Abstract: A method of making a stimulation lead is provided. The method of making a multi-contact stimulation lead comprises placing monofilament placed in the void spaces not occupied by the plurality of conductor wires and, in one embodiment, thermally fusing the monofilament to the like material spacer by applying heat just below the melting temperature of the monofilament and spacer material. Alternatively, the monofilament and spacer may be of different materials and heat is applied to cause at least one material to thermally reflow or melt. The conductive contacts may be located at either the distal end and/or proximal end of the lead. Oversized spacers may be used in order to provide extra material to fill voids during the thermal fusion/reflow process.

Abstract: A device for brain stimulation includes a lead having a longitudinal surface, a proximal end and a distal end. A plurality of electrodes are disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead near the distal end of the lead. At least one marker is disposed on the longitudinal surface of the lead. The at least one marker is configured and arranged to identify a relative position of the plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: An implantable electrical stimulation lead includes a lead body, electrodes disposed along a distal end of the lead body, terminals disposed along the proximal end of the lead body, and conductors coupling the terminals to the electrodes. The electrodes include a tip electrode having an electrode body with an outer stimulating surface. An internal lumen is defined in the electrode body and extends inwardly from an opening in a proximal end of the electrode body. Side apertures are formed between the outer stimulating surface and the internal lumen. A portion of the lead body is disposed within the internal lumen and side apertures through the opening in the proximal end of the electrode body. That portion of the lead body facilitates retention of the tip electrode on a distal tip of the lead body.

Abstract: A trial electrical stimulation lead includes a lead body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and a longitudinal length; electrodes disposed along the distal end portion of the lead body; terminals disposed along the proximal end portion of the lead body; conductors electrically coupling the terminals to the electrodes; and a preventer extending proximally from the proximal end portion of the lead body. The preventer has a diameter smaller than a diameter of the lead body. The preventer prevents coupling of the trial electrical stimulation lead to an implantable control module, but permits coupling to an external trial stimulation system.

Abstract: An implantable lead includes an expandable paddle body and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the paddle body. The electrodes are configured and arranged to provide electrical stimulation to adjacent tissue when implanted and the lead is coupled to a control module. The paddle body is configured for percutaneous implantation through an introducer followed by expansion of a volume of the paddle body by at least 10%. Alternatively, the paddle body is configured for percutaneous implantation and when implanted the lead is configured and arranged so that a position or orientation of the plurality of electrodes relative to the paddle body can be altered.

Abstract: A paddle lead assembly for providing electrical stimulation of patient tissue includes a paddle body. The paddle body includes four columns of electrodes, each column including at least one electrode. The columns include two outer columns flanking two inner columns. The paddle lead assembly further includes a plurality of lead bodies coupled to the paddle body. At least one terminal is disposed on each of the plurality of lead bodies. A plurality of conductive wires couple each of the electrodes to at least one of the plurality of terminals.

Abstract: A paddle lead assembly for providing electrical stimulation of patient tissue includes a paddle body; a plurality of electrodes disposed on the paddle body; a plurality of lead bodies coupled to the paddle body; an array of terminals disposed on each of the plurality of lead bodies; and a plurality of conductive wires. Each conductive wire couples one of the electrodes to at least one terminal of at least one of the terminal arrays. The paddle lead assembly further includes an implantation aid configured and arranged to fit over a portion of at least one of the lead bodies to provide additional stiffness proximal to the paddle body for aiding in implantation of the paddle body into a patient.

Abstract: A device for brain stimulation includes a lead having a longitudinal surface, a proximal end, a distal end and a lead body. The device also includes a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead near the distal end of the lead. The plurality of electrodes includes a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lend at a first longitudinal position along the lead; and a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a second longitudinal position along the lead. The device further includes one or more conductors that electrically couple together all of the segmented electrodes of the first set of segmented electrodes.

Abstract: A pre-electrode for a stimulation lead includes a generally cylindrical body having an exterior surface, an interior surface, a proximal end, and a distal end. The body includes multiple segmented electrodes disposed along the body; connecting material disposed along the outer surface of the body and coupling each of the segmented electrodes to one another; and multiple cutouts defined between adjacent segmented electrodes. The body also includes one or more of the following 1) a end wall step section formed in the exterior surface of the body on either the distal end or the proximal end of the body; 2) an alignment feature selected from a slot or a notch extending inwardly from the exterior surface of the body, or 3) a longitudinal step section formed in the exterior surface of the body.

Abstract: A percutaneously implantable paddle lead includes an elongated lead body having a proximal portion and a distal portion; a plurality of terminals disposed on the proximal portion of the lead; a flexible paddle body coupled to the distal portion of the lead; and a plurality of electrodes disposed in the paddle body and electrically coupled to the terminals on the proximal portion of the lead. The percutaneously implantable paddle lead also includes a bonding material in contact with the paddle body and holding the paddle body in a compacted form prior to, and during, insertion into a percutaneous implantation tool. The bonding material is configured and arranged to release the paddle body during or soon after implantation into a patient so that the paddle body can deploy into its paddle-like form. Alternatively, at least one current-degradable fastener can be used instead of the binding material.

