Abstract: Medical leads included coiled filars that have longitudinally straight ends. The coiled filars may be coiled at a constant pitch until reaching the point where the filars become longitudinally straight. The coiled filars may reside within a central lumen of the lead body, while the longitudinally straight portions may reside in a region where electrical connectors are present and where filar passageways provide a pathway for the filars to exit the central lumen and bond with the electrical connectors. The coiled filars may be created with longitudinally straight ends using a body that includes longitudinally straight holes that receive the filars and maintain the longitudinally straight configuration while the remaining portion of the filars is being coiled.

Abstract: A fixation component for a medical electrical lead includes a tubular sidewall that has an outer surface from which a plurality of deformable barb-like projections extend, each projection being in proximity to an aperture that extends through the sidewall. The projections are spaced apart from one another along a length of the component, and each extends from a first end, attached to the sidewall, in proximity to an edge of the corresponding aperture, to a second, free end, spaced apart from the outer surface of the sidewall, when the projection is un-deformed. The outer surface of the sidewall preferably includes reduced diameter end portions, to maintain a relatively low profile, when tubing members overlap thereon to secure the component around a body of the medical electrical lead. The body of the lead may include a conductor coil whose outer surface is directly overlaid by the component.

Abstract: Medical leads included coiled filars that have longitudinally straight ends. The coiled filars may be coiled at a constant pitch until reaching the point where the filars become longitudinally straight. The coiled filars may reside within a central lumen of the lead body, while the longitudinally straight portions may reside in a region where electrical connectors are present and where filar passageways provide a pathway for the filars to exit the central lumen and bond with the electrical connectors. The coiled filars may be created with longitudinally straight ends using a body that includes longitudinally straight holes that receive the filars and maintain the longitudinally straight configuration while the remaining portion of the filars is being coiled.

Abstract: A shield located within an implantable medical lead may be terminated in various ways at a metal connector. The shield may be terminated by various joints including butt, scarf, lap, or other joints between insulation layers surrounding the lead and an insulation extension. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection to a single metal connector. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection by passing between an overlapping pair of inner and outer metal connectors. The metal connectors may include features such as teeth or threads that penetrate the insulation layers of the lead. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection by exiting a jacket of a lead adjacent to a metal connector and lapping onto the metal connector.

Abstract: Medical leads include a lumen body at an end of the lead, and the lumen body includes multiple filar lumens. The lumen body is joined to a lead body, and electrical connectors are longitudinally spaced along the lumen body. Filars within the filar lumens are directed through filar passageways within the lumen body to attach to the electrical connectors on the lumen body. The filar passageways may be aligned with the filar lumens, and slots within the electrical connectors may be aligned with the filar passageways to facilitate assembly. The lumen body may provide additional stiffness to the end of the lead where the lumen body is located to facilitate lead insertion into the medical device. The filar lumens of the lumen body may have a longitudinally straight configuration so that the portions of filars within the filar lumens are held in a longitudinally straight configuration.

Abstract: Medical leads include a lumen body at an end of the lead, and the lumen body includes multiple filar lumens. The lumen body is joined to a lead body, and electrical connectors are longitudinally spaced along the lumen body. Filars within the filar lumens are directed through filar passageways within the lumen body to attach to the electrical connectors on the lumen body. The filar passageways may be aligned with the filar lumens, and slots within the electrical connectors may be aligned with the filar passageways to facilitate assembly. The lumen body may provide additional stiffness to the end of the lead where the lumen body is located to facilitate lead insertion into the medical device. The filar lumens of the lumen body may have a longitudinally straight configuration so that the portions of filars within the filar lumens are held in a longitudinally straight configuration.

Abstract: A shield located within an implantable medical lead may be terminated in various ways at a metal connector. The shield may be terminated by various joints including butt, scarf, lap, or other joints between insulation layers surrounding the lead and an insulation extension. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection to a single metal connector. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection by passing between an overlapping pair of inner and outer metal connectors. The metal connectors may include features such as teeth or threads that penetrate the insulation layers of the lead. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection by exiting a jacket of a lead adjacent to a metal connector and lapping onto the metal connector.

