Abstract: An implantable medical lead may include components or mechanisms that can reduce the amount of induced current that is conducted to electrodes of the lead. A medical lead may, for example, have an energy dissipating structure that is connected to an electrode of the lead. This disclosure provides for coupling mechanisms to couple current induced on the lead to the energy dissipating structure. The coupling mechanisms described herein provide continuous contact with both electrode shaft and the energy dissipating structure while producing forces on the electrode shaft that is small enough to permit extension and retraction of the electrode from the lead.

Abstract: An implantable medical lead may include components or mechanisms that can reduce the amount of induced current that is conducted to electrodes of the lead. A medical lead may, for example, have an energy dissipating structure that is connected to an electrode of the lead. This disclosure provides for coupling mechanisms to couple current induced on the lead to the energy dissipating structure. The coupling mechanisms described herein provide continuous contact with both electrode shaft and the energy dissipating structure while producing forces on the electrode shaft that is small enough to permit extension and retraction of the electrode from the lead.

Abstract: An implantable medical lead may include components or mechanisms that can reduce the amount of induced current that is conducted to electrodes of the lead. A medical lead may, for example, have an energy dissipating structure that is connected to an electrode of the lead. This disclosure provides for coupling mechanisms to couple current induced on the lead to the energy dissipating structure. The coupling mechanisms described herein provide continuous contact with both electrode shaft and the energy dissipating structure while producing forces on the electrode shaft that is small enough to permit extension and retraction of the electrode from the lead.

Abstract: A medical electrical lead that includes a lead body and at least one tubular electrode sub-assembly positioned over and attached to the external surface of the lead body. The lead body includes at least one elongated conductive element, such as a cable, that is electrically connected to a coiled electrode of the tubular electrode sub-assembly. The tubular electrode sub-assembly includes a tubular liner and an electrode embedded in the outer surface of the liner. In some embodiments, only a portion of the inner surface of the tubular liner is attached to the lead body which may potentially improve flexibility of the medical electrode lead in the area occupied by the tubular electrode sub-assembly.

Abstract: This disclosure describes an implantable medical lead, and method of making such a lead or components of the lead, that reduces the undesirable effects the fields generated by an MRI device may have on the implantable medical lead and the implantable medical device. The implantable medical lead includes an RF filter placed in series with an electrical path to an electrode of the lead. In one example, the RF filter may comprise a conductor wound in such a manner that it provides an inductance and capacitance that provides the RF filter with a resonant frequency, and in some instances, multiple resonant frequencies. At frequencies around the resonant frequency of the RF filter, the RF filter presents a high impedance, thereby blocking the signal from or at least attenuating the signal propagating to the electrode. At frequencies far from the resonant frequency, the RF filter presents a low impedance.

Abstract: In general, this disclosure is directed to techniques and circuitry to determine characteristics of an implantable lead associated with an implantable medical device (IMD). The implantable lead may be designed to be MRI-safe by having one or more components that attenuate frequencies associated with an MRI that, if left unreduced, may interfere with the performance of the lead and/or cause harm to the tissue in which the lead is implanted. The circuitry may transmit a signal through the lead and receive a response signal. The device may determine the lead characteristics by comparing the transmitted signal with the received signal. In addition to determining whether the lead is MRI-safe, the techniques of this disclosure may be also utilized to determine whether the lead is faulty.

Abstract: A medical device lead is presented. The lead includes one or more jacketed conductive elements. The jacket comprises one or more covers. A first cover of polyether ketone (PEEK) is in direct contact with the at least one conductive element. At least one conductive element and a PEEK cover are coiled. The coiled conductive element can substantially retain its original coiled shape.

Abstract: An inner surface of a coupling component sidewall forms first and second portions of a cavity of the coupling component. A conductive coupling between an electrode and a conductor of a medical electrical lead may be formed by inserting a segment of the conductor into the first portion of the cavity, crimping the sidewall of the coupling component around the inserted segment, inserting a segment of the electrode into the second portion of the cavity, and welding an edge of the sidewall to the inserted electrode segment. The edge of the sidewall may define a slot, extending between first and second portions of the cavity, or a hole extending through the sidewall. The electrode may be part of an electrode assembly, mounted around an inner insulation layer of the lead, and the conductor may be part of a conductor assembly extending between inner and outer insulation layers of the lead.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a medical lead assembly that includes a lead body having a proximal end configured to couple to an implantable medical device and a distal end. The lead assembly further includes an electrode assembly located at the distal end of the lead body, the electrode assembly including a tip electrode, a conductive electrode shaft that is electrically coupled to the tip electrode and an energy dissipating structure that is coupled to at least a portion of the conductive electrode shaft at high frequencies to redirect at least a portion of the current induced in the lead by a high frequency signal from the tip electrode to the energy dissipating structure.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of a medical device lead. The lead includes one or more jacketed conductive elements. The jacket comprises one or more covers. The jacketed conductive element is formed by introducing a polymeric material over a conductive element, coupling the conductive element around a mandrel to form a coil shape, annealing the polymeric material over the at least one conductive element and setting a coiled shape in the at least one conductive element; and then removing the at least one conductive element from the mandrel. The coiled conductive element as manufactured thus substantially retains its original coiled shape.

Abstract: A medical device lead is presented. The lead includes one or more jacketed conductive elements. The jacket comprises one or more covers. A first cover of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) is in direct contact with the at least one conductive element. At least one conductive element and a ePTFE cover are coiled. The coiled conductive element can substantially retain its original coiled shape.

Abstract: Guide catheters for facilitating implantation of cardiac leads for applying electrical stimulation to and/or sensing electrical activity of the heart through one or more electrodes positioned at an implantation site within a heart chamber or cardiac vessel adjacent a heart chamber. Such a cardiac lead has low torqueability and pushability through a pathway to enable attachment of the cardiac lead at the implantation site. The catheter body comprises a delivery lumen to introduce a small diameter cardiac lead and a guide lumen to receive a guide tool to locate the catheter body distal end at the implantation site. The small diameter lumen within a small diameter guide tube extends distally from the delivery exit port of the delivery lumen. The catheter body is shaped to bias the delivery lumen exit port toward the heart.

Abstract: A medical device lead is presented that includes an electrode assembly having a first electrode located near a distal end of the electrode assembly and a second electrode located near a proximal end of the electrode assembly. The electrode assembly also includes a conductive elongated coupler that is electrically coupled to the first electrode and capacitively coupled to the second electrode. At low frequencies and DC (e.g., during delivery of stimulation therapy), the capacitive coupling between the conductive elongated coupler and the second electrode presents a high impedance allowing little current to be redirected from the first electrode to the second electrode. However, at high frequencies (e.g., during an MRI scan) the capacitive coupling between the conductive elongated coupler and the second electrode presents a low impedance, resulting in a significant amount of induced current being redirected to the second electrode and dissipated into bodily fluid surrounding the second electrode.

Abstract: A medical electrical lead that includes a lead body and at least one tubular electrode sub-assembly positioned over and attached to the external surface of the lead body. The lead body includes at least one elongated conductive element, such as a cable, that is electrically connected to a coiled electrode of the tubular electrode sub-assembly. The tubular electrode sub-assembly includes a tubular liner and an electrode embedded in the outer surface of the liner. In some embodiments, only a portion of the inner surface of the tubular liner is attached to the lead body which may potentially improve flexibility of the medical electrode lead in the area occupied by the tubular electrode sub-assembly.

Abstract: A medical electrical lead that includes a lead body and at least one tubular electrode sub-assembly positioned over and attached to the lead body. The lead body includes at least one elongated conductive element, such as a cable, that is electrically connected to a coiled electrode of the tubular electrode sub-assembly. The tubular electrode sub-assembly includes a tubular liner and an electrode embedded in the outer surface of the liner. In some embodiments, only a portion of the inner surface of the tubular liner is attached to the lead body in order to improve flexibility of the medical electrode lead in the area occupied by the tubular electrode sub-assembly.

Abstract: A medical electrical lead that includes a lead body and at least one tubular electrode sub-assembly positioned over and attached to the external surface of the lead body. The lead body includes at least one elongated conductive element, such as a cable, that is electrically connected to an electrode of the tubular electrode sub-assembly. The tubular electrode sub-assembly includes a tubular liner and an electrode embedded in the outer surface of the liner. In some embodiments, only a portion of the inner surface of the tubular liner is attached to the lead body which may potentially improve flexibility of the medical electrode lead in the area occupied by the tubular electrode sub-assembly.

Abstract: A medical electrical lead employing a conductive wire as an electrode and a method of its manufacture. The electrode includes a first length extending along a first, helical path, between a first end of the wire and a second length of the wire; the second length of the wire extends along a second path between the first length and a second end of the wire. A conductor of the lead may be mounted within the second length of the conductive wire, for coupling thereto, and a junction, preferably including a crimp and a weld, may be formed between the wire and the mounted conductor. Prior to coupling the conductor, the second length of the wire may extend at least 270 degrees and less than 360 degrees about an axis, which is offset from an axis of the first, helical path.

Abstract: A joint between an insulative sidewall of a medical electrical lead subassembly and an underlying fluoropolymer layer includes an interfacial layer. A first section of the interfacial layer is bonded to the fluoropolymer layer and is formed by a thermoplastic fluoropolymer; a second section of the interfacial layer extends adjacent the first section and is bonded to the insulative sidewall. The insulative sidewall, of the subassembly, and the second section, of the interfacial layer, are each formed from a material that is not a fluoropolymer. A recess is formed in the first section of the interfacial layer and the second section of the interfacial layer extends within the recess.

Abstract: The present invention is configured to provide an offset weld and crimp in a coupling component that can be located entirely within a lumen of a lead body. This end is accomplished by providing an asymmetric coupling component is provided with a crimp recess, for example a groove or a bore extending along one side of the component and a thickened portion offset laterally from the groove or bore and having a welding surface displaced laterally from the groove or bore. While the embodiments illustrated herein are those employing a crimping groove, for purposes of understanding the invention it should be understood that a bore may be substituted. In preferred embodiments, the crimp recess is used to receive a stranded or cabled conductor within the lead body and the offset portion is used to attach to one or more filars of an electrode coil by welding thereto.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for introducing a cardiac lead to an implantation site that includes a catheter body having an outer wall and a distal leader and having a proximal portion extending from the first proximal end to a second distal end. An inner member is positioned within an outer lumen of the catheter body and is spaced from the outer wall to form a first inner lumen for receiving a guide tool inserted therein and a second lumen for receiving the cardiac lead while the guide tool is positioned within the first inner lumen. A distal end of the inner member forms a first opening at a distal end of the first inner lumen and a second opening at a distal end of the second inner lumen, the first opening and the second opening positioned proximal the distal leader.