Electrode assemblies, methods, and components thereof for implantable medical electrical leads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10449353-B2
Application number	US-201715493932-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2017
Priority date	Apr 28, 2016
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

An implantable medical electrical lead includes an electrode assembly in which an electrical junction between a first conductor and an inner surface of a first electrode of the assembly is wedged within a first channel of at least one core member of the assembly, around which the first electrode extends. The at least one core member is formed from an insulating material, and the first channel may be one of a plurality of longitudinally extending channels arrayed around a circumference of a central lumen of the assembly, which is defined by the at least one core member. The first conductor extends along a length of the assembly, for example, defined between the first electrode and a second electrode thereof, in a helical path that travels around the central lumen.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrode assembly for an implantable medical electrical lead, the assembly comprising:
at least one core member formed from an insulating material, the at least one core member defining a central longitudinally extending lumen of the assembly, and each of the at least one core member including a plurality of longitudinally extending channels arrayed around a circumference of the central lumen, each channel having an opening that extends along an entire length thereof;
a plurality of electrodes spaced apart from one another along a length of the assembly, a first electrode of the plurality defining a distal end of the length, and a second electrode of the plurality defining a proximal end of the length, the first electrode extending around the at least one core member;
a plurality of elongate conductors corresponding to the plurality of electrodes, a first conductor of the plurality of conductors extending along a helical path, the helical path traveling from the proximal end of the length of the assembly to the distal end of the length of the assembly and around the central lumen of the assembly; and
an electrical junction between the first conductor and an inner surface of the first electrode, the junction being wedged within a first channel of the plurality of channels of the at least one core member.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the length thereof is between approximately 1 inch and approximately 3 inches, and the helical path travels approximately 360 degrees around the central lumen every 1 inch.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the opening of each channel of the plurality of channels of the at least one core member faces outward, away from the central lumen.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrical junction comprises a conductive sleeve swaged around a distal end of the first conductor, and a weld joint formed between the inner surface of the first electrode and the swaged conductive sleeve.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising another, second electrical junction between a second conductor of the plurality of conductors and an inner surface of the second electrode, and wherein:
the at least one core member comprises a single flexible core member extending along the length of the assembly;
each channel of the plurality of channels of the single core member extends along a corresponding helical path that travels around the central lumen;
the first conductor extends within the first channel along the length of the assembly;
the second electrode extends around the single core member; and
the second electrical junction is wedged within a second channel of the plurality of channels.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , further comprising another, third electrical junction between a third conductor of the plurality of conductors and an inner surface of a third electrode of the plurality of electrodes, the third electrode extending around the core member, between the first electrode and the second electrode; and wherein:
the third conductor extends within a third channel of the plurality of channels of the single core member, and along the helical path thereof; and
the third electrical junction is wedged within the third channel.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein each electrical junction comprises a conductive sleeve swaged around a distal end of the corresponding conductor and a weld joint formed between the inner surface of the corresponding electrode and the corresponding swaged conductive sleeve.

8. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the central lumen defined by the single core member has a lubricious surface.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one core member comprises a plurality of core members spaced apart from one another along the length of the assembly, a first core member of the plurality of core members including the first channel in which the electrical junction between the first conductor and the inner surface of the first electrode is wedged;
each electrode of the plurality of electrodes extends around a corresponding core member; and
the first conductor extends in a corresponding channel of each of the plurality of core members.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , further comprising another, second electrical junction between a second conductor of the plurality of conductors and an inner surface of the second electrode, the second electrode extending around a second core member of the plurality of core members, and the second electrical junction being wedged within a channel of the second core member, the channel in which the second electrical junction is wedged being separate from the channel of the second core member in which the first conductor extends.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a third electrical junction between a third conductor of the plurality of conductors and an inner surface of a third electrode of the plurality of electrodes, the third electrode extending around a third core member of the plurality of core members and being located between the first electrode and the second electrode; and wherein:
the third conductor extends within another channel of the second core member, the other channel being separate from the channel in which the first conductor extends and separate from the channel in which the second electrical junction is wedged; and
the third electrical junction is wedged within a channel of the third core member, the channel in which the third electrical junction is wedged being separate from the channel of the third core member in which the first conductor extends.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein each electrical junction comprises a conductive sleeve swaged around a distal end of the corresponding conductor and a weld joint formed between the inner surface of the corresponding electrode and the corresponding swaged conductive sleeve.

13. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the opening of each channel of the plurality of channels of each core member faces inward toward the central lumen.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , further comprising an elongate tubular sidewall extending along the length of the assembly to isolate the channels of the plurality of core members from the central lumen.

15. An implantable medical electrical lead comprising a connector, an electrode assembly, and an insulative body extending between the connector and the electrode assembly; and wherein the electrode assembly comprises:
at least one core member formed from an insulating material, the at least one core member defining a central longitudinally extending lumen of the assembly, and each of the at least one core member including a plurality of longitudinally extending channels arrayed around a circumference of the central lumen, each channel having an opening that extends along an entire length thereof;
a plurality of electrodes spaced apart from one another along a length of the assembly, a first electrode of the plurality defining a distal end of the length, and a second electrode of the plurality defining a proximal end of the length, the first electrode extending around the at least one core member;
a plurality of elongate conductors corresponding to the plurality of electrodes, each conductor extending proximally from the electrode assembly, within the body, to the connector and being electrically coupled to the connector, a first conductor of the plurality of conductors extending along a helical path, the helical path traveling from the proximal end of the length of the assembly to the distal end of the length of the assembly and around the central lumen of the assembly; and
an electric

Assignees

• Medtronic Inc

Inventors

• Shoberg Bret R
• Boser Gregory A
• Hegland Michael T
• Olson Robert L
• Seeley Dale F
• Silverberg Jacob W
• Rama Suraj

Classifications

• H01R24/58

  Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement · CPC title

• H01R2201/12

  for medicine and surgery · CPC title

• H01R2107/00

  Four or more poles · CPC title

• A61N1/3605

  Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system · CPC title

• A61N1/05

  for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode (A61N1/06 takes precedence) · CPC title