Patent ID: 8396568
Filing Date: 2013-03-12
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. A medical electrical lead, comprising: a stimulation electrode located near a distal end of the lead; a connector pin located near a proximal end of the lead; and an energy dissipating shunt that, when implanted, is exposed to an environment external to the lead for a substantial length of the lead between the connector pin and the stimulation electrode; the energy dissipating shunt being formed from a coiled conductor that includes a wire and an insulative layer extending about an entire circumference of the wire, the coiled conductor being exposed to the environment external to the lead for the substantial length of the lead to form the energy dissipating shunt, the energy dissipating shunt being designed to provide a high enough impedance so that relatively low frequency stimulation pulses are transmitted through the wire and to provide capacitive coupling of current induced on the wire by high frequency RF energy to the environment external to the lead over the substantial length of the lead, wherein a thickness of the insulative layer is between about 0.0001 inch and about 0.001 inch.