Paddle leads having asymmetric electrode configurations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9616219-B2
Application number	US-201514855350-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2015
Priority date	Sep 16, 2014
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

Various embodiments concern an implantable lead. The lead can comprise a lead body. At least two conductors can extend within the lead body, such as in respective lumens of the lead body. The lead can comprise at least two electrodes. Each electrode can be connected to a respective one of the at least two conductors. A paddle body can be connected to the lead body. The paddle body can comprise a longitudinal axis that divides the paddle body into left and right sides. The at least two electrodes can be partially embedded within the paddle body. The at least two electrodes can be arrayed along the longitudinal axis. Each electrode can be asymmetric about the longitudinal axis.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. An implantable lead comprising:
a lead body;
at least two conductors extending within the lead body;
at least two electrodes, each electrode comprising a main body and a stem portion that is offset from a center of the main body, a first electrode of the at least two electrodes located distally of a second electrode of the at least two electrodes, each stem portion of each electrode connected to a respective one of the at least two conductors; and
a paddle body formed by a polymeric material, each of the at least two electrodes mounted on the paddle body,
wherein the center of each of the main bodies is centered on a longitudinal axis of the paddle body, the longitudinal axis dividing the paddle body laterally into left and right halves, the stem portion of the first electrode located mostly or entirely on one of the right half or the left half of the paddle body, and the stem portion of the second electrode is located mostly or entirely on another of the right half or the left half of the paddle body, and the at least two conductors do not bend or curve within the paddle body, wherein the at least two conductors extend in a parallel, non-coaxial arrangement within the lead body and from the lead body to a proximal one of the at least two electrodes.

2. The lead of claim 1 , wherein the center of each main body is a center of mass of the main body.

3. The lead of claim 1 , wherein each main body has a circular profile, and the center of each main body is a radial center of the circular profile.

4. The lead of claim 1 , wherein each electrode of the at least two electrodes is asymmetric about the longitudinal axis of the paddle body due to the stem portion being offset from the center of the main body.

5. The lead of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the at least two electrodes, the stem portion projects orthogonally from a back side of the main body.

6. The lead of claim 1 , wherein the at least two electrodes are structurally identical to each other.

7. The lead of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the at least two electrodes, the stem portion comprises a lumen, the lumen accepting a portion of a respective one of the at least two conductors.

8. The lead of claim 7 , wherein, for each of the at least two electrodes, the stem portion is crimped around the portion of the respective one of at least two conductors accepted into the lumen.

9. The lead of claim 1 , wherein the paddle body comprises a main panel that defines a first side and a second side, the second side facing a direction that is opposite to a direction faced by the first side.

10. The lead of claim 9 , wherein the at least two electrodes are exposed along the first side and are not exposed along the second side.

11. The lead of claim 9 , wherein:
the paddle body further comprises a spine located on the second side, the spine formed from the polymeric material,
the stem portion of each of the at least two electrodes is at least partially embedded within the polymeric material of the spine, and
for each of the at least two conductors, a distal portion of the conductor is embedded within the polymeric material of the spine.

12. An implantable lead comprising:
an elongated polymeric lead body comprising a first lumen and a second lumen;
a first conductor that extends within the first lumen;
a second conductor the extends within the second lumen;
a paddle body attached to the lead body, the paddle body comprising a longitudinal axis that divides the paddle body into left and right sides;
a first electrode comprising a first main body and a first stem that branches from the first main body, the first stem connected to the first conductor, the first stem located mostly or entirely on the right side of the paddle body; and
a second electrode comprising a second main body and a second stem that branches from the second main body, the second stem connected to the second conductor, the second stem located mostly or entirely on the left side of the paddle body, wherein the first and second electrodes are centered on the longitudinal axis such that one of the first and second electrodes is located distally of the other, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor extend in a parallel, non-coaxial arrangement within the lead body and from the lead body to a proximal one of the first electrode and the second electrode.

13. The lead of claim 12 , wherein:
each of the first and second electrodes is asymmetric about the longitudinal axis, and the first and second electrodes are structurally identical to each other.

14. An implantable lead comprising:
a lead body;
at least two conductors extending within the lead body;
a paddle body formed from a polymeric material and projecting from an end of the lead body, the paddle body including a longitudinal axis that divides the paddle body into left and right halves, and a main panel that defines a first side and a second side, the second side facing a direction that is opposite to a direction faced by the first side; and
at least two electrodes mounted on the paddle body, each electrode including:
a main body including:
a center centered on the longitudinal axis of the paddle body;
a face side facing the direction faced by the first side; and
a back side facing the direction that is faced by the second side, the at least two electrodes exposed along the face side and not exposed along the back side; and

a stem portion that is offset from the center of the main body and projects orthogonally from the back side of the main body, each stem portion connected to a respective one of the at least two conductors,

wherein a first electrode of the at least two electrodes is located distally of a second electrode of the at least two electrodes, the stem portion of the first electrode located mostly or entirely on one of the right half or the left half of the paddle body, and the stem portion of the second electrode is located mostly or entirely on another of the right half or the left half of the paddle body, wherein the at least two conductors extend in a parallel, non-coaxial arrangement within the lead body and from the lead body to the second electrode.

15. The lead of claim 14 , wherein the center of each main body is a center of mass of the main body.

16. The lead of claim 14 , wherein each main body has a circular profile, and the center of each main body is a radial center of the circular profile.

Assignees

• Cardiac Pacemakers Inc

Inventors

• De Kock Andrew L
• Gordon Jack
• Mokelke Eric A
• Soltis Brian

Classifications

• A61N1/0553

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

• A61N1/0531 Primary

  Brain cortex electrodes · CPC title

• A61N1/05 Primary

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