Dual purpose inductors for implantable medical devices and associated systems and methods
The present technology is directed to implantable medical devices comprising an electrical circuit for powering one or more active components of the device, such as an actuation element, an engine, or a sensor. The electrical circuit can include one or more inductors having a plurality of receiving coils that generate a current in response to being exposed to an electromagnetic field. The current generated by the receiving coils can be used to directly or indirectly power the one or more active components. The inductors can have one or more wires having a non-concentric configuration such that, in addition to generating the current for powering the device, the receiving coils also anchor a portion of the device when it is implanted. For example, the receiving coils can be at least partially composed of a superelastic material such that they exhibit superelastic properties at body temperature.
1 . An implantable medical device, comprising:
an active component; and
an inductor, wherein the inductor includes a wire that, when deployed across a tissue wall of a patient, forms at least one first loop or petal on a first side of the tissue wall configured to contact the tissue wall on the first side, and at least one second loop or petal on a second side of the tissue wall configured to contact the tissue wall on the second side, wherein the at least one first loop or petal extends generally parallel to the at least one second loop or petal,
wherein the wire is configured to—
generate an electrical current when exposed to an electromagnetic field to directly or indirectly provide power to the active component, and
receive a portion of the tissue wall between the first loop or petal and the second loop or petal to anchor the active component in a target position when the implantable medical device is implanted in a patient.
2 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the inductor is part of a resonant RLC circuit.
3 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the wire is a single wire.
4 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the wire includes a plurality of wires arranged in series.
5 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the wire forms a plurality of non-overlapping loops.
6 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the wire includes stacked wire segments having a non-circular shape.
7 . The implantable medical device of claim 6 wherein the stacked wire segments have a non-oval shape.
8 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the wire is composed of a superelastic material and a highly conductive material.
9 . The implantable medical device of claim 8 wherein the superelastic material is nitinol and the highly conductive material is silver.
10 . The implantable medical device of claim 8 wherein the wire includes a superelastic core and an inductive exterior.
11 . The implantable medical device of claim 8 wherein the wire includes an inductive core and a superelastic exterior.
12 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the at least one first loop or petal includes a first first petal and a second first petal both configured to reside on the first side of the tissue wall, the first first petal and the second first petal having overlapping segments that form an angle of between about 30 degrees and about 150 degrees.
13 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the wire serves as the only anchor element in an anatomical region.
14 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the active component includes a shape memory actuation element.
15 . The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein the active component includes a sensor.
16 . An implantable medical device configured to be implanted across a tissue wall separating a first body region and a second body region, the implantable medical device comprising:
an active component; and
an inductor configured to be implanted across the tissue wall, wherein the inductor includes one or more wires composed of a composite material including a highly conductive material and a superelastic material, wherein the one or more wires form a single electrically continuous inductive structure having a first plurality of loops or petals oriented within a first plane, a second plurality of loops or petals at least partially spaced apart from the first plurality of loops or petals by a gap and oriented in a second plane that is generally parallel to the first plane, and a plurality of connecting segments extending between the first plurality of loops or petals and the second plurality of loops or petals,
wherein, when the inductor is implanted in a patient, a first end region with the first plurality of loops or petals is configured to reside within the first body region, a second end region with the second plurality of loops or petals is configured to reside within the second body region, and the gap is configured to receive a portion of the tissue wall, and
wherein the inductor is configured to (i) anchor or stabilize the active component, and (ii) generate an electrical current when exposed to an electromagnetic field to directly or indirectly power the active component.
17 . The implantable medical device of claim 16 wherein individual first loops or petals of the first plurality of loops or petals do not overlap.
18 . The implantable medical device of claim 16 wherein individual first loops or petals of the first plurality of loops or petals overlap.
19 . The implantable medical device of claim 18 wherein the individual first loops or petals have a height and a width, and wherein the height is greater than the width.
20 . The implantable medical device of claim 16 wherein the one or more wires form a folding element or nub for compressing the one or more wires into a delivery configuration.
21 . The implantable medical device of claim 16 wherein the wire serves as the only anchor element in an anatomical region.
22 . The implantable medical device of claim 16 wherein the active component includes a shape memory actuation element.
23 . The implantable medical device of claim 16 wherein the active component includes a sensor.