Abstract: This disclosure includes an anchor configured to maintain a portion of a therapy delivery element within a desired location of a patient. The anchor comprises a body forming a lumen configured to compressibly engage the outer surface of the therapy delivery element to hold the anchor in place about the therapy delivery element. The anchor may be stretched such that the lumen becomes larger than the cross-section of the therapy delivery element to facilitate positioning the anchor about the therapy delivery element. The body forms two or more channels that facilitate radial stretching of the anchor using a pronged tool. Radially stretching the body via the channels using the pronged tool reduces a holding force of the anchor on the therapy delivery element to facilitate adjusting a position of the anchor relative to the therapy delivery element.

Abstract: Medical leads include a lumen body at an end of the lead, and the lumen body includes multiple filar lumens. The lumen body is joined to a lead body, and electrical connectors are longitudinally spaced along the lumen body. Filars within the filar lumens are directed through filar passageways within the lumen body to attach to the electrical connectors on the lumen body. The filar passageways may be aligned with the filar lumens, and slots within the electrical connectors may be aligned with the filar passageways to facilitate assembly. The lumen body may provide additional stiffness to the end of the lead where the lumen body is located to facilitate lead insertion into the medical device. The filar lumens of the lumen body may have a longitudinally straight configuration so that the portions of filars within the filar lumens are held in a longitudinally straight configuration.

Abstract: Medical leads include a lumen body at an end of the lead, and the lumen body includes multiple filar lumens. The lumen body is joined to a lead body, and electrical connectors are longitudinally spaced along the lumen body. Filars within the filar lumens are directed through filar passageways within the lumen body to attach to the electrical connectors on the lumen body. The filar passageways may be aligned with the filar lumens, and slots within the electrical connectors may be aligned with the filar passageways to facilitate assembly. The lumen body may provide additional stiffness to the end of the lead where the lumen body is located to facilitate lead insertion into the medical device. The filar lumens of the lumen body may have a longitudinally straight configuration so that the portions of filars within the filar lumens are held in a longitudinally straight configuration.

Abstract: Medical leads include a lumen body at an end of the lead, and the lumen body includes multiple filar lumens. The lumen body is joined to a lead body, and electrical connectors are longitudinally spaced along the lumen body. Filars within the filar lumens are directed through filar passageways within the lumen body to attach to the electrical connectors on the lumen body. The filar passageways may be aligned with the filar lumens, and slots within the electrical connectors may be aligned with the filar passageways to facilitate assembly. The lumen body may provide additional stiffness to the end of the lead where the lumen body is located to facilitate lead insertion into the medical device. The filar lumens of the lumen body may have a longitudinally straight configuration so that the portions of filars within the filar lumens are held in a longitudinally straight configuration.

Abstract: Medical leads include a lumen body at an end of the lead, and the lumen body includes multiple filar lumens. The lumen body is joined to a lead body, and electrical connectors are longitudinally spaced along the lumen body. Filars within the filar lumens are directed through filar passageways within the lumen body to attach to the electrical connectors on the lumen body. The filar passageways may be aligned with the filar lumens, and slots within the electrical connectors may be aligned with the filar passageways to facilitate assembly. The lumen body may provide additional stiffness to the end of the lead where the lumen body is located to facilitate lead insertion into the medical device. The filar lumens of the lumen body may have a longitudinally straight configuration so that the portions of filars within the filar lumens are held in a longitudinally straight configuration.

Abstract: An implantable lead for a medical device with a coplanar coupling for connecting a conductor to a contact reduces conductor bending moments to improve lead reliability. The implantable lead comprises a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end, at least one conductor, at least one contact carried on the proximal end, at least one contact carried on the distal end, and at least one coupling. The lead body has an exterior surface. The conductor is contained in the lead body and extends from the lead proximal end to the distal end. The conductor is also electrically insulated. The contact carried on the proximal end is electrically connected to the conductor. The coupling has a conductor coupling and a contact coupling. The conductor coupling is placed over the conductor and attached to the conductor. The contact coupling exits the lead body and has a weld to connect the contact coupling to the contact.

