Implantable Lead Electrode Anchoring for High Density Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional implantable electrical stimulation systems have limitations in electrode density and spacing, which restricts the precision of tissue targeting and the ability to form smaller, more densely packed leads for advanced stimulation applications.
Innovation Solution
The development of leads with electrodes that utilize anchoring members extending beneath the electrode body to anchor them to the lead body, allowing for closer spacing of electrodes without physical interference, thereby increasing electrode density and enabling more precise tissue targeting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional electrodes are used with traditional anchoring methods, then the lead structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the electrode spacing is large which reduces electrode density and tissue targeting precision
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring member extends in a dimension beneath the electrode body (perpendicular to the lead surface), allowing electrodes to be positioned closer together on the surface without lateral interference. This vertical anchoring approach resolves the contradiction by utilizing three-dimensional space rather than being constrained to two-dimensional surface spacing.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchoring member is positioned within or integrated with the lead body structure, with the electrode body sitting on top of the lead body and the anchoring member extending beneath it. This nested arrangement allows compact integration of multiple components (electrode body, anchoring member, lead body) in a small space, increasing electrode density while maintaining structural integrity.
2Measurement precision
If electrodes are spaced closer together to increase density, then tissue targeting precision improves, but physical interference between electrodes and anchoring structures occurs
Solution Approach 1:
By extending the anchoring member beneath the electrode body in a vertical dimension rather than allowing lateral extension, the design enables closer horizontal spacing of electrodes without physical interference. The anchoring function is separated into the vertical dimension while the electrode contact function remains in the horizontal plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchoring function is extracted from the electrode body itself and implemented as a separate anchoring member that extends beneath the electrode. This separation allows the electrode body to be small and closely spaced while the anchoring member provides the necessary mechanical support and spacing without interfering with adjacent electrodes.
3Manufacturing precision
If smaller leads are formed with higher electrode density, then stimulation precision for spinal cord and deep brain applications improves, but the complexity of anchoring and positioning structures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the electrode body for electrical contact, the anchoring member for mechanical support, and the lead body for structural framework. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall assembly process despite the high precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchoring member is designed to self-anchor into the lead body through its extension beneath the electrode body, providing automatic mechanical fixation without requiring additional complex anchoring mechanisms or post-assembly adjustments. This self-service anchoring reduces structural complexity while maintaining positioning precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A lead includes a lead body with a distal end and a proximal end. A plurality of terminals are disposed at the proximal end of the lead body. A plurality of electrodes are disposed at the distal end of the lead body. Each electrode includes an electrode body and at least one anchoring member. The at least one anchoring member couples to the electrode body and extends into the lead body and beneath the electrode body to anchor the electrode to the lead body. A plurality of conductive wires electrically couple the plurality of electrodes to the plurality of terminals.