Medtronic, Inc.

Kenneth W Keeney

Mark T Stewart

Catherine E Taylor

Edward Di Domenico

Mary M Morris

Timothy G Laske

Steven Lawrence Waldhauser

Patrick T Cahalan

Vernon B Iverson

John Matthew Swoyer

Mark T Marshall

Gonzalo Martinez

Paul V Trescony

Arthur J Coury

Edward D DiDomenico

Bret R Shoberg

Markus Haller

David L Miller

Hong S Shim

Mark C S Shu

Bruce C Johnson

Clare E Padgett

Eileen L Halverson

Edward D Di Domenico

Thomas Kiekhafer

Douglas R Hess

A medical electrical lead with a tip-ring assembly optimized to resist damage during extraction. The lead includes an elongated plastic tube and at least two elongated conductors mounted in the plastic tube. A tip-ring assembly is mounted to the distal end of the tube, the tip-ring assembly including a ring electrode coupled to one of the conductors, a tip electrode located distal to the ring electrode and coupled to another of the conductors and two molded plastic components separately fabricated of a plastic harder than the plastic tube, adhered to one another and together defining a circumferential groove in which the ring electrode is located and mechanically coupled to the tip electrode. The tip electrode may be provided with a proximally extending electrode shank covered by a tine sleeve which is fabricated of a plastic softer than the molded plastic components and is adhered to more distally located molded plastic component. The more distally located molded plastic component preferably overlaps the electrode shank to provide a stronger structure.

Extractable implantable medical lead

Coating an implantable device, such as micro electromechanical devices, is highly desirable to protect the implantable device from corrosion. A coating method includes depositing, preferably by plasma glow discharge, a reactant monomer on at least one surface of an implantable device, preferably at ambient temperature. The method will likely decrease the manufacturing time required for assembling such devices because completely assembled devices can be coated.

Method for coating implantable devices

An elongate elastomeric structure having controlled surface texture. Plasma deposition is used to create controlled features, such as ridges, on the external surface of an elongate elastomeric surface, such as the external surface of silicone tubing. The invention has particular applicability in the medical device field, such as the fabrication of implantable leads, catheters, and medical devices incorporating them.

Medical electrical lead having controlled texture surface and method of making same

The present invention provides a method for modifying a pyrolytic carbon surface to improve adhesion between it and a subsequently added polymer and/or a bio-active compound. In particular, plasma depositing an oxygen-containing, silicon-containing film forming monomer on a pyrolytic carbon surface improves adhesion of a polymer thereto, wherein the modified pyrolytic carbon surface and silicone rubber has a wet adhesion peel force greater than the wet adhesion peel force between an unmodified pyrolytic carbon and silicone rubber as measured by ASTM D 903-49 after 28 days in an aqueous environment, typically, at least 10 times greater.

Plasma process for surface modification of pyrolitic carbon

This invention relates to the preferential glow discharge at the inside diameter (ID) of plastic tubing, particularly very small tubing.

Plasma process for reducing friction within the lumen of polymeric tubing

An implantable electrode type lead assembly of the flexible type which is particularly adapted for implantation in the cardiac tissue for applications such as use with a pacemaker. The lead assembly has an electrode head which includes a fixation spiral for implantation into tissue. The spiral or rotation action of the electrode head is controlled by means of an elongated torsionally wound electrical coil conductor, the coil extending through the lead from the proximal to the distal end thereof and carried within a silicone tube which is co-extensive therewith, the tube having been especially treated to modify the slip characteristics of the internal diameter (ID) thereof for high efficiency torque transfer.

Silicon insulated extendable/retractable screw-in pacing lead with high

A vascular graft with improved endothelial cell adhesion can be achieved on a fluoropolymer surface of a vascular graft by treating the fluoropolymer with a plasma in the presence of a non-polymerizing gas capable of providing the fluoropolymer with anionic groups and binding a protein to the treated fluoropolymer. In a preferred embodiment, the fluoropolymer surface is a plasma deposited fluoropolymer. Also in a preferred embodiment, autologous endothelial cells are seeded onto the vascular graft prior to implantation of the vascular graft in the human body.

Vascular prosthesis and method

Improved electrical leads provided by the surface treatment of silicone rubber tubing covering on implantable pulse generator, or IPG leads and the like by exposure of the silicone rubber to radio frequency glow discharge in a polymer forming or non-polymer forming gas at reduced pressure whereby improved slip properties are provided and binding between two or more of the leads in contact with each other is minimized.

Radio frequency glow discharge surface treatment of silicone tubing used

A process for producing a medical electrode. A coil of conductive metal is slid over a tubular insulative substrate. The spaces between individual turns of the coil are backfilled with an insulative plastic. The backfilled plastic is thereafter etched away from and off of the exterior of the metal coil by means of a gas plasma.

Method for fabrication of a medical electrode

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Forest Lake, MN, United States of America

Kenneth W Keeney