Termination of a shield within an implantable medical lead

摘要

A shield located within an implantable medical lead may be terminated in various ways at a metal connector. The shield may be terminated by various joints including butt, scarf, lap, or other joints between insulation layers surrounding the lead and an insulation extension. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection to a single metal connector. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection by passing between an overlapping pair of inner and outer metal connectors. The metal connectors may include features such as teeth or threads that penetrate the insulation layers of the lead. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection by exiting a jacket of a lead adjacent to a metal connector and lapping onto the metal connector.

主权项

1. A method of terminating a shield within a jacket of an implantable medical lead, comprising:
providing an inner insulation layer; providing an inner metal ring located near a longitudinal end of the inner insulation layer; providing the shield between the inner insulation layer of the jacket and an outer insulation layer of the jacket, a portion of the shield lapping onto the inner metal ring; providing an outer metal ring about the inner metal ring with the portion of the shield being positioned between the inner metal ring and the outer metal ring; bonding an insulation extension layer onto the end of the inner insulation layer; and positioning a replacement outer insulation layer over the shield and inner insulation layer beyond the inner metal ring and where the outer insulation layer is not present, the replacement outer insulation layer extending longitudinally beyond the longitudinal end of the inner insulation layer to also extend over the insulation extension layer, the replacement outer insulation layer being directly bonded to an end of the outer insulation layer.