Advanced glass-to-metal feedthrough system for implantable medical devices (IMDs) in the patent \”Glass-to-metal feedthrough seals having improved durability particularly under AC or DC bias.\” This innovation presents a single or multi-pin arrangement featuring selected glass-to-metal seals for a feedthrough, equipped with a ceramic disk member connected to the sealing glass surface in potential contact with bodily fluids.
The intricately designed feedthrough, involving judicious selection of component materials such as ferrules, seal insulators, and pins, facilitates compression or matched seals for electrical feedthroughs. These seals aim to provide corrosion resistance and biocompatibility essential in IMDs. The configuration accommodates either a single pin within a single ferrule or at least two pins within a single ferrule. For the multi-pin arrangement, an insulator material, like alumina ceramic, zirconia ceramic, zirconia silicate ceramic, or mullite with higher melting points than the sealing glass, is distributed around the pin within the ferrule. Alternatively, materials such as feldspar porcelain or alumino-silicate glasses, with lower melting points than the sealing glass, are employed.
The invention serves the field of electrical feedthrough devices, specifically single and multiple pin electrical feedthrough assemblies. It facilitates electrical communication between various electrical components, such as medical electrical leads and diverse sensors, contained within the hermetically sealed IMD.
The application of this innovative feedthrough system extends to various implantable pulse generators, including neurostimulation devices, deep brain stimulators, and body implantable pulse generators (IPGs) designed for treating conditions like bradycardia and tachyarrhythmia. These advancements ensure the integrity of glass-to-metal seals, playing a crucial role in ensuring the reliability and hermetic sealing of critical implantable medical devices.
For a comprehensive understanding of this revolutionary glass-to-metal feedthrough technology and its implications for hermetic sealing in IMDs, the full patent documentation is available here.
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