Paddle leads and delivery tools, and associated systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018256892-A1
Application number	US-201815915339-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 8, 2018
Priority date	Mar 9, 2017
Publication date	Sep 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Paddle leads and delivery tools, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative system is for use with a signal delivery paddle that is elongated along a longitudinal axis, and has a paddle length and a first cross-sectional area distribution that includes a first maxima. The system comprises a delivery tool including a proximal handle and a distal connection portion positioned to removably couple to the signal delivery paddle. The paddle and the delivery tool together have a combined second cross-sectional area distribution along the length of the paddle, with a second maxima that is no greater than the first maxima.

First claim

I claim:

1 . A patient therapy system, comprising:
a signal delivery paddle including:
a paddle body having an upper surface and a lower surface facing away from the upper surface, the paddle body carrying a plurality of signal delivery electrodes and having two lead legs projecting in a proximal direction and separated by a gap; and
two lead tails, each extending from a corresponding one of the lead legs and each carrying at least one conductor electrically connected to a corresponding one of the signal delivery electrodes; and
a delivery tool removably coupleable to the signal delivery paddle, the delivery tool including:
a proximal handle;
a distal connection portion having:
a central projection sized to fit within the gap between the two legs of the signal delivery paddle;
two oppositely-facing leg channels, each positioned to receive a corresponding one of the lead legs;
two oppositely-facing tail channels, each positioned to receive a corresponding one of the lead tails; and
an actuator positioned to move between a first position in which the distal connection portion is engaged with the signal delivery paddle, and a second position in which the signal delivery paddle is forced away from the distal connection portion.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the paddle body includes a blind aperture, and wherein the distal connection portion of the delivery tool includes an extension positioned to be releasably received in the aperture.

3 . The system of claim 2 wherein the extension is carried by the central projection.

4 . The system of claim 2 wherein the extension is a portion of the actuator.

5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the paddle body alone has a paddle body length, is elongated along a longitudinal axis, and has a first cross-sectional area distribution along the longitudinal axis, the first cross-sectional area distribution including a first maxima, and wherein the paddle body and the delivery tool together have a combined second cross-sectional area distribution along the longitudinal axis, the second cross-sectional area distribution including a second maxima over the length of the paddle body that is no greater than the first maxima.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein the delivery tool has no forward facing steps over the length of the paddle body.

7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the delivery tool has at least one forward facing edge over the length of the paddle body.

8 . The system of claim 1 wherein a diameter of at least one of the leg channels of the delivery tool is greater than a diameter of a corresponding at least one lead leg of the signal delivery paddle.

9 . The system of claim 1 wherein a diameter of at least one of the leg channels of the delivery tool is less than a diameter of a corresponding at least one lead leg of the signal delivery paddle.

10 . The system of claim 1 wherein the central portion has a leading edge that fits over the upper surface of the paddle body.

11 . The system of claim 1 wherein the central portion has a leading edge that fits under the lower surface of the paddle body.

12 . The system of claim 1 wherein the central portion has a first leading edge that fits over the upper surface of the paddle body and a second leading edge that fits under the lower surface of the paddle body.

13 . A patient therapy system for use with a signal delivery paddle, the signal delivery paddle being elongated along a longitudinal axis, and having a paddle length and a first cross-sectional area distribution along the paddle length, the first cross-sectional area distribution including a first maxima, the therapy system comprising:
a delivery tool including:
a proximal handle; and
a distal connection portion positioned to removably couple to the signal delivery paddle; and wherein
the signal delivery paddle and the delivery tool together have a combined second cross-sectional area distribution along the length of the signal delivery paddle, the second cross-sectional area distribution including a second maxima that is no greater than the first maxima.

14 . The system of claim 13 wherein the signal delivery paddle includes a paddle body and at least one lead extending from the paddle body, and wherein the paddle length includes the paddle body but not the at least one lead.

15 . The system of claim 13 wherein the delivery tool includes an actuator positioned to move between a first position in which the distal connection portion is engaged with the signal delivery paddle, and a second position in which the signal delivery paddle is forced away from the distal connection portion.

16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the actuator includes cable that moves axially relative to the distal connection portion between the first position and the second position.

17 . The system of claim 15 wherein the signal delivery paddle includes an aperture, and wherein the delivery tool includes an extension that is positioned within the aperture when the actuator is in the first position.

18 . The system of claim 15 wherein the signal delivery paddle includes a paddle body having two lead legs separated by a gap, and wherein the distal connection portion includes a central projection sized to fit within the gap between the two legs of the signal delivery device.

19 . The system of claim 15 wherein the signal delivery paddle includes a paddle body having two lead legs separated by a gap, and wherein the distal connection portion includes two oppositely-facing leg channels, each positioned to receive a corresponding one of the lead legs.

20 . The system of claim 15 wherein the signal delivery paddle includes two lead tails, each carrying at least one conductor electrically connected to a corresponding signal delivery electrode, and wherein the distal connection portion of the delivery tool includes two oppositely-facing tail channels, each positioned to receive a corresponding one of the lead tails.

21 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising the signal delivery paddle.

22 . A patient therapy system, comprising:
a signal delivery paddle including:
a paddle body having an upper surface and a lower surface facing away from the upper surface, the paddle body carrying a plurality of signal delivery electrodes accessible from the lower surface, the paddle body having a blind aperture extending from a proximal surface on the paddle in a distal direction, the paddle body further having two lead legs separated by a gap; and
two lead tails, each extending from a corresponding one of the lead legs and each carrying at least one conductor electrically connected to a corresponding one of the signal delivery electrodes.

23 . The system of claim 22 wherein a width of the paddle body transverse to an axis along which the blind aperture extends tapers in a proximal direction, inwardly toward the axis.

24 . The system of claim 22 wherein the plurality of signal delivery electrodes includes sixteen electrodes.

25 . A method for implanting a signal delivery paddle in a patient, comprising:
engaging a delivery tool with the signal delivery paddle by placing a distal portion of the delivery tool in a gap between two proximally extending lead legs of the signal delivery paddle; positioning the signal delivery paddle in the patient by manipulating the delivery tool; and disengaging the delivery tool from the signal delivery paddle.

Assignees

• Nevro Corp

Inventors

• Wong Mark Steven

Classifications

• A61N1/36021

  for treatment of pain · CPC title

• A61N1/0553 Primary

  Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy · CPC title

• A61N1/36017

  with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin · CPC title

• A61N1/06

  for high-frequency therapy · CPC title

• A61N1/048

  Electrodes characterised by a specific connection between lead and electrode · CPC title