Sealed implantable medical device and method of forming same

Abstract

Various embodiments of a sealed package and a method of forming the package are disclosed. The package can include a housing extending along a housing axis between a first end and a second end, and an electronic device disposed within the housing that includes a device contact. The package can also include an external contact hermetically sealed to the housing at the first end of the housing, and a conductive member electrically connected to the external contact and the device contact such that the conductive member electrically connects the electronic device to the external contact. The conductive member is compressed between the external contact and the device contact.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hermetically-sealed package comprising:
 a housing extending along a housing axis between a first end and a second end;   an electronic device disposed within the housing and comprising a device contact;   an external contact hermetically sealed to the housing at the first end of the housing; and   a conductive member electrically connected to the external contact and the device contact such that the conductive member electrically connects the electronic device to the external contact, wherein the conductive member is compressed between the external contact and the device contact.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a second device contact, wherein the package further comprises:
 a second external contact hermetically sealed to the housing at the second end of the housing; and   a second conductive member electrically connected to the second external contact and the second device contact such that the second conductive member electrically connects the electronic device to the second external contact.   
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 2 , wherein the second conductive member is compressed between the second external contact and the second device contact. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the housing is substantially transmissive to electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength in a range of 200 nm to 10000 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises sapphire. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a multiplexer. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the external contact comprises titanium. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the external contact is adapted to provide an electrical signal to tissue of a patient. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the external contact is adapted to electrically couple the electronic device to a lead. 
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a controller. 
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises an implantable medical device. 
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the external contact is hermetically sealed to the housing by a laser bond. 
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 12 , wherein the laser bond that hermetically seals the external contact to the housing comprises a bond line. 
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 13 , wherein the bond line that hermetically seals the external contact to the housing comprises an interfacial layer between the external contact and the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 1 , further comprising a conductor disposed on an inner surface of the housing and electrically coupled to the electronic device. 
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 15 , wherein the conductor comprises an antenna. 
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 15 , wherein the conductor comprises an inductive coil. 
     
     
         18 . The package of  claim 15 , wherein the conductor comprises an electromagnetic interference shield. 
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 1 , further comprising an alignment insert extending from the first end of the housing such that the alignment insert is disposed within the housing and the external contact. 
     
     
         20 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device further comprises a power source. 
     
     
         21 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a material selected from one of glass, quartz, silica, sapphire, silicon carbide, diamond, and gallium nitride, copper, silver, titanium, niobium, zirconium, tantalum, stainless steel, platinum, iridium, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the external contact comprises a material selected from one of titanium, copper, silver, niobium, zirconium, tantalum, stainless steel, platinum, iridium, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . An implantable medical device system comprising:
 a lead, wherein the lead comprises a lead body; and   the hermetically-sealed package of any one of  claims 1 - 22  disposed in a distal portion of the lead body.   
     
     
         24 . The implantable medical device system of  claim 23 , wherein the external contact of the hermetically-sealed package is electrically coupled to a conductor of the lead. 
     
     
         25 . A method of forming a hermetically-sealed package comprising a housing extending along a housing axis between a first end and a second end, the method comprising:
 disposing an electronic device within the housing;   electrically connecting a device contact of the electronic device to a conductive member;   compressing the conductive member between an external contact and the device contact such that the conductive member electrically connects the electronic device to the external contact; and   hermetically sealing the external contact to the housing at the first end of the housing.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein hermetically sealing the external contact to the housing comprises forming a laser bond between the external contact and the housing. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 electrically connecting a second device contact of the electronic device to a second conductive member; and   hermetically sealing a second external contact to the housing at the second end of the housing such that the second conductive member is disposed between the second external contact and the second device contact, wherein the second conductive member is electrically connects the electronic device to the second external contact.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising compressing the second conductive member between the second external contact and the second device contact. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein hermetically sealing the second external contact to the housing comprises forming a laser bond between the second external contact and the housing.