One-piece header assembly for an implantable medical device and methods for making same

1. A header assembly for connecting an implantable medical device to at least one conductor lead terminating within a patient intended to be assisted by the medical device comprising a housing containing control circuitry, at least one electrical energy storage device, and at least one feedthrough wire extending from the control circuitry and through a wall of the housing, the header assembly comprising:

a) an insulative body that is mountable on the housing of the medical device; and

b) at least one conductor subassembly comprising:

i) a terminal supported by the insulative body, wherein the terminal is directly connectable to the at least one conductor lead;

ii) an intermediate conductor comprising a distal conductor end connected to the terminal, and a proximal conductor end; and

iii) a connector comprising an outer surface, a distal connector end including a distal connector bore, a proximal connector end including a proximal connector bore, a central connector region that prevents communication between the distal and proximal connector bores, and a through hole extending from the outer surface into the proximal connector bore, wherein the distal end of the connector is supported by the insulative body, the proximal end of the intermediate conductor is disposed within the distal connector bore, and the proximal connector bore is connectable to the at least one feedthrough wire of the implantable medical device.

2. The header assembly of claim 1 comprising a plurality of conductor subassemblies being connectable to a plurality of feedthrough wires extending from the control circuitry and through a wall of the housing of a medical device.

3. The header assembly of claim 2 wherein the insulative body is comprised of an extended boss supporting the distal end and the central region of each of the connectors of the plurality of conductor subassemblies.

4. The header assembly of claim 1 wherein the insulative body is of a molded polymeric.

5. The header assembly of claim 1 wherein the terminal, the intermediate conductor, and the connector of the at least one conductor subassembly consist essentially of titanium or MP35N.

6. The header assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector is of a cylindrical shape.

7. The header assembly of claim 1 wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of a hearing assist device, neurostimulator, cardiac pacemaker, drug pump, cardiac defibrillator, and an obesity control device.

8. The header assembly of claim 1 wherein a gap is provided in the bottom surface of the insulative body, and wherein the proximal end of the connector including the proximal bore and the through hole therein is disposed within the gap.

9. A method for connecting a header assembly to an implantable medical device, comprising the steps of:

a) providing the implantable medical device comprising a housing containing control circuitry, at least one electrical energy storage device, and at least one feedthrough wire extending from the control circuitry and through a wall of the housing;

b) providing the header assembly comprised of an insulative body that is mountable on the housing of the medical device, and at least one conductor subassembly comprising:

i) a terminal supported by the insulative body;

ii) an intermediate conductor comprising a distal conductor end connected to the terminal, and a proximal conductor end; and

iii) a connector comprising an outer surface, a distal connector end including a distal connector bore, a proximal connector end including a proximal connector bore, a central connector region that prevents communication between the distal and proximal connector bores, and a through hole extending from the outer surface into the proximal connector bore, wherein the distal end of the connector is supported by the insulative body, the proximal end of the intermediate conductor is disposed within the distal connector bore, and the proximal end of the connector including the through hole is exposed in a recess in the bottom surface of the insulative body;

c) positioning the header assembly proximate to the implantable device wherein the at least one feedthrough wire is disposed in the proximal connector bore of the conductor subassembly; and

d) directing at least one laser beam into the through hole in the proximal connector bore and onto the feedthrough wire disposed therein, to thereby connect the feedthrough wire of the implantable medical device to the connector of the conductor subassembly.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of sealing the insulative body of the header assembly to the housing of the implantable medical device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein after the step of positioning the header assembly proximate to the implantable device, an interstice is present between the insulative body proximate to the housing of the implantable medical device, and then filling the interstice with a curable liquid sealant.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the curable liquid sealant consists essentially of an organopolysiloxane.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one feedthrough wire of the implantable medical device and the connector of the at least one conductor subassembly consist essentially of titanium or MP35N.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein:

a) the implantable medical device is comprised of a plurality of feedthrough wires extending from the control circuitry and through the wall of the housing;

b) the header assembly is comprised of a corresponding plurality of conductor subassemblies, each including a conductive connector comprising an outer surface, a distal connector end including a distal connector bore, a proximal connector end including a proximal connector bore, a central connector region that prevent communication between the distal and proximal connector bores, and a through hole extending from the outer surface into the proximal connector bore, wherein the distal end of the connector is supported by the insulative body, the proximal end of the intermediate conductor is disposed within the distal bore of the connector, and the proximal connector end including the through hole is exposed in a recess in the bottom surface of the insulative body, and wherein the proximal ends of the plurality of connectors are correspondingly positioned to receive the plurality of feedthrough wires of the implantable medical device in the proximal connector bores thereof;

c) positioning the header assembly proximate to the implantable device such that each of the plurality of feedthrough wires is disposed individually in the correspondingly positioned proximal connector bores of the plurality of connectors; and

d) directing a laser beam into the through holes in the proximal connector bores and onto the individual feedthrough wires disposed therein to thereby weld the feedthrough wires of the implantable medical device to the connectors of the header assembly.

15. The method of claim 14 including providing six feedthrough wires positioned in a hexagonal pattern, and wherein there are six connectors positioned in a corresponding hexagonal pattern so that the feedthrough wires are disposable individually in the proximal bores of the connectors.

16. The method of claim 14 including providing eight feedthrough wires positioned in a pattern of two sets of four wires, and wherein there are eight connectors positioned in a corresponding pattern of two sets of four connectors so that the feedthrough wires are disposable individually in the proximal bores of the connectors.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein:

a) the implantable medical device and the header assembly each comprise a proximal side and a distal side;

b) the through holes in the proximal connector bores of a first group of connectors are viewable from the proximal side of the header assembly, and the through holes in the proximal connector bores of a second group of connectors are viewable from the distal side of the header assembly;

c) directing the laser beam into the through holes in the proximal bores of the first group of connectors from the proximal side of the header assembly, and into the through holes in the proximal bores of the second group of connectors from the distal side of the header assembly.

18. A header assembly for connecting an implantable medical device to at least one conductor lead terminating within a patient intended to be assisted by the medical device comprising a housing containing control circuitry, at least one electrical energy storage device, and at least one feedthrough wire extending from the control circuitry and through a wall of the housing, the header assembly comprising:

a) an insulative body that is mountable at a bottom surface thereof on the housing of the medical device; and

b) at least one conductor subassembly comprising:

i) a terminal supported by the insulative body, wherein the terminal is directly connectable to the at least one conductor lead;

ii) an intermediate conductor comprising a distal conductor end connected to the terminal, and a proximal conductor end; and

iii) a connector comprising an outer surface, a distal connector end including a distal connector bore, a solid central connector region, a proximal end including a proximal bore, and a through hole extending from the outer surface into the proximal connector bore, wherein the distal end of the connector is supported by the insulative body, the proximal end of the intermediate conductor is disposed within the distal connector bore, and the proximal connector bore is connectable to the at least one feedthrough wire of the implantable medical device.

19. The header assembly of claim 18 comprising a plurality of conductor subassemblies being connectable to a plurality of feedthrough wires extending from the control circuitry and through a wall of the housing of a medical device.

20. The header assembly of claim 19 wherein the insulative body is comprised of an extended boss supporting the distal end and the central region of each of the connectors of the plurality of conductor subassemblies.

21. The header assembly of claim 18 wherein the insulative body is of a molded polymeric.

22. The header assembly of claim 18 wherein the terminal, the intermediate conductor, and the connector of the at least one conductor subassembly consist essentially of titanium or MP35N.

23. The header assembly of claim 18 wherein the connector is of a cylindrical shape.

24. The header assembly of claim 18 wherein the medical device is selected from the group consisting of a hearing assist device, neurostimulator, cardiac pacemaker, drug pump, cardiac defibrillator, and an obesity control device.

25. The header assembly of claim 18 wherein a gap is provided in the bottom surface of the insulative body, and wherein the proximal end of the connector including the proximal bore and the through hole therein is disposed within the gap.