Implantable medical lead

Claim 2

An implantable lead comprising a conductive polymeric electrode body having a large electrical contact portion and a relatively small tissue contact portion; electrical contact means comprising a body of metal contacting the electrical contact portion of the electrode; lead body means carrying the electrode and enclosing the electrical contact means and the electrical contact portion of the electrode against exposure to tissue and body fluids, and electrical conductor means connected to the electrical contact means.

Claim 3

In a body implantable lead of the type having electrode means, elongated electrical conducting means and lead body means extending between the electrode means and the elongated electrical conducting means, the improvement wherein the electrode means comprises a conductive polymer- containing body defining an electrical contact portion and a tissue contacting portion, the electrical contact portion being larger than the tissue contacting portion, and the lead body means defines an insulating and sealing electrode enclosure for holding and enclosing the electrical contact portion of the electrode body against exposure of that portion of the electrode to body tissue and body fluids, the lead body means carrying the tissue contacting portion of the electrode in an exposed position thereon and including conductor means connected to the elongated electrical conducting means and to the electrical contact portion of the electrode body, the connection at the electrode portion being of relatively large area and comprising substantially all of the surface of the contact portion of the electrode body.

Claim 4

In a body implantable lead of the type having electrode means, elongated electrical conducting means and lead body means extending between the electrode means and the elongated electrical conducting means, the improvement wherein the electrode means comprises a conductive polymer- containing body defining an electrical contact portion and a tissue contacting portion, the electrical contact portion being larger than the tissue contacting portion, and the lead body means defines an insulating and sealing electrode enclosure for holding and enclosing the electrical contact portion of the electrode body against exposure of that portion of the electrode to body tissue and body fluids, the lead body means carrying the tissue contacting portion of the electrode in an exposed position thereon and including conductor means connected to the elongated electrical conducting means and to the electrical contact portion of the electrode body, the connection at the electrode portion being of relatively large area and comprising substantially all of the surface of the contact portion of the electrode body.

Claim 5

A body implantable lead of the transvenous type including: means for supplying electrical energy to the lead; a lead body; a conductive polymeric-based electrode body carried by the lead body for providing electrical contact between the electrical supply means and living tissue, the electrode body having an electrical contact surface and a tissue contact surface, the tissue contact surface being small relative to the electrical contact surface, and large area contact means connected between the electrical supply means and substantially the entire electrical contact surface of the electrode body for supplying electrical energy thereto.

Claim 6

A body implantable lead of the transvenous type including: means for supplying electrical energy to the lead; a lead body; a conductive polymeric-based electrode body carried by the lead body for providing electrical contact between the electrical supply means and living tissue, the electrode body having an electrical contact surface and a tissue contact surface, the tissue contact surface being small relative to the electrical contact surface, and large area contact means connected between the electrical supply means and substantially the entire electrical contact surface of the electrode body for supplying electrical energy thereto.

Claim 7

A body implantable lead of the transvenous type including a lead body, the exterior of the lead body being comprised of insulating material; a body of conductive polymer-based gel carried by the lead body with a first portion enclosed thereby and a second exposed portion for providing electrical contact between the body implantable lead and living tissue, the surface area of the second portion being smaller than that of the first portion, and electrical lead means extending through the lead body and interiorally connected to the polymer-based gel body over substantially the entire surface area of the first portion.

Claim 8

A body implantable lead of the transvenous type including a lead body, the exterior of the lead body being comprised of insulating material; a body of conductive polymer-based gel carried by the lead body with a first portion enclosed thereby and a second exposed portion for providing electrical contact between the body implantable lead and living tissue, the surface area of the second portion being smaller than that of the first portion, and electrical lead means extending through the lead body and interiorally connected to the polymer-based gel body over substantially the entire surface area of the first portion.

Claim 9

A body implantable lead of the transvenous type including a lead body having a distal end, the exterior of the body being comprised of insulating material; a body of conductive polymer-based gel carried at the distal end of the lead body with a first portion enclosed thereby and a second portion exposed by the body for providing electrical contact between the body implantable lead and living tissue, the surface area of the second portion being smaller than that of the first portion, and electrical lead means extending through the lead body and interiorally connected to the polymer gel body over substantially the entire surface area of the first portion.

Claim 10

A body implantable lead of the transvenous type including a lead body having a distal end, the exterior of the body being comprised of insulating material; a body of conductive polymer-based gel carried at the distal end of the lead body with a first portion enclosed thereby and a second portion exposed by the body for providing electrical contact between the body implantable lead and living tissue, the surface area of the second portion being smaller than that of the first portion, and electrical lead means extending through the lead body and interiorally connected to the polymer gel body over substantially the entire surface area of the first portion.

Claim 11

A body implantable lead of the transvenous type including a lead body having a distal end, the exterior of the lead body being comprised of insulating material, the body defining a cavity having an opening at the distal end thereof; a body of conductive polymer-based gel contained in the cavity with a relatively small portion thereof exposed through the cavity opening for providing a contact surface for contacting living tissue, electrical contact means in the cavity and extending over substantially the entire enclosed surface of the polymer-based gel body, and electrical lead means extending through the lead body and interiorally connected to the electrical contact means.

Claim 12

A body implantable lead of the transvenous type including a lead body having a distal end, the exterior of the lead body being comprised of insulating material, the body defining a cavity having an opening at the distal end thereof; a body of conductive polymer-based gel contained in the cavity with a relatively small portion thereof exposed through the cavity opening for providing a contact surface for contacting living tissue, electrical contact means in the cavity and extending over substantially the entire enclosed surface of the polymer-based gel body, and electrical lead means extending through the lead body and interiorally connected to the electrical contact means.

Claim 13

The lead of any of the preceding claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein the tissue contacting portion of the polymer body defines a rounded configuration.

Claim 14

The lead of any of the preceding claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein the tissue contacting portion of the hydrogel body defines a flat configuration.

Claim 15

The lead of any of the preceding claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein the polymeric gel consists essentially of a hydrogel.

Claim 16

The lead of claim 9 wherein the hydrogel includes a crosslinked polymer.

Claim 17

ll. The lead of claim 9 wherein the hydrogel includes a copolymer.

Claim 18

The lead of claim 9 wherein the hydrogel includes an acrylamide.

Claim 19

The body implantable lead of claim 12 wherein the acrylamide polymer is crosslinked.

Claim 20

The body implantable lead of claim 9 wherein the hydrogel includes a hydroxyethylmethacrylate polymer.

Claim 21

The body implantable lead of claim 9 wherein the hydrogel includes a crosslinked ethylacrylate polymer.

Claim 22

16 . The body implantable lead of claim 9 wherein the hydrogel includes a crosslinked polymer of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid or one of its salts.

Claim 23

The body implantable lead of claim 16 wherein the hydrogel includes a copolymer.

Claim 24

The body implantable lead of claim 9 wherein the hydrogel includes a crosslinked vinylpyrrolidone polymer.

Claim 25

The body implantable lead of claim 9 wherein the hydrogel includes a copolymer.

Claim 26

The body implantable lead of claim 19 wherein the copolymer is comprised of at least two copolymerized hydrogel-forming monomers.

Claim 27

The body implantable lead of claim 19 wherein the copolymer is comprised of at least one hydrogel-forming monomer and one non-hydrogel-forming monomer copolymerized together.

Claim 28

The body implantable lead of any of the preceding claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein the polymer-based gel contains relatively large ionic concentration relative to the tissue to be contacted.