Bi- or multipolar lead for a medical device

1. A bi- or multipolar lead for a medical device comprising:

a) a cable comprising

an outer insulation having at least two first openings near a distal end of the cable;

an inner lumen,

wherein the inner lumen is arranged coaxially to the outer insulation and extends in a longitudinal direction from a proximal end to the distal end of the cable;

at least two conducting channels,

wherein the at least two conducting channels are arranged between the outer insulation and the inner lumen of the cable,

wherein each one of the at least two conducting channels is formed by at least one insulated conductor comprising a conductor and an insulation layer, and

wherein the insulation layer of the at least one insulated conductor of each one of the at least two conducting channels comprises a second opening, which is aligned with one of the at least two first openings; and

b) at least two ring electrodes,

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes surrounds the cable at a position of one of at least two aligned first and second openings of the cable, and

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes is directly and selectively connected to the conductor of the at least one insulated conductor of one of the at least two conducting channels through one of the at least two aligned first and second openings.

2. The lead according to claim 1 , wherein the lead is a multipolar lead comprising:

a) a cable comprising

an outer insulation having at least four first openings near a distal end of the cable;

an inner lumen,

wherein the inner lumen is arranged coaxially to the outer insulation and extends in a longitudinal direction from a proximal end to the distal end of the cable;

at least four conducting channels,

wherein the at least four conducting channels are arranged between the outer insulation and the inner lumen of the cable,

wherein each one of the at least four conducting channels is formed by at least one insulated conductor comprising a conductor and an insulation layer, and

wherein the insulation layer of the at least one insulated conductor of each one of the at least four conducting channels comprises a second opening, which is aligned with one of the at least four first openings;

b) at least four ring electrodes,

wherein each one of the at least four ring electrodes surrounds the cable at a position of one of at least four aligned first and second openings of the cable, and

wherein each one of the at least four ring electrodes is directly and selectively connected to the conductor of the at least one insulated conductor of one of the at least four conducting channels through one of the at least four aligned first and second openings.

3. The lead according to claim 1 ,

wherein each one of the at least two conducting channels is formed by two or more insulated conductors, which are arranged adjacent to each other,

wherein the second openings of the insulation layers of the two or more insulated conductors of one of the at least two conducting channels are aligned with one of the at least two first openings, and

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes is selectively connected to the conductors of the two or more insulated conductors of one of the at least two conducting channels.

4. The lead according to claim 1 ,

wherein the lead comprises the same number of ring electrodes near the proximal end of the cable as it comprises ring electrodes near the distal end of the cable,

wherein each one of the ring electrodes near the proximal end of the cable is in communication with one of the ring electrodes near the distal end of the cable via one conducting channel of the lead.

5. The lead according to claim 1 , wherein the outer insulation of the cable has one or more of:

an outer diameter in the range of 200 to 5000 μm, and

a wall thickness in the range of 2 to 300 μm, and

wherein the at least two ring electrodes have one or more of:

an outer diameter in the range of 200 to 5000 μm,

an wall thickness in the range of 10 to 200 μm, and

a length in the range of 200 to 5000 μm.

6. The lead according to claim 1 , wherein the inner lumen has a diameter in the range of 10 to 1000 μm and is formed by an inner polymer tube.

7. The lead according to claim 1 ,

wherein the conductor of the at least one insulated conductor of the at least two conducting channels comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, tantalum, palladium, titanium, iron, gold, molybdenum, niob, tungsten, nickel, chromium, cobalt, steel, nitinol, alloys of each one of these metals, and composite materials of each one of these metals; and

wherein the at least two ring electrodes comprise a metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, tantalum, palladium, titanium, iron, gold, molybdenum, niob, tungsten, nickel, chromium, cobalt, steel, nitinol, alloys of each one of these metals, and composite materials of each one of these metals.

8. The lead according to claim 1 ,

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes comprises an indentation extending radially inwards from the ring electrode through one of the at least two aligned first and second openings of the cable, and

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes is connected to the conductor of the at least one insulated conductor of one of the at least two conducting channels via its indentation.

9. The lead according to claim 1 ,

wherein each one of the at least two first openings is a circumferential first opening of the outer insulation,

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes surrounds the cable at the position of one of the at least two circumferential first openings, and

wherein each one of the ring electrodes which is positioned at one of the at least two circumferential first openings is isodiametric to the outer diameter of the cable.

10. The lead according to claim 1 ,

wherein each one of the at least two first openings is surrounded by a circumferential recess of the outer insulation,

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes is embedded into the circumferential recess of one of the at least two first openings, and

wherein each one of the ring electrodes is isodiametric to the outer diameter of the cable.

11. The lead according to claim 1 ,

wherein each one of the at least two first openings is surrounded by a circumferential recess of the outer insulation,

wherein the depth of the circumferential recess is essentially identical to the wall thickness of one of the at least two ring electrodes, and the length of the circumferential recess is essentially identical to the length of one of the at least two ring electrodes, and

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes is embedded into the circumferential recess of one of the at least two first openings.

12. The lead according to claim 1 , wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes have the form of a tube and are connected to the conductor via the flat inner surface of the tube.

13. A bi- or multipolar lead for a medical device comprising:

a) a cable comprising

an outer insulation having at least two first openings near a distal end of the cable;

an inner lumen,

wherein the inner lumen is arranged coaxially to the outer insulation and extends in a longitudinal direction from a proximal end to the distal end of the cable;

at least two conducting channels,

wherein the at least two conducting channels are arranged between the outer insulation and the inner lumen of the cable,

wherein each one of the at least two conducting channels is formed by at least one insulated conductor comprising a conductor and an insulation layer, and

wherein the insulation layer of the at least one insulated conductor of each one of the at least two conducting channels comprises a second opening, which is aligned with one of the at least two first openings; and

b) at least two ring electrodes,

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes surrounds the cable at a position of one of at least two aligned first and second openings of the cable,

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes is selectively connected to the conductor of the at least one insulated conductor of one of the at least two conducting channels through one of the at least two aligned first and second openings

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes is attached to a bridge comprising a metal or a conductive polymer, wherein the bridge extends radially inwards from the ring electrode through one of the at least two aligned first and second openings of the cable, and wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes is connected to the conductor of the at least one insulated conductor of one of the at least two conducting channels via the bridge.

14. The lead according to claim 13 , wherein the lead is a multipolar lead comprising:

a) a cable comprising

an outer insulation having at least four first openings near a distal end of the cable;

an inner lumen,

wherein the inner lumen is arranged coaxially to the outer insulation and extends in a longitudinal direction from a proximal end to the distal end of the cable;

at least four conducting channels,

wherein the at least four conducting channels are arranged between the outer insulation and the inner lumen of the cable,

wherein each one of the at least four conducting channels is formed by at least one insulated conductor comprising a conductor and an insulation layer, and

wherein the insulation layer of the at least one insulated conductor of each one of the at least four conducting channels comprises a second opening, which is aligned with one of the at least four first openings;

b) at least four ring electrodes,

wherein each one of the at least four ring electrodes surrounds the cable at a position of one of at least four aligned first and second openings of the cable,

wherein each one of the at least four ring electrodes is attached to a bridge comprising a metal or a conductive polymer, wherein the bridge extends radially inwards from the ring electrode through one of the at least two aligned first and second openings of the cable, and

wherein each one of the at least four ring electrodes is selectively connected to the conductor of the at least one insulated conductor of one of the at least four conducting channels through one of the at least two aligned first and second openings via the bridge.

15. The lead according to claim 13 ,

wherein each one of the at least two conducting channels is formed by two or more insulated conductors, which are arranged adjacent to each other,

wherein the second openings of the insulation layers of the two or more insulated conductors of one of the at least two conducting channels are aligned with one of the at least two first openings, and

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes is selectively connected to the conductors of the two or more insulated conductors of one of the at least two conducting channels.

16. The lead according to claim 13 ,

wherein the lead comprises the same number of ring electrodes near the proximal end of the cable as it comprises ring electrodes near the distal end of the cable, and

wherein each one of the ring electrodes near the proximal end of the cable is in communication with one of the ring electrodes near the distal end of the cable via one conducting channel of the lead.

17. The lead according to claim 13 , wherein the outer insulation of the cable has one or more of:

an outer diameter in the range of 200 to 5000 μm, and

a wall thickness in the range of 2 to 300 μm, and

wherein the at least two ring electrodes have one or more of:

an outer diameter in the range of 200 to 5000 μm,

an wall thickness in the range of 10 to 200 μm, and

a length in the range of 200 to 5000 μm.

18. The lead according to claim 13 , wherein the inner lumen has a diameter in the range of 10 to 1000 μm, and optionally is formed by an inner polymer tube.

19. The lead according to claim 13 ,

wherein the conductor of the at least one insulated conductor of the at least two conducting channels comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, tantalum, palladium, titanium, iron, gold, molybdenum, niob, tungsten, nickel, chromium, cobalt, steel, nitinol, alloys of each one of these metals, and composite materials of each one of these metals, and

wherein the at least two ring electrodes comprise a metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, tantalum, palladium, titanium, iron, gold, molybdenum, niob, tungsten, nickel, chromium, cobalt, steel, nitinol, alloys of each one of these metals, and composite materials of each one of these metals.

20. The lead according to claim 13 , the lead being further defined by one of the following characteristics (i) to (iii):

(i) wherein each one of the at least two first openings is a circumferential first opening of the outer insulation,

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes surrounds the cable at the position of one of the at least two circumferential first openings, and

wherein each one of the ring electrodes which is positioned at one of the at least two circumferential first openings is isodiametric to the outer diameter of the cable,

(ii) wherein each one of the at least two first openings is surrounded by a circumferential recess of the outer insulation,

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes is embedded into the circumferential recess of one of the at least two first openings, and

wherein each one of the ring electrodes is isodiametric to the outer diameter of the cable, and

(iii) wherein each one of the at least two first openings is surrounded by a circumferential recess of the outer insulation,

wherein the depth of the circumferential recess is essentially identical to the wall thickness of one of the at least two ring electrodes, and the length of the circumferential recess is essentially identical to the length of one of the at least two ring electrodes, and

wherein each one of the at least two ring electrodes is embedded into the circumferential recess of one of the at least two first openings.