Implantable Electrophysiology Lead Body

Abstract

The invention is an electrophysiology lead body comprising two or more longitudinal elements, each having an outer surface, the longitudinal elements comprising electrical insulation material, the electrical insulation material consisting essentially of fluoropolymer; at least one conductor disposed within at least one of the longitudinal elements; and a cover consisting essentially of fluoropolymer, wherein the cover surrounds the longitudinal elements.

1 . An electrophysiology lead body comprising:
 a) two or more longitudinal elements, each having an outer surface, said longitudinal elements comprising electrical insulation material, said insulation material consisting essentially of fluoropolymer;   b) at least one conductor disposed within at least one of said longitudinal elements; and   c) a cover, said cover consisting essentially of fluoropolymer, wherein said cover surrounds said longitudinal elements.   
     
     
         2 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 1 , in which the conductor comprises a helical coil. 
     
     
         3 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 1 , in which said insulation material comprises ePTFE. 
     
     
         4 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 3 , in which said insulation material comprises non-porous ePTFE. 
     
     
         5 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 3  in which said insulation material comprises ePTFE and FEP. 
     
     
         6 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 1 , in which said cover comprises ePTFE. 
     
     
         7 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 6 , in which said cover comprises non-porous ePTFE. 
     
     
         8 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 6 , in which said cover is a composite comprising ePTFE and a filler. 
     
     
         9 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 8 , in which the filler comprises an elastomer. 
     
     
         10 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 8  in which the elastomer comprises silicone. 
     
     
         11 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 8  in which the elastomer comprises polyurethane. 
     
     
         12 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 6  in which said cover comprises ePTFE and FEP. 
     
     
         13 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 6 , in which said cover comprises a fluoropolymer laminate, said laminate including a layer of porous ePTFE and a layer of non-porous ePTFE. 
     
     
         14 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 1 , in which said fluoropolymer is film is wrapped about the outer surface of said conductive material. 
     
     
         15 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 14 , in which said fluoropolymer is film is helically wrapped around said conductive material. 
     
     
         16 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 1 , in which said cover comprises fluoropolymer film wrapped about the outer surface of said longitudinal elements. 
     
     
         17 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 16 , in which the film is helically wrapped about the outer surface of said longitudinal elements. 
     
     
         18 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 1  in which the insulation material is less than about 0.003 inches thick. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 1  in which said insulation material is less than about 0.0015 inches thick. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 1  in which said insulation material is less than about 0.0005 inches thick. 
     
     
         21 . The article of  claim 1  in which said insulation material is less than about 0.0002 inches thick. 
     
     
         22 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one lumen disposed within said cover, said lumen consisting essentially of fluoropolymer. 
     
     
         23 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 22 , in which said lumen comprises ePTFE. 
     
     
         24 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 23 , in which said lumen comprises non-porous ePTFE. 
     
     
         25 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 24 , in which said lumen comprises a laminate including a first layer of non-porous ePTFE and a second layer of porous ePTFE. 
     
     
         26 . The electrophysiology of  claim 25  further comprising at least one additional layer of porous ePTFE. 
     
     
         27 . The electrophysiology of  claim 25  in which the laminate comprises a first layer of porous ePTFE surrounded by a second layer of non-porous ePTFE. 
     
     
         28 . An electrophysiology lead body comprising:
 a) two or more longitudinal elements, said longitudinal elements comprising an electrical insulation material being less than about 0.003 inches thick and having a voltage strength of at least about 3000 VDC/mil;   b) at least one conductor disposed within one of said longitudinal elements; and   c) a cover surrounding said longitudinal elements,
 in which the electrophysiology lead body has a bending stiffness of less than about 10 g. 
   
     
     
         29 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 28  where at least one longitudinal element comprises at least one lumen. 
     
     
         30 . An electrophysiology lead body comprising:
 a) two or more longitudinal elements, said longitudinal elements comprising an electrical insulation material being less than about 0.003 inches thick and having a voltage strength of at least about 3000 VDC/mil;   b) at least one conductor disposed within one of said longitudinal elements; and   c) a cover surrounding the longitudinal elements,
 in which the electrophysiology lead body has a bending radius of less than 12.7 mm. 
   
     
     
         31 . The electrophysiology lead body of  claim 30  in which said cover comprises a laminate, said laminate comprising a first fluoropolymer layer having a first density and a second fluoropolymer layer having a second density, said second fluoropolymer layer surrounding said first fluoropolymer layer, wherein said second density is less than said first density. 
     
     
         32 . An electrophysiology lead body comprising:
 a) two or more longitudinal elements each having an outer surface, said longitudinal elements comprising an electrically insulating material having a matrix tensile strength of at least 10000 psi in at least one orthogonal direction;   b) a conductor disposed within at least one of said longitudinal elements; and   c) a cover surrounding said longitudinal elements, said cover comprising electrically insulating material having a matrix tensile strength of at least 10000 psi in at least one orthogonal direction.