Patent ID: 8639341
Filing Date: 2014-01-28
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. An implantable medical electrical lead including a connector terminal configured to fit within a connector port of an implantable medical device for the electrical coupling thereto, an elongate flexible insulative body extending distally from the connector terminal and including an internal and longitudinally extending channel that provides for passage of an elongate instrument therein, at least three elongate flexible conductors extending within the insulative body, distally from the connector terminal, and a plurality of electrodes mounted on a distal portion of the insulative body, each of the plurality of electrodes being coupled to a corresponding conductor of the at least three elongate flexible conductors; and wherein the connector terminal of the lead comprises: a first electrical contact member and a second electrical contact member, the second contact member being electrically isolated from the first contact member and spaced apart, distally from the first contact member along a length of the connector terminal; a switching assembly mounted within the second electrical contact member, the switching assembly comprising a multiplexer mounted on an integrated circuit chip and electrically coupled to the second contact member, a proximal feedthrough subassembly including a feedthrough pin that electrically couples the first contact member to the multiplexer, and a distal feedthrough subassembly including a plurality of distal feedthrough pins, each feedthrough pin of the plurality of distal feedthrough pins being electrically coupled to the multiplexer and having a distal portion that extends distally from the distal end of the second contact member; and an inner wall forming a lumen that extends along the length of the connector terminal and within the second contact member, the lumen having a proximal opening in proximity to the first contact member and being in fluid communication with the internal channel of the elongate flexible insulative body of the lead, to allow passage of the elongate instrument from the proximal opening and into the internal channel, and the inner wall isolating the lumen from the switching assembly and from each of the aforementioned electrical couplings to the multiplexer; wherein each of the at least three elongate conductors includes a proximal segment coupled to the distal portion of a corresponding feedthrough pin of the plurality of distal feedthrough pins; and the multiplexer includes a switch matrix element and a communications, control and power supply element, the switch matrix element including a plurality of pairs of switches, each pair of the plurality of pairs of switches corresponding to one of the plurality of distal feedthrough pins, a first of each pair of switches adapted to connect and disconnect the corresponding feedthrough pin to/from the first contact member and the communications, control and power supply element, and a second of each pair of switches adapted to connect and disconnect the corresponding feedthrough pin to/from the second contact member and the communications, control and power supply element.