Structures and techniques for medical lead fabrication

Abstract

A medical lead may be fabricated using an electrode fixture configured to facilitate circumferential and axial alignment between electrodes of the lead. In one example, a method may include positioning an electrode fixture around at least one conductor of a plurality of conductors for a medical lead, wherein the electrode fixture at least partially retains an electrode assembly. The method may also include electrically coupling a portion of the at least one conductor with at least a portion of the electrode assembly at an attachment area defined by the electrode assembly when the electrode assembly is at least partially retained by the electrode fixture.

1 : A method comprising:
 positioning an electrode fixture at least partially around at least one conductor of a plurality of conductors for a medical lead, wherein the electrode fixture at least partially retains an electrode assembly; and   when the electrode assembly is at least partially retained by the electrode fixture, electrically coupling a portion of the at least one conductor with at least a portion of the electrode assembly at an attachment area defined by the electrode assembly.   
     
     
         2 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the at least one conductor comprises a distal end of the at least one conductor, and wherein the method further comprises placing the distal end of the at least one conductor into the attachment area defined by the electrode assembly. 
     
     
         3 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode assembly is a first electrode assembly, the electrode fixture is a first electrode fixture, the at least one conductor of the plurality of conductors is a first conductor, and the attachment area is a first attachment area, the method further comprising:
 positioning a second electrode fixture at least partially around a second conductor of the plurality of conductors such that the second electrode fixture is circumferentially aligned with the first electrode fixture, wherein the second electrode fixture at least partially retains a second electrode assembly; and   when the second electrode assembly is at least partially retained by the second electrode fixture, electrically coupling a portion of the second conductor with at least a portion of the second electrode assembly at a second attachment area defined by the second electrode assembly.   
     
     
         4 : The method of  claim 3 , further comprising positioning both the first electrode fixture and the second electrode fixture around the respective conductors prior to coupling the portion of the first conductor with the portion of the first electrode assembly and coupling the portion of the second conductor with the portion of the second electrode assembly. 
     
     
         5 : The method of  claim 3 , further comprising registering a distal surface of the first electrode fixture to a proximal surface of the second electrode fixture to fix an axial distance between the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly and a circumferential position between the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly, wherein the distal surface contacts the proximal surface. 
     
     
         6 : The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 contacting a distal surface of the first electrode fixture to a first surface of a spacer, wherein the distal surface contacts the first surface;   contacting a proximal surface of the second electrode fixture to a second surface of the spacer to fix an axial distance between the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly, wherein the proximal surface contacts the second surface;   registering a first registration structure of the first electrode fixture to a registration bar to fix a circumferential position between the first electrode assembly and the second electrode assembly; and   registering a second registration structure of the second electrode fixture to the registration bar.   
     
     
         7 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode fixture comprises a collar at least partially fitted within a channel defined by the electrode assembly, and wherein the electrode fixture comprises an elongated member extending radially outward from a portion of the collar and beyond the electrode assembly. 
     
     
         8 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode fixture retains the electrode assembly at least partially within a channel defined by the electrode fixture. 
     
     
         9 : The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 fixing a shaft of an orientation tool to the electrode assembly; and   inserting the electrode assembly in the channel of the electrode fixture, wherein the electrode fixture is configured to retain the electrode assembly.   
     
     
         10 : The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 removing the shaft of the orientation tool from the electrode assembly;   removing a distal portion of the electrode assembly from a central portion of the electrode assembly positioned within the electrode fixture; and   removing a proximal portion of the electrode assembly from the central portion of the electrode assembly positioned within the electrode fixture.   
     
     
         11 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein positioning the electrode fixture around the at least one conductor further comprises circumferentially orienting the electrode fixture and the electrode assembly to the at least one connector. 
     
     
         12 : The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode assembly comprises two or more electrodes disposed circumferentially around the electrode assembly. 
     
     
         13 : The method of  claim 1 , further comprising molding a lead body around the plurality of conductors to form at least a portion of the medical lead. 
     
     
         14 : The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, subsequent to molding the lead body around the plurality of conductors, removing the electrode fixture from the electrode assembly and the lead body. 
     
     
         15 : The method of  claim 13 , wherein the electrode fixture comprises a collar at least partially fitted within a channel defined by the electrode assembly and an elongated member extending radially outward from a portion of the collar, and wherein the method further comprises:
 subsequent to molding the lead body around the plurality of conductors, removing the elongated member from the collar that remains at least partially fitted within the channel defined by the electrode assembly.   
     
     
         16 : A system comprising:
 an electrode fixture configured to at least partially retain an electrode assembly, wherein:   the electrode assembly defines an attachment area configured to be electrically coupled to a conductor of a plurality of conductors for a medical lead,   the electrode fixture is configured to be positioned around at least the conductor of the plurality of conductors, and   the electrode fixture is configured to facilitate access for electrical coupling of a portion of the conductor of the plurality of conductors to the attachment area of the electrode assembly when the electrode assembly is at least partially retained by the electrode fixture.