Steroid eluting cuff electrode for peripheral nerve stimulation

[54] STEROID ELUTING CUFF ELECTRODE

FOR PERIPHERAL NERVE STIMULATION

[75] Inventors: Philip Lee, Woodbury; Kenneth

Stokes, Brooklyn Park; James Gates,
Maple Grove; Gary Johnson,
Ramsey, all of Minn.

[73] Assignee: Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

[21] Appl. No.: 483,455

[22] Filed: Feh. 22, 1990

[51] Int. C1.5 A6IB 5/04; A61N 1/05

[52] U.S. CI 128/642; 128/784;

128/785

[58] Field of Search 128/784-786,

128/419 P, 419 C, 642, 50

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

1,662,446 3/1928 Wappler .

3,421,511 1/1969 Schwartz .

3,654,933 4/1972 Hagfors .

4,281,668 8/1981 Richter et al 128/784

4,341,221 7/1982 Testerman .

4,506,680 3/1985 Stokes .

4,577,642 3/1986 Stokes .

4,602,624 7/1986 Naples et al. 128/784

An improved electrode for establishing electrical contact with a nerve of a patient. This electrical contact may be used to sense neural activity on the nerve or to artificially stimulate it to perform various medical treatments. The electrode has an outer cuff of an insulating material which is sutured around the nerve to be contacted. A drug impregnated layer of material is positioned inside of the outer cuff. This material is a polymeric matrix which permits the drug to leach out at a predetermined rate. The drug is a steroid such as dexamethasone sodium phosphate. The actual electrical contact is produced by metallic foil which is positioned on the surface of the drug impregnated layer of material which is located inside of the cuff. An insulated lead electrically couples the metallic foil to an electronic circuit located remote from the nerve. The leaching out of the drug serves to control irritation, swelling, and impedance of the nerve/electrode interface.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets

12