Abstract: An operating room cable assembly for an electrical stimulation system that includes a lead connector having a housing, a lead lumen extending inwardly from a first opening in the housing and configured and arranged to receive a portion of a lead or lead extension, and a contact assembly disposed within the housing and configured and arranged to move relative to the housing. The contact assembly is configured and arranged to move to a load position and is biased to return to a lock position. The contact assembly includes of contacts that are configured and arranged to engage a portion of any lead or lead extension within the lead lumen when the contact assembly is in the lock position and to disengage from the portion of the lead or lead extension within the lead lumen when the contact assembly is in the load position.

Abstract: A connector and lead (or other elongated body) can produce a tactile sensation that indicates alignment between connector contacts of the connector and the terminals on the lead (or other elongated body). For example, a terminal or retention sleeve of the lead (or other elongated body) may include an indented circumferential groove that interacts with a connector contact or retention contact of the connector to produce the tactile sensation. As another example, one or more terminals or spacers may have a larger diameter than adjacent spacers or terminals to interact with a connector contact to produce the tactile sensation.

Abstract: A connector and lead (or other elongated body) can produce a tactile sensation that indicates alignment between connector contacts of the connector and the terminals on the lead (or other elongated body). For example, a terminal or retention sleeve of the lead (or other elongated body) may include an indented circumferential groove that interacts with a connector contact or retention contact of the connector to produce the tactile sensation. As another example, one or more terminals or spacers may have a larger diameter than adjacent spacers or terminals to interact with a connector contact to produce the tactile sensation.

Abstract: A connector and lead (or other elongated body) can produce a tactile sensation that indicates alignment between connector contacts of the connector and the terminals on the lead (or other elongated body). For example, a terminal or retention sleeve of the lead (or other elongated body) may include an indented circumferential groove that interacts with a connector contact or retention contact of the connector to produce the tactile sensation. As another example, one or more terminals or spacers may have a larger diameter than adjacent spacers or terminals to interact with a connector contact to produce the tactile sensation.

Abstract: An operating room cable assembly for an electrical stimulation system that includes a lead connector having a housing, a lead lumen extending inwardly from a first opening in the housing and configured and arranged to receive a portion of a lead or lead extension, and a contact assembly disposed within the housing and configured and arranged to move relative to the housing. The contact assembly is configured and arranged to move to a load position and is biased to return to a lock position. The contact assembly includes of contacts that are configured and arranged to engage a portion of any lead or lead extension within the lead lumen when the contact assembly is in the lock position and to disengage from the portion of the lead or lead extension within the lead lumen when the contact assembly is in the load position.

Abstract: An operating room cable assembly for an electrical stimulation system that includes a lead connector having a housing, a lead lumen extending inwardly from a first opening in the housing and configured and arranged to receive a portion of a lead or lead extension, and a contact assembly disposed within the housing and configured and arranged to move relative to the housing. The contact assembly is configured and arranged to move to a load position and is biased to return to a lock position. The contact assembly includes of contacts that are configured and arranged to engage a portion of any lead or lead extension within the lead lumen when the contact assembly is in the lock position and to disengage from the portion of the lead or lead extension within the lead lumen when the contact assembly is in the load position.

Abstract: A lead assembly includes a lead or lead extension having terminals and a mechanical stop fixed to the lead or lead extension and located distally to the plurality of terminals. The lead assembly also includes a connector having a connector housing, a connector block disposed within the connector housing, a port defined at the distal surface of the connector housing, a lumen extending from the port for receiving a portion the lead or lead extension, and contacts disposed within the connector housing. The outer diameter of the mechanical stop is larger than the lumen diameter within the connector block to halt further insertion of the lead or lead extension into the connector housing. Additionally or alternatively, a visually distinctive marking can be applied to the lead or lead extension to indicate alignment between the terminals of the lead and the contacts of the connector.

Abstract: A connector and lead (or other elongated body) can produce a tactile sensation that indicates alignment between connector contacts of the connector and the terminals on the lead (or other elongated body). For example, a terminal or retention sleeve of the lead (or other elongated body) may include an indented circumferential groove that interacts with a connector contact or retention contact of the connector to produce the tactile sensation. As another example, one or more terminals or spacers may have a larger diameter than adjacent spacers or terminals to interact with a connector contact to produce the tactile sensation.

Abstract: An electrical stimulation lead for a target nerve includes a sleeve having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defines a nerve channel. A longitudinal slit extends from the outer surface to the nerve channel and along an entire length of the sleeve. A width of the slit retains the target nerve within the nerve channel when the sleeve is closed and releases the target nerve when open. A plurality of electrodes are disposed on the inner surface of the sleeve. A flexible transition element electrically couples a lead body to the plurality of electrodes. Upper and lower sections of the sleeve rotates about a common hinge line (e.g., like a clam shell) located directly opposite the longitudinal slit. The material along the common hinge line remains “elastic” when the sleeve is moved from closed to open, and vice-versa.

Abstract: An operating-room cable-assembly for an electrical-stimulation system includes a lead connector with a lead passageway defined in a housing. Contacts disposed in the housing engage terminals of a lead when the lead is operationally-inserted into the lead passageway. A first biased tab is disposed in a first tab lumen defined in the housing. The first biased tab has a first end exposed to an outer surface of the housing and an opposing second end exposed to the lead passageway. The first biased tab moves to an unlock position and is biased to return to a lock position. When in the lock position, the first biased tab is biased to exert a force against an inserted lead sufficient to resist axial movement of the lead relative to the lead connector.

Abstract: A stimulation lead includes a lead body; terminals disposed along the proximal end portion of the lead body; electrodes disposed along the distal end portion of the lead body, the electrodes including segmented electrodes. Each of the segmented electrodes includes a base and at least one finned arrangement radially extending from the base. Each of the finned arrangement includes elongated segments, each of the elongated segments extending along at least 50% of a length of a dimension of the base. Each finned arrangement also includes curved segments, where a first curved segment connects a first end portion of a first elongated segment to a first end portion of an intermediate elongated segment and a second curved segment connects a second end portion of a second elongated segment to a second end portion of an intermediate elongated segment. The lead also includes conductors electrically coupling the terminals to the electrodes.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes an elongated connector housing defining a port at the second end of the connector housing for receiving a proximal end of a lead or lead extension; a lumen that extends from the port along at least a portion of the length of the connector housing; connector contacts axially spaced-apart and disposed along the lumen; and non-conductive spacers disposed between adjacent connector contacts, at least one of the non-conductive spacers includes a first region. One or more additional features are included to resist bending of the connector assembly. One such feature is a non-conductive first insert disposed between adjacent connector contacts to maintains a minimum distance between the adjacent connector contacts. Another feature is a stiffening element disposed within apertures in the spacers and connecting two or more of the spacers. Yet another feature is a stiffening sleeve disposed within the housing.

Abstract: A connector for an implantable electrical medical device can include a connector housing having a first portion and a second portion that can partially separate to receive a lead or lead extension into a connector lumen of the connector housing. The connector also includes at least one connector magnetic element coupled to each of the first and second portions of the connector housing to couple to at least one corresponding magnetic element in the lead or lead extension to align the lead or lead extension within the connector lumen of the connector housing. An electrical stimulation lead can include at least one lead magnetic element disposed along the proximal end of the lead body to couple to at least one corresponding magnetