Bonding Strip Layout for Electrode Coil Stability in Medical Leads

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical electrical leads face damage during manipulation, such as implantation, due to excessive movement of electrode coils, which can compromise their functionality and integrity.

Innovation Solution

A bonding strip is used to affix an elongate electrode coil to an elongate lead body, extending partially around its circumference, allowing controlled movement while reducing damage by fixing the coil to the lead body.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the electrode coil is left unbonded to the lead body, then the lead maintains flexibility and ease of manipulation, but the coil suffers excessive movement and damage during implantation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoil integrityVSAvoidmanipulation flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bonding strip is applied only to specific segments of the lead body rather than the entire length, providing localized fixation of the electrode coil. This segmented bonding approach secures the coil at critical areas while leaving other portions unbonded to maintain flexibility and ease of manipulation during implantation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bonding strip is positioned at specific locations along the lead body where the electrode coil requires stabilization. This local quality approach applies bonding only where needed to prevent coil movement and damage, while preserving the flexibility and manipulability of the lead in non-bonded regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the bonding strip extends fully around the electrode coil circumference, then the coil is completely fixed and prevents damage, but the lead loses flexibility and becomes difficult to manipulate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoil stabilityVSAvoidlead flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of applying bonding to the entire circumference and length of the electrode coil, the bonding strip is applied partially - only to the extent necessary to prevent coil damage. This partial action provides sufficient stabilization while avoiding over-bonding that would compromise lead flexibility and manipulability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If the bonding strip is applied to fix the electrode coil, then damage during manipulation is reduced, but the exposed surface area for electrical stimulation is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelead durabilityVSAvoidexposed electrode surface area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The bonding strip is positioned at specific locations along the lead body where the electrode coil requires stabilization, rather than covering the entire coil. This local quality approach provides protection where needed while preserving the exposed surface area of the electrode coil for effective electrical stimulation of cardiac tissue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of applying bonding to the entire circumference and length of the electrode coil, the bonding strip is applied partially - only to the extent necessary to prevent coil damage. This partial action provides sufficient stabilization while minimizing the reduction in exposed electrode surface area available for stimulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4035724B1Bonding strip for fixing an electrode coil to a lead body

Publication Date: 2025.11.12 MEDTRONIC INC

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AI summary

The disclosure describes a medical electrical lead including bonding strip to bond an elongate electrode coil to an elongate lead body to reduce damage to the medical electrical lead during manipulation of the medical electrical lead. The elongate lead body extends from a proximal end to a distal end and includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The elongate electrode coil surrounds at least part of the distal portion of the elongate lead body. The bonding strip extends axially along the elongate electrode coil and extends only partially around the circumference of the elongate electrode coil for at least part of the length of the bonding strip, where at least a portion of the bonding strip is bonded to the elongate lead body to fix a portion of the elongate electrode coil to the elongate lead body.