Implantable medical lead with moveable conductors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11266828-B2
Application number	US-201816212256-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2018
Priority date	Dec 6, 2018
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A medical lead includes a lead body, a connector, an electrical conductor, and a sleeve. The lead body includes a distal end and a proximal end defining a longitudinal axis of the lead body. The connector is positioned near the proximal end of the lead body. The electrical conductor extends about the longitudinal axis of the lead body. The sleeve is coupled to an insulative material of the lead body and positioned around the electrical conductor. The electrical conductor is electrically coupled to the connector. The sleeve includes a fixed portion that is fixed to the electrical conductor and an unfixed portion that is not fixed to the electrical conductor. In response to bending of the medical lead, the conductor may move within the unfixed portion to relieve strain created by the bending.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An implantable medical lead system comprising:
a lead body comprising an insulative material, the lead body including a distal end and a proximal end defining a longitudinal axis of the lead body;
an electrical connector positioned near the proximal end;
an electrical conductor extending about the longitudinal axis of the lead body;
a sleeve coupled to the insulative material of the lead body, the sleeve positioned around the electrical conductor between the insulative material and the electrical conductor,
wherein the electrical conductor is electrically coupled to the connector, and
wherein the sleeve includes a fixed portion that is fixed to the electrical conductor and an unfixed portion that is not fixed to the electrical conductor.

2. The implantable medical lead system of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is configured to shrink in response to a stimulus.

3. The implantable medical lead system of claim 2 , wherein the sleeve is a thermal-shrink sleeve.

4. The implantable medical lead system of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve has a thickness less than 0.25 mm.

5. The implantable medical lead system of claim 1 , wherein the unfixed portion of the sleeve has a length greater than 10 centimeters.

6. The implantable medical lead system of claim 1 , wherein the fixed portion of the sleeve is proximal to the unfixed portion of the sleeve, and wherein a proximal end of the unfixed portion of the sleeve is less than 10 centimeters from the electrical connector.

7. The implantable medical lead system of claim 1 , wherein the insulative material comprises an epoxy.

8. The implantable medical lead system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector is a first electrical connector, wherein the electrical conductor is a first electrical conductor, wherein the sleeve is a first sleeve, wherein the fixed portion is a first fixed portion, wherein the unfixed portion is a first unfixed portion, and wherein the medical lead further comprises:
a second electrical connector positioned near the proximal end;
a second electrical conductor extending about the longitudinal axis of the lead body;
a second sleeve coupled to the insulative material of the lead body, the second sleeve positioned around the second electrical conductor between the insulative material and the second electrical conductor,
wherein the second electrical conductor is electrically coupled to the second connector, and
wherein the second sleeve includes a first portion that is fixed to the second electrical conductor and a second portion that is not fixed to the second electrical conductor.

9. The implantable medical lead system of claim 1 , wherein the medical lead comprises a medical lead extension that does not include electrodes.

10. The implantable medical lead system of claim 1 , wherein the medical lead further comprises a plurality of electrodes positioned at the distal end.

11. The implantable medical lead system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrode at the distal end, wherein the electrode is electrically coupled to the electrical conductor; and
an implantable medical device configured to electrically couple to the electrical connector, wherein the implantable medical device is configured to deliver electrical stimulation to the electrode or sense electric signals from the electrode.

12. The implantable medical lead system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical conductor further comprises an electrical insulator sheath around a conductive portion of the electrical conductor.

13. A method for manufacturing a medical lead comprising:
positioning a conductor assembly in a channel extending about a longitudinal axis of a lead body, the conductor assembly comprising an electrical conductor and a sleeve positioned around the electrical conductor, and the sleeve forming an outer surface of the conductor assembly; and
filling the channel with an insulative material, the insulative material surrounding the outer surface of the conductor assembly, and the sleeve positioned between the insulative material and the electrical conductor,
wherein the lead body includes a distal end and a proximal end defining the longitudinal axis of the lead body,
wherein the sleeve includes a fixed portion that is fixed to the electrical conductor and an unfixed portion that is not fixed to the electrical conductor.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
positioning the electrical conductor in the sleeve; and
fixing the fixed portion of the sleeve to the electrical conductor.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sleeve is a thermal-shrink sleeve, and wherein fixing the fixed portion of the sleeve to the electrical conductor comprises applying heat to the fixed portion of the sleeve.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the implantable medical lead further comprises a connector positioned near the proximal end, and further comprising electrically coupling the electrical conductor to the connector.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising curing the insulative material to couple the insulative material to the sleeve.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the unfixed portion of the sleeve has a length greater than 2.5 centimeters.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the fixed portion of the sleeve is proximal to the unfixed portion of the sleeve.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein a proximal end of the unfixed portion of the sleeve is less than 10 centimeters from the electrical connector.

21. The method of claim 13 , wherein the conductor assembly is a first conductor assembly, wherein the electrical conductor is a first electrical conductor, wherein the sleeve is a first sleeve, wherein the outer surface is a first outer surface, and wherein the method further comprises:
positioning a second conductor assembly in the channel, the second conductor assembly comprising a second electrical conductor and a second sleeve positioned around the electrical conductor, and the second sleeve forming a second outer surface of the second conductor assembly; and
filling the channel with the insulative material, the insulative material surrounding a second outer surface of the second conductor assembly, and the second sleeve positioned between the insulative material and the second electrical conductor,
wherein the second sleeve includes a first portion that is fixed to the second electrical conductor and a second portion that is not fixed to the second electrical conductor.

Assignees

• Medtronic Inc

Inventors

• Zweber Jeffrey
• Bradley Joseph
• Whelan Vincent
• Johnson Ian

Classifications

• A61N1/0539

  Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole · CPC title

• A61N1/05 Primary

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

• A61N1/0558

  Anchoring or fixation means therefor · CPC title

• A61N1/37247

  User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means · CPC title

• A61N1/3752

  Details of casing-lead connections · CPC title