US 6,321,104 B1Granted

Burr hole cap for fixation of cranial lead

AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.

InventorsFrans L. H. Gielen, W A. J. Elands

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A system and method are provided for anchoring a cranial lead or catheter member within a cranial burr hole in a patient, utilizing a feed-through subassembly which permits a lead to be eccentrically positioned with respect to the center of the burr hole, enabling fixation of the lead to the skull while the lead is maintained stereotactically rigid. The feed-through, or anchoring assembly comprises a burr hole element which is positioned within the burr hole, having a radial slit which extends axially through the piece and has a groove for receiving and containing an O-ring, which O-ring is adjustably positioned radially along the slit in accordance with the target position. The O-ring is made of a compressive material, and has a center orifice which closely receives the lead. When the lead is inserted through the O-ring and stereotactically positioned, a clamping element is secured in place above the O-ring, compressing it so as to squeeze it inward, thereby securing the lead while it is still stereotactically fixed.

Claims2

Dependent claims

A system for communicating with a patient's brain comprising an implantable device, a lead for interconnecting said device and the patient's brain, said lead being tubular with an outer diameter, and a subsystem for holding said lead in position relative to the patient's skull, the subsystem being positioned in a substantially cylindrical burr hole drilled in the patient's skull, said burr hole having a center axis, the subsystem further comprising:

eccentric means for enabling passage of said lead through said burr hole at an off-center location;
and clamping means for clamping said lead in a said off-center position with respect to said burr hole without significant movement of said lead, wherein said eccentric means comprises a feedthrough piece secured within said burr hole, said piece having a receiving groove extending radially and transversely to the center axis of said burr hole, and a ring-shaped element slidably positioned in said receiving groove, said feedthrough piece having a first radial slit that extends axially through said piece, said groove being positioned at the top of said slit, said clamping means comprising a compression disc having a radial slit in alignment with said first radial slit, said feedthrough piece further having a slit which tapers radially outward from top to bottom, thereby permitting positioning of the lead at an angle with respect to the axis of said piece.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.