Abstract: An implantable lead includes a first lead assembly with a distal tip and a medial end, a medial section with a first end and a second end, and a first intermediate assembly disposed between the first lead assembly and the first end of the medial section. The first lead assembly includes a plurality of external contacts and at least one conductive wire disposed in the first lead assembly. The at least one conductive wire extends from at least one external contact towards the medial end of the first lead assembly. The medial section includes a plurality of conductors extending from the first end to the second end. The first intermediate assembly includes a plurality of conductive elements. At least one of the conductive elements is configured and arranged to electrically couple the at least one conductive wire to at least one of the conductors.

Abstract: A method of making a lead for a stimulation device includes forming at least one pre-electrode in the shape of a ring, the at least one pre-electrode comprises at least two thin-walled portions separated by at least two thick-walled portions; disposing the at least one pre-electrode near a distal end of a lead body; joining at least one conductor to each thick-walled portion of the at least one pre-electrode; and grinding the lead body and the at least one pre-electrode to remove the thin-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode to form segmented electrodes from the thick-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode.

Abstract: A paddle lead assembly for providing electrical stimulation of patient tissue includes a paddle body having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. The paddle body includes a plurality of electrodes disposed into at least four columns extending parallel with the longitudinal axis. The at least four columns include two lateral columns and at least two medial columns disposed therebetween. The electrodes of the at least two medial columns are arranged into rows aligned along the transverse axis. The electrodes of the two lateral columns are each longitudinally offset from the rows of electrodes of the at least two medial columns. An array of terminals are disposed on each of at least one lead body coupled to the paddle body. A plurality of conductive wires couple each of the electrodes to at least one terminal of the terminal arrays.

Abstract: One embodiment is a method of making a stimulation lead that includes providing a pre-electrode assembly comprising a plurality of segmented electrodes and a plurality of raised connectors. Each of the segmented electrodes is coupled to at least one other of the segmented electrodes by at least one of the raised connectors. The method further includes forming the pre-electrode assembly into a tube with the tube defining a longitudinal axis. Each of the raised connectors is disposed at a radius with respect to the longitudinal axis that is greater than a radius of any of the segmented electrodes with respect to the longitudinal axis. The method also includes forming at least a portion of a lead body around the segmented electrodes of the pre-electrode assembly; and grinding the tube comprising the pre-electrode assembly and portion of the lead body to remove the plurality of raised connectors leaving the plurality of segmented electrodes and the portion of the lead body.

Abstract: A device for brain stimulation includes a lead having a longitudinal surface, a proximal end, a distal end and a lead body. The device also includes a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead near the distal end of the lead. The plurality of electrodes includes a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lend at a first longitudinal position along the lead; and a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a second longitudinal position along the lead. The device further includes one or more conductors that electrically couple together all of the segmented electrodes of the first set of segmented electrodes.

Abstract: One embodiment is a stimulation lead that includes a lead body having a longitudinal surface, a distal end, and a proximal end; and multiple electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body. The electrodes include multiple groups of segmented electrodes with each group of segmented electrodes having multiple segmented electrodes disposed at a same longitudinal position along the lead. For at least one first group of segmented electrodes, a first pair of the segmented electrodes in the first group are disposed on opposite sides of the lead body and are electrically ganged together by a conductor therebetween.

Abstract: A percutaneously implantable paddle lead includes an elongated lead body having a proximal portion and a distal portion; a plurality of terminals disposed on the proximal portion of the lead; a flexible paddle body coupled to the distal portion of the lead; and a plurality of electrodes disposed in the paddle body and electrically coupled to the terminals on the proximal portion of the lead. The percutaneously implantable paddle lead also includes a bonding material in contact with the paddle body and holding the paddle body in a compacted form prior to, and during, insertion into a percutaneous implantation tool. The bonding material is configured and arranged to release the paddle body during or soon after implantation into a patient so that the paddle body can deploy into its paddle-like form. Alternatively, at least one current-degradable fastener can be used instead of the binding material.

Abstract: A method of making a lead for a stimulation device includes forming at least one pre-electrode in the shape of a ring, the at least one pre-electrode comprises at least two thin-walled portions separated by at least two thick-walled portions; disposing the at least one pre-electrode near a distal end of a lead body; joining at least one conductor to each thick-walled portion of the at least one pre-electrode; and grinding the lead body and the at least one pre-electrode to remove the thin-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode to form segmented electrodes from the thick-walled portions of the at least one pre-electrode.

Abstract: One embodiment is a stimulation lead including a lead body comprising a longitudinal surface, a distal end, and a proximal end; and multiple electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body. The multiple electrodes include multiple segmented electrodes with each of the segmented electrodes having an exterior surface, an interior surface opposite the exterior surface, a proximal end, and a distal end. At least one of the segmented electrodes includes one or more of a) at least one channel formed in the segmented electrode and extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the segmented electrode, b) an arcuate groove formed in at least one of the distal end surface or the proximal end surface, or c) a notch formed in the segmented electrode and extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the segmented electrode.

Abstract: A stimulation lead includes a lead body having a longitudinal surface, a distal end, a proximal end, and a shaft extending along at least a portion of the distal end of the lead body. The stimulation lead also includes multiple segmented electrode members disposed on the shaft along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body. Each segmented electrode member includes a ring structure which forms at least a partial ring and is disposed on the shaft, and a segmented electrode coupled to the ring and having an exposed surface configured and arranged for stimulating tissue when the stimulation lead is implanted.