DURABLE SMALL GAUGE WIRE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR SUITABLE FOR DELIVERY OF HIGH INTENSITY ENERGY PULSES

摘要

Implantable medical devices intended for electrostimulation and sensing devices typically incorporate one or more electrical conductors as leads for electrical stimulation to, or retrieval of localized sensing data from, discrete points in the body, such as the heart. Certain applications require delivery of high intensity electrical pulses, i.e. CRTs, or defibrillators. As described herein a CRT delivers high energy pulses via a durable fine wire lead formed of a glass, silica, sapphire or crystalline quartz fiber core with a metal coating. A unipolar electrical conductor can have an outer diameter of about 150 microns or even smaller. The buffered fibers support conduction of high intensity electrical pulses as required for internal or external defibrillators, or other biomedical applications, as well as non-medical applications. Defibrillation pulses can be transmitted through less cross-sectional area of metal in the subject fine wire conductor than would be the case with conventional solid core metal wires. Multiple such coated fibers can act as a single conductor. An outer protective sheath of a flexible polymer material can be included.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an electrical pulsing device configured and arranged to generate cardiac-directed electrical signals, and a fiber optic lead configured and arranged with a bend radius that is sufficiently small to allow the fiber optic lead to extend through a coronary vein of a patient, the fiber optic lead including:
a drawn fiber core that is an insulator comprising silica or glass,a coaxial conductive metal layer directly on the core and configured and arranged to carry the electrical signals generated by the electrical pulsing device toward a distal end of the conductor,an electrode at the distal end of the lead, the electrode electrically connected to the coaxial conductive metal layer,a biocompatible coating; andan anchoring system for stabilizing the lead against unwanted migration;wherein the fiber optic lead is sufficiently flexible to bend to a radius of about 8 to 10 times the fiber core diameter without damage.