Conductor cable for biomedical lead

Abstract

A biomedical lead conductor cable formed of a core wire strand and a plurality of perimeter wire strands wrapped in a helical pattern around the core wire strand, wherein the core wire strand is formed of M wires and the perimeter wire strands are formed of N wires. The core wire strand is formed of a first core wire and M-1 first peripheral wires helically wrapped about the first core wire in a non-overlapping manner, the first core wire having a mechanical strength exceeding the mechanical strength of each first peripheral wire and an electrical conductivity lower than the electrical conductivity of each first peripheral wire. Each perimeter wire strand is formed of a second core wire and N-1 second peripheral wires helically wrapped about the second core wire in a non-overlapping manner, the second core wire conductor having a mechanical strength exceeding the mechanical strength of each second peripheral wire and an electrical conductivity lower than the electrical conductivity of each second peripheral wire. In a preferred embodiment M=N, and the first core wire is formed of a solid metal or metal alloy, whereas first peripheral wires are formed of a composite conductor wire having a core of high conductivity material surrounded by a cladding of lower conductivity material. The second core wire is also preferably formed of a composite conductor wire. The diameters of the first and second core wires exceed the diameters of the first and second peripheral wires, respectively to provide a spacing between adjacent peripheral wires wound helically about the core wires. Moreover, preferably, the diameter of the core wire strand exceeds the diameter of the perimeter wire strands to provide a spacing between the adjacent perimeter wire strands wound about the core wire strand.