Abstract: A lead anchor includes an anchor body having a band section, guide members and a support section. The guide members and the support section are spaced apart from each other and define a band channel. Further, the lead anchor includes a flexible band that is coupleable to the guide members with at least a portion of the flexible band positionable within the band channel. The flexible band and the support section define a first lead channel having a spaced-apart distance between the flexible band and the support section. The first lead channel includes an open side for allowing a lateral ingress or egress of a portion of a lead. The lead anchor further includes a fastener movable relative to the anchor body to reduce or increase the spaced-apart distance of the first lead channel to hold or release, respectively, the portion of the lead within the first lead channel.

Abstract: An electrical stimulation lead includes a body having distal and proximal end portions, a longitudinal length, at least one anchoring lumen, and at least one open slot spaced apart from each end of the lead body. Each anchoring lumen is open at a slot and extends both distally and proximally from the slot. The lead also includes electrodes; terminals; conductors electrically coupling the terminals to the electrodes; and at least one anchoring element at least partially disposed in an anchoring lumen. Each anchoring element includes at least one bent portion biased to extend an extension portion of the anchoring element out of a slot when the anchoring element is in a deployed position and can retract the extension portion into an anchoring lumen when the anchoring element is in a constrained position. The lead further includes an attachment member attached to each anchoring element and disposed proximal to each slot.

Abstract: A lead arrangement includes a plurality of proximal leads, a distal lead, and a junction electrically and mechanically coupling the plurality of proximal leads to the at least one distal lead. Each proximal lead has a proximal end and a distal end and includes conductive contacts disposed along the proximal end and conductive wires coupled to the conductive contacts and extending to the distal end of the proximal lead. Each distal lead has a proximal end and a distal end and includes electrodes disposed along the distal end and conductive wires coupled to the electrodes and extending to the proximal end of the distal lead. The junction includes conductive tabs and a non-conductive material encapsulating the conductive tabs. The conductive wires of the at least one distal lead and the conductive wires of the plurality of proximal leads are attached to the conductive tabs of the junction.

Abstract: An implantable electrical stimulation lead including a lead body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal length, wherein the distal end of the lead body is formed into a hook or coil shape; a plurality of electrodes disposed along the hook or coil at the distal end of the lead body; a plurality of terminals disposed on the proximal end of the lead body; and a plurality of conductors, each conductor electrically coupling at least one of the electrodes to at least one of the terminals. The lead can be used to stimulate, for example, a dorsal root ganglion with the hook-shaped or coil-shaped distal end disposed around a portion of the dorsal root ganglion.

Abstract: An implantable electrical stimulation lead includes a lead body having a proximal portion and a distal portion; electrodes disposed along the distal portion of the lead body; terminals disposed along the proximal portion of the lead body; conductor extending along the lead body and electrically coupling the electrodes to the terminals; and a flexible hinge forming part of the distal portion of the lead body and disposed proximal to the electrodes, wherein the flexible hinge is structurally distinguishable from adjacent regions of the lead body and more flexible than the adjacent regions.

Abstract: An implantable electrical stimulation lead including a lead body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal length, wherein the distal end of the lead body is formed into a hook or coil shape; a plurality of electrodes disposed along the hook or coil at the distal end of the lead body; a plurality of terminals disposed on the proximal end of the lead body; and a plurality of conductors, each conductor electrically coupling at least one of the electrodes to at least one of the terminals. The lead can be used to stimulate, for example, a dorsal root ganglion with the hook-shaped or coil-shaped distal end disposed around a portion of the dorsal root ganglion.

Abstract: An electrical stimulation lead includes a cog-shaped conductor guide disposed either at the proximal end or the distal end of the lead. The cog-shaped conductor guide includes a central core and multiple protrusions extending outwards from the core. Conductor tracks are defined within the cog-shaped conductor guide between adjacent protrusions. Electrodes are provided along the distal end of the lead, terminals are provided along the proximal end of the lead, and conductors couple the electrodes to the terminals. An elongated lead body extends from the electrodes to the terminals of the lead. Each of the conductors has an end portion positioned within one of the conductor tracks of the cog-shaped conductor guide.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a lead with a lead body having proximal and distal portions. The lead body defines a longitudinal axis. Terminals are disposed along the proximal portion and a proximal tip is attached thereto. The proximal tip defines an aperture that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis. The connector assembly further includes a connector having a connector body, a connector lumen, and connector contacts disposed within the connector body. The connector body includes a fastener aperture proximal to all of the connector contacts and intersecting the connector lumen. The fastener aperture and the aperture of the proximal tip align when the proximal portion is fully received within the connector lumen. At least one of the apertures includes internal threading. The connector assembly also includes a threaded fastener for insertion into the apertures to secure the lead to the connector.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a receptacle body that defines a portion of a connector lumen and further includes connector contacts disposed within the receptacle body along the connector lumen. The connector assembly further includes a rotational member that defines another portion of the connector lumen and includes a head portion and an elongated portion. The elongated portion defines an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface is rotatably coupled to the receptacle body. Fastener threading is disposed along at least a portion of the inner surface of the elongated portion. The receptacle body and rotational member are configured and arranged to receive a portion of a lead or a lead extension in the connector lumen.

Abstract: A lead anchor includes an anchor body having a band section, guide members and a support section. The guide members and the support section are spaced apart from each other and define a band channel. Further, the lead anchor includes a flexible band that is coupleable to the guide members with at least a portion of the flexible band positionable within the band channel. The flexible band and the support section define a first lead channel having a spaced-apart distance between the flexible band and the support section. The first lead channel includes an open side for allowing a lateral ingress or egress of a portion of a lead. The lead anchor further includes a fastener movable relative to the anchor body to reduce or increase the spaced-apart distance of the first lead channel to hold or release, respectively, the portion of the lead within the first lead channel.

Abstract: An electrical stimulation lead includes a lead body; electrodes disposed along the distal portion of the lead body or on a paddle body coupled to the lead body; terminals disposed along the proximal portion of the lead body; and conductors coupling the terminals to the electrodes. The lead also includes a conductor guide disposed within the lead body and extending from the proximal portion of the lead body. The conductor guide defines a central lumen and a plurality of conductor lumens disposed around the central lumen. The lead further includes a stiffening agent disposed within at least one of the conductor lumens. The stiffening agent includes a) a material formed from a granular particulate material, b) a polymeric material having a durometer at least 10% greater than the durometer of the conductor guide, or c) a continuous epoxy layer within which discrete epoxy particles are also disposed.

Abstract: An electrical stimulation lead includes at least one anchoring unit and each anchoring unit includes a lead attachment element. Some anchoring units include one or more anchoring fins attached to the lead attachment element and extending away from the lead attachment element when in a deployed position for contact with patient tissue to anchor the lead within the patient tissue. Each anchoring fin also has a retracted position in which the anchoring fin folds down and lies next to the lead attachment element. Other anchoring units include one or more anchoring tabs defined by the lead attachment element. Each anchoring tab is partially separated from a remainder of the lead attachment element by at least one cutout and extends away from the remainder of the lead attachment element when in a deployed position for contact with patient tissue to anchor the lead within the patient tissue.

Abstract: An anchoring unit is disposed on a lead body of an electrical stimulation lead. The anchoring unit has a first end and a second end and includes a first attachment ring disposed at the first end, a second attachment ring disposed at the second end, and longitudinal struts extending linearly between, and coupled to, the first and second attachment rings. At least a portion of each longitudinal strut rests against the lead body in a retracted position, and each anchoring unit has a deployed position in which the first and second attachment rings are positioned closer together with the longitudinal struts extending away from the lead body to contact patient tissue and anchor the lead within the patient tissue.

Abstract: A lead anchor includes an anchor body having a first end, a second end, at least one least one lateral portion, and a medial portion. The anchor body defines at least one lead channel extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end. A wedge element is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the at least one lead channel and is configured and arranged to move between an open position and an engagement position. In the engagement position, the wedge element engages a lead disposed in the at least one lead channel to hold the lead within the lead anchor, and in the open position, the wedge releases the lead to move relative to or be released from the lead anchor. The lead anchor further includes an actuator configured and arranged to move the wedge element from the open position to the engagement position.

Abstract: A lead anchor includes an anchor body having a first end, a second end, at least one least one lateral portion, and a medial portion. The anchor body defines at least one lead channel extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end. A wedge element is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the at least one lead channel and is configured and arranged to move between an open position and an engagement position. In the engagement position, the wedge element engages a lead disposed in the at least one lead channel to hold the lead within the lead anchor, and in the open position, the wedge releases the lead to move relative to or be released from the lead anchor. The lead anchor further includes an actuator configured and arranged to move the wedge element from the open position to the engagement position.

Abstract: An electrical stimulation lead includes at least one lead body and at least one thin, elongate anchoring element. The lead body defines at least one anchoring lumen extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the lead body and at least one open slot in the lead body where each anchoring lumen is open at one of the at least one open slot. For each anchoring element, the first end of the anchoring element is disposed in one of the at least one anchoring lumen and the second end of the anchoring element is configured and arranged preferentially to extend out of the open slot associated with the anchoring lumen and away from the lead body in a deployed configuration unless the second end is constrained in a constrained configuration adjacent or within 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 anchor includes a first anchor shell having a first hinge element and a second anchor shell, disposed opposite the first anchor shell, having a second hinge element. The first and second anchor shells define a lead channel and the first and second hinge elements form a hinge. The lead anchor includes at least one tensioning element that is configured and arranged to increase in tension upon elongation. The first and second anchor shells, and the tensioning element provide an open position and a closed position. In the open position, a lead can be side loaded side loaded into the lead channel. In the closed position, the first and second anchor shells grip a portion of the lead disposed in the lead channel and, in combination with the at least one tensioning element, resist disengagement of the lead from the lead anchor.

Abstract: An electrical stimulation lead includes electrodes disposed along a distal end portion of a lead body; terminals disposed along a proximal end portion of the lead body; and stimulation conductors electrically coupling the terminals to the electrodes. A light-emitter is disposed along the distal end portion of the lead body. A light source is disposed along the at least one lead body and converts received electrical power into light. An optical transport medium is disposed along the at least one lead body. The optical transport medium extends between the light source and the light-emitter. A light source conductor electrically couples the light source and the terminals. A drug-dispensing port is defined along the distal end portion of the lead body. A drug-delivery channel is in fluid communication with the at least one drug-dispensing port and extends to the proximal end portion of the lead body.

Abstract: A method of making a stimulation lead includes disposing a pre-electrode along a distal end portion of a lead body. The pre-electrode includes a body having a central hub and stimulation members individually coupled to the central hub and extending radially-outward therefrom such that each of the stimulation members is electrically-coupled to each of the remaining stimulation members solely via the central hub. Conductors extending from terminals disposed along a proximal end portion of the lead body are electrically-coupled to each of the stimulation members. Electrically-nonconductive material is disposed around longitudinal surfaces of the central hub with the electrically-nonconductive material abutting inner surfaces of the stimulation members.