Paddle Lead Electrode Offset for Reduced Current Shunting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implantable electrical stimulation systems face challenges in reducing current shunting, which affects the amplitude and depth of current penetration due to the close spacing of electrodes, particularly in paddle leads used for spinal cord stimulation.
Innovation Solution
Increasing the longitudinal center-to-center electrode spacing to greater than 6 mm, allowing for improved control of stimulation by reducing current shunting and facilitating more effective targeting of stimulation regions without increasing the width of the paddle body, thus maintaining a narrow profile for patient comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the longitudinal center-to-center electrode spacing is increased to greater than 6 mm, then current shunting is reduced and stimulation control is improved, but the paddle body width must be increased which reduces patient comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a traditional planar electrode arrangement to a three-dimensional configuration by offsetting electrodes in different columns along the longitudinal axis. This dimensional change allows electrodes to be spaced greater than 6 mm apart in the longitudinal direction while maintaining a compact paddle body width, effectively resolving the contradiction between improved stimulation control and patient comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs multiple columns of electrodes nested within a single paddle body structure. By organizing electrodes into multiple columns with longitudinal offsets, the design achieves effective current steering and reduced shunting without proportionally increasing the overall paddle width, thus maintaining patient comfort while improving stimulation control.
2Reliability
If the longitudinal center-to-center electrode spacing is increased to greater than 6 mm, then current penetration depth is improved, but the number of electrodes that can be accommodated on the paddle body is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By utilizing the longitudinal dimension with greater than 6 mm spacing between electrodes in different columns, the patent achieves improved current penetration depth while accommodating multiple electrodes through the multi-column arrangement. The offset configuration allows efficient use of the available surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the electrode array into multiple columns with electrodes offset along the longitudinal axis. This segmentation allows each electrode to achieve deeper current penetration due to reduced shunting, while the overall system maintains a sufficient number of electrodes through the distributed columnar arrangement.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 2B
AI summary
A paddle lead assembly for providing electrical stimulation of patient tissue includes a paddle body having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. The paddle body includes a plurality of electrodes disposed into at least four columns extending parallel with the longitudinal axis. The at least four columns include two lateral columns and at least two medial columns disposed therebetween. The electrodes of the at least two medial columns are arranged into rows aligned along the transverse axis. The electrodes of the two lateral columns are each longitudinally offset from the rows of electrodes of the at least two medial columns. An array of terminals are disposed on each of at least one lead body coupled to the paddle body. A plurality of conductive wires couple each of the electrodes to at least one terminal of the terminal arrays.