Ceramics and/or other material insulated shell for active and non-active S-ICD can

Abstract

An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for subcutaneous positioning between the third rib and the twelfth rib within a patient, the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator including a housing, wherein at least a portion of the housing is curved; an electrical circuit; and at least one electrically conductive surface integrally positioned on at least one portion of the house, wherein at least one electrically conductive surface is coupled to the electrical circuit.

1 . An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator comprising: 
 a housing comprising a mixture of conductive and non-conductive materials;    an electrode disposed on the housing; and    a cardioversion-defibrillation circuitry located within the housing and coupled to the electrode.    
   
   
       2 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a mixture of ceramic materials and titanium.  
   
   
       3 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode is integrally positioned on a portion of the housing.  
   
   
       4 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the housing is curved.  
   
   
       5 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a subcutaneous electrode that is adapted to emit energy for treating the patient's heart from a subcutaneous position within the patient.  
   
   
       6 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 5  wherein the electrode is further adapted to receive sensory information.  
   
   
       7 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode is adapted to receive sensory information.  
   
   
       8 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 1 , wherein the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator is adapted for subcutaneous positioning between the third rib and the twelfth rib within a patient.  
   
   
       9 . An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator comprising: 
 a housing for subcutaneous implantation within a patient, the housing comprising a mixture of conductive and nonconductive materials;    a subcutaneous electrode disposed on the housing; and    cardioversion-defibrillation circuitry located within the housing and coupled to the subcutaneous electrode.    
   
   
       10 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 9 , wherein the housing comprises a mixture of ceramic materials and titanium.  
   
   
       11 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 9 , wherein the housing is sized and shaped for subcutaneous positioning between the third rib and the twelfth rib within the patient.  
   
   
       12 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 9 , wherein the subcutaneous electrode is positioned on the housing such that when the housing is subcutaneously implanted within the patient, the electrode is maintained in a predetermined subcutaneous position relative to the patient's heart.  
   
   
       13 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 9 , wherein the subcutaneous electrode is adapted to emit energy for treating a patient's heart from a subcutaneous position within the patient.  
   
   
       14 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 13 , wherein the electrode is further adapted to receive sensory information.  
   
   
       15 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 9 , wherein the subcutaneous electrode receives sensory information.  
   
   
       16 . The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 9 , wherein the subcutaneous electrode is integrally positioned on a portion of the housing.  
   
   
       17 . An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator comprising: 
 a housing comprising a mixture composition including both conductive and nonconductive materials;    an electrical circuit located within the housing; and    an electrode disposed on a portion of the housing, wherein the electrode couples to the electrical circuit.    
   
   
       18 . The cardioverter-defibrillator of  claim 17 , wherein the mixture composition comprises a mixture of ceramic and titanium.  
   
   
       19 . A method of making an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, the method comprising: 
 providing a housing comprising a mixture of conductive and non-conductive materials;    disposing an electrode on the housing;    disposing a cardioversion-defibrillation circuitry within the housing; and    coupling the cardioversion-defibrillation circuitry to the electrode.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein providing a housing includes providing a housing for subcutaneous implantation within a patient, and wherein the electrode is a subcutaneous electrode.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein disposing the electrode includes integrally positioning the electrode on a portion of the housing.  
   
   
       22 . A method of providing therapy to a patient, the method comprising: 
 providing a subcutaneously implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator including a housing comprising a mixture of conductive and non-conductive materials, a subcutaneous electrode disposed on the housing, and a cardioversion-defibrillation circuitry disposed within the housing and coupled to the electrode; and    subcutaneously implanting the housing between the third rib and the twelfth rib within the patient such that the electrode is maintained in a predetermined subcutaneous position relative to the patient's heart.