one conductor to each thick-walled portion of the at least one pre-electrode; and

grinding the at least one pre-electrode to remove the thin-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode to form a plurality of segmented electrodes from the thick-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein disposing the at least one pre-electrode near the distal end of the lead body comprises disposing a plurality of the pre-electrodes near the distal end of the lead body and further comprising separating the pre-electrodes using at least one spacer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode are equally spaced around the circumference of the at least one pre-electrode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the lead body comprises forming a lead body having an ablated section and disposing the at least one pre-electrode on the ablated section of the lead body.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one conductor is a plurality of conductors and wherein joining at least one conductor comprises individually welding the conductors at regular intervals around the circumference of the lead body.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein grinding the at least one pre-electrode comprises centerless grinding the at least one pre-electrode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one pre-electrode comprises marks for coupling with the lead body.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the at least one pre-electrode comprises providing the at least one pre-electrode in which the at least two thick-walled portions and the at least two thin-walled portions have a same outer diameter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing the at least one pre-electrode comprises providing the at least one pre-electrode in which an inner diameter of the at least two thick-walled portions is smaller than an inner diameter of the at least two thin-walled portions.

10. A method of making a lead for a stimulation device comprising:

forming at least one pre-electrode in a shape of a ring, the at least one pre-electrode comprises at least two thin-walled portions separated by at least two thick-walled portions;

disposing the at least one pre-electrode near a distal end of a lead body;

joining at least one conductor to each thick-walled portion of the at least one pre-electrode; and

reducing an outer diameter of the at least one pre-electrode disposed on the lead body to remove the thin-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode to form a plurality of segmented electrodes from the thick-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein forming the at least one pre-electrode comprises providing the at least one pre-electrode in which the at least two thick-walled portions and the at least two thin-walled portions have a same outer diameter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the at least one pre-electrode comprises providing the at least one pre-electrode in which an inner diameter of the at least two thick-walled portions is smaller than an inner diameter of the at least two thin-walled portions.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least two thick-walled portions comprise at least three thick-walled portions and the at least two thin-walled portions comprise at least three thin-walled portions.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein reducing the outer diameter of the at least one pre-electrode comprises grinding an outer surface of the at least one pre-electrode.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein disposing the at least one pre-electrode near the distal end of the lead body comprises disposing a plurality of the pre-electrodes near the distal end of the lead body and further comprising separating the pre-electrodes using at least one spacer.

16. A method of making a lead for a stimulation device comprising:

forming at least one pre-electrode in a shape of a ring, the at least one pre-electrode comprises at least two thin-walled portions separated by at least two thick-walled portions, wherein the at least two thick-walled portions and the at least-two thin walled portions have a same outer diameter and an inner diameter of the at least two thick-walled portions is smaller than an inner diameter of the at least-two thin walled portions;

disposing the at least one pre-electrode near a distal end of a lead body;

joining at least one conductor to each thick-walled portion of the at least one pre-electrode; and

removing the thin-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode to form a plurality of segmented electrodes from the thick-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least two thick-walled portions comprise at least three thick-walled portions and the at least two thin-walled portions comprise at least three thin-walled portions.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein removing the thin-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode comprises grinding an outer surface of the at least one pre-electrode.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein removing the thin-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode comprises cutting, skiving, or laser ablating an outer surface of the at least one pre-electrode.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein disposing the at least one pre-electrode near the distal end of the lead body comprises disposing a plurality of the pre-electrodes near the distal end of the lead body and further comprising separating the pre-electrodes using at least one spacer.