Medtronic, Inc.

Paul Van Venrooij

Peter Appenrodt

Victor P Duysens

Daniel Schmitz

Frans L Gielen

Dan Gruia

Keith R Mullett

Tether apparatus may be used to replace an implanted lead extension with a replacement lead extension without tunneling or the use of tunneling tools.

Method and apparatus for replacing lead extension without tunneling

A directional brain stimulation lead assembly provides a lead body and an insulating member defining one or more windows that selectively expose portions of electrodes carried by the lead body to produce a directional stimulation current field. The lead assembly can achieve more effective localization of electrical stimulation to very small brain targets, and thereby reduce the incidence of material side effects caused by collateral stimulation of brain tissue adjoining a desired brain target. In addition, the directional lead can sense brain activity on a more localized basis.

Directional brain stimulation and recording leads

The invention is directed to neurological lead extensions without set screws, set screw blocks, or set screw inserts. Such elimination of set screws, blocks and inserts can reduce the amount of metal and ferromagnetic material in the extension. The neurological lead extension may include a proximal end configured to couple to a neurological device and a distal end configured to couple to an implanted neurological lead. A set of electrical contacts are disposed in proximity to the distal end to provide electrical contact to an inserted end of the implanted neurological lead. Various elements and structures are described which can mechanically secure the inserted end of the implanted neurological lead to the distal end of the extension.

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Hoensbroek, Netherlands

Paul Van Venrooij