Abstract: Medical leads include a lumen body at an end of the lead, and the lumen body includes multiple filar lumens. The lumen body is joined to a lead body, and electrical connectors are longitudinally spaced along the lumen body. Filars within the filar lumens are directed through filar passageways within the lumen body to attach to the electrical connectors on the lumen body. The filar passageways may be aligned with the filar lumens, and slots within the electrical connectors may be aligned with the filar passageways to facilitate assembly. The lumen body may provide additional stiffness to the end of the lead where the lumen body is located to facilitate lead insertion into the medical device. The filar lumens of the lumen body may have a longitudinally straight configuration so that the portions of filars within the filar lumens are held in a longitudinally straight configuration.

Abstract: A fixation component for a medical electrical lead includes a tubular sidewall that has an outer surface from which a plurality of deformable barb-like projections extend, each projection being in proximity to an aperture that extends through the sidewall. The projections are spaced apart from one another along a length of the component, and each extends from a first end, attached to the sidewall, in proximity to an edge of the corresponding aperture, to a second, free end, spaced apart from the outer surface of the sidewall, when the projection is un-deformed. The outer surface of the sidewall preferably includes reduced diameter end portions, to maintain a relatively low profile, when tubing members overlap thereon to secure the component around a body of the medical electrical lead. The body of the lead may include a conductor coil whose outer surface is directly overlaid by the component.

Abstract: A method for forming a lead body includes contacting a proximal section of the lead body having a lumen and a first lead body characteristic to a distal section of the lead body having a lumen and a second lead body characteristic. The proximal and distal sections are contacted such that their lumens are axially aligned. A lap band is disposed about a portion of the proximal section and a portion of the distal section, and is thermally formed to the proximal and distal sections. Axially compressive pressure is applied to the lap band as the lead body is being thermally formed. The pressure applied is sufficient to result in the lead body having an outer diameter in regions proximally and distally adjacent to the lap band that are substantially the same to an outer diameter in a region formed by the lap band.

Abstract: A shield located within an implantable medical lead may be terminated in various ways at a metal connector. The shield may be terminated by various joints including butt, scarf, lap, or other joints between insulation layers surrounding the lead and an insulation extension. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection to a single metal connector. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection by passing between an overlapping pair of inner and outer metal connectors. The metal connectors may include features such as teeth or threads that penetrate the insulation layers of the lead. The shield may terminate with a physical and electrical connection by exiting a jacket of a lead adjacent to a metal connector and lapping onto the metal connector.

Abstract: A shield located within an implantable medical lead may be terminated in various ways. The shield may be terminated by butt, scarf, lap, or other joints between insulation layers surrounding the lead and an insulation extension. For lap joints, a portion of an outer insulation layer may be removed and a replacement outer insulation layer is positioned in place of the removed outer insulation layer, where the replacement layer extends beyond an inner insulation layer and the shield. The replacement layer may also lap onto a portion of the insulation extension. Barbs may be located between the replacement layer and the inner insulation layer or the insulation extension. The shield wires have ends at the termination point that may be folded over individually or may be capped with a ring located within one of the insulation layers of the jacket.

Abstract: An implantable lead for a medical device with a coplanar coupling for connecting a conductor to a contact reduces conductor bending moments to improve lead reliability. The implantable lead comprises a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end, at least one conductor, at least one contact carried on the proximal end, at least one contact carried on the distal end, and at least one coupling. The lead body has an exterior surface. The conductor is contained in the lead body and extends from the lead proximal end to the distal end. The conductor is also electrically insulated. The contact carried on the proximal end is electrically connected to the conductor. The coupling has a conductor coupling and a contact coupling. The conductor coupling is placed over the conductor and attached to the conductor. The contact coupling exits the lead body and has a weld to connect the contact coupling to the contact.

Abstract: A method for forming a lead body includes contacting a proximal section of the lead body having a lumen and a first lead body characteristic to a distal section of the lead body having a lumen and a second lead body characteristic. The proximal and distal sections are contacted such that their lumens are axially aligned. A lap band is disposed about a portion of the proximal section and a portion of the distal section, and is thermally formed to the proximal and distal sections. Axially compressive pressure is applied to the lap band as the lead body is being thermally formed. The pressure applied is sufficient to result in the lead body having an outer diameter in regions proximally and distally adjacent to the lap band that are substantially the same to an outer diameter in a region formed by the lap band.