# US 9,433,777 B2 · Impact protection for implantable electric lead

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- Number: US 9,433,777 B2
- Document ID: US9433777B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/816,118
- Filed: 2015-08-03
- Published: 2015-11-26
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-25
- Assignees: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
- Applicants: MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
- Inventors: Martin Zimmerling; Fabrice Béal; Davide De Luca; Dominik Hammerer; Stefan Hofer; Philipp Schindler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433777B2

## CPC

- A61N 1/0541: {Cochlear electrodes}
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)

## Abstract

An implantable electric lead arrangement for a medical implant system includes an implantable electric lead with parallel lead wires wound in an elongated helix about a central longitudinal axis. A conical shape lead core is fixed and enclosed within the wire helix for providing impact strain relief to the electric lead by resisting radial and/or axial deformation from external impact force. The conical shape of the lead core is configured for a smooth transition between a lead core portion of the electric lead that is protected against external impact force and a non-lead core portion of the electric lead that is unprotected from external impact force.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An implantable electric lead arrangement for a medical implant system, the arrangement comprising:
an implantable electric lead containing a plurality of parallel lead wires wound in an elongated helix about a central longitudinal axis; and
a conical shape lead core fixed and enclosed within the wire helix for providing impact strain relief to the electric lead by resisting radial and/or axial deformation from external impact force;
wherein the conical shape of the lead core is configured for a smooth transition between a lead core portion of the electric lead that is protected against external impact force, and a non-lead core portion of the electric lead that is unprotected from external impact force.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The implantable electric lead arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the lead core is made of a flexible polymer material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The implantable electric lead arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the polymer material has an elastic module value greater than some given threshold value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The implantable electric lead arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the polymer material has a shore-A hardness value greater than some given threshold value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The implantable electric lead arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the lead core is made of a flexible metallic material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The implantable electric lead arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of support ribs perpendicular to the lead core and distributed along the length of the lead core.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The implantable electric lead arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a base end of the lead core has a diameter less than 0.7 times the diameter of the electric lead.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The implantable electric lead arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the electric lead is a cochlear implant electrode lead connected at one end to an implantable cochlear implant processor and connected at another end to an intracochlear electrode array.