Patent US5466252A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5466252A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Implantable lead
Assignee: W.L. Gore and Associates Inc
•
Filing: 1992-10-02
•
Granted: 1995-11-14
•
Expires: 2012-10-02
Abstract
Abstract An implantable lead for use with cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators and other long term implantable electrical devices intended for sensing or tissue stimulation, having a helically wound conductor with a surrounding tubular insulating layer of elastomeric material such as silicone or polyurethane and an additional coaxial tubular exterior biocompatible layer of porous PTFE having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils. The exterior tubular layer of porous PTFE may be fitted coaxially over the elastomeric tubular layer whereby the porous PTFE tubular layer is in longitudinal compression and the fibrils within the microstructure have a bent and wavy appearance. Any portion of the length of the porous PTFE tubing in longitudinal compression allows that portion of the length of the lead wire to be extensible to a controlled extent limited by the straightening of the bent fibrils within the porous PTFE microstructure.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas M. Soukup
- 👤 Richard A. Staley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:27
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/05
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
An implantable lead comprising: a) at least one helically wound electrical conductor; b) a tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer having a length, said tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer coaxially surrounding the at least one helically wound electrical conductor, wherein said tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer is substantially impervious to body fluids; and c) an exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene having a length and having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils wherein the exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene coaxially surrounds the tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer, and wherein the exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is pervious to body fluids.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
An implantable lead comprising: a) at least one helically wound electrical conductor; b) a tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer having a length, said tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer coaxially surrounding the at least one helically wound electrical conductor, wherein said tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer is substantially impervious to body fluids; and c) an exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene having a length and having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils wherein the exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene coaxially surrounds the tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer, and wherein the exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is pervious to body fluids.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
An implantable lead according to claim 1 wherein the elastomeric polymer is a thermoset elastomeric polymer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
An implantable lead according to claim 2 wherein teh thermoset elastomeric polymer is silicone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
An implantable lead according to claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the length of the exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is adhered to at least a portion of the length of the tubular covering of elastomeric polymer by a silicone adhesive.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
An implantable lead according to claim 1 wherein the elastomeric polymer is a thermoplastic elastomeric polymer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
An implantable lead according to claim 5 wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric polymer is polyurethane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
86 words
An implantable lead according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the length of the exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene has a microstructure of nodes interconnected by bent fibrils and the portion of the length of exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is elastically stretchable and recoverable, and wherein the portion of the length of exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is stretchable to a length equal to at least 1.2 times the length of the porous polytetrafluoroethylene covered portion of the implantable lead before stretching.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
An implantable lead according to claim 7 wherein the portion of the length of the exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is elastically stretchable and recoverable wherein the portion of the length of exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is stretchable to a length equal to at least 1.5 times the length of the porous polytetrafluoroethylene covered portion of the implantable leads before stretching.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
90 words
An implantable lead comprising: a. at least one helically wound electrical conductor; b. a tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer having a length, said tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer coaxially surrounding the at least one helically wound electrical conductor; and c. an exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene having a length and having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils wherein the exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene coaxially surrounds the tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer, wherein the fibrils have an average length greater than about 4 microns.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
90 words
An implantable lead comprising: a. at least one helically wound electrical conductor; b. a tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer having a length, said tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer coaxially surrounding the at least one helically wound electrical conductor; and c. an exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene having a length and having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils wherein the exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene coaxially surrounds the tubular covering of an elastomeric polymer, wherein the fibrils have an average length greater than about 4 microns.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
An implantable lead according to claim 9 wherein the fibrils have an average length greater than about 10 microns.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
An implantable lead according to claim 10 wherein the elastomeric polymer is a thermoset elastomeric polymer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
An implantable lead according to claim 11 wherein the thermoset elastomeric polymer is silicone.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
An implantable lead according to claim 12 wherein at least a portion of the length of the exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is adhered to at least a portion of the length of the tubular covering of elastomeric polymer by a silicone adhesive.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
An implantable lead according to claim 10 wherein the elastomeric polymer is a thermoplastic elastomeric polymer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
An implantable lead according to claim 14 wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric polymer is polyurethane.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
86 words
An implantable lead according to claim 10 wherein at least a portion of the length of the exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene has a microstructure of nodes interconnected by bent fibrils and the portion of the length of exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is elastically stretchable and recoverable, and wherein the portion of the length of exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is stretchable to a length equal to at least 1.2 times the length of the porous polytetrafluoroethylene covered portion of the implantable lead before stretching.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
86 words
An implantable lead according to claim 10 wherein at least a portion of the length of the exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene has a microstructure of nodes interconnected by bent fibrils and the portion of the length of exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is elastically stretchable and recoverable, and wherein the portion of the length of exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is stretchable to a length equal to at least 1.5 times the length of the porous polytetrafluoroethylene covered portion of the implantable lead before stretching.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
An implantable lead according to claim 9 wherein the elastomeric polymer is a thermoset elastomeric polymer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
An implantable lead according to claim 18 wherein the thermoset elastomeric polymer is silicone.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
An implantable lead according to claim 19 wherein at least a portion of the length of the exterior tubular covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is adhered to at least a portion of the length of the tubular covering of elastomeric polymer by a silicone adhesive.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
An implantable lead according to claim 9 wherein the elastomeric polymer is a thermoplastic elastomeric polymer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
An implantable lead according to claim 21 wherein the thermoplastic elastomeric polymer is polyurethane.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
86 words
An implantable lead according to claim 9 wherein at least a portion of the length of the exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene has a microstructure of nodes interconnected by bent fibrils and the portion of the length of exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is elastically stretchable and recoverable, and wherein the portion of the length of exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is stretchable to a length equal to at least 1.2 times the length of the porous polytetrafluoroethylene covered portion of the implantable lead before stretching.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
86 words
An implantable lead according to claim 9 wherein at least a portion of the length of the exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene has a microstructure of nodes interconnected by bent fibrils and the portion of the length of exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is elastically stretchable and recoverable, and wherein the portion of the length of exterior covering of porous polytetrafluoroethylene is stretchable to a length equal to at least 1.5 times the length of the porous polytetrafluoroethylene covered portion of the implantable lead before stretching.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4033355A
Cited
US4304010A
Cited
US4573480A
Cited
US4816339A
Cited
US4840186A
Cited
US4964414A
Cited
US4877661A
Cited
US4947866A
Cited
US5007435A
Cited
US5016646A
Cited
US4972846A
Cited
EP0388480A1
Cited
US4955899A
Cited
US5115818A
Cited
WO1992011061A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-11-13 | 1999-05-15 | 1999-11-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-11-13 | 2003-05-15 | 2003-11-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-11-13 | 2007-05-15 | 2007-11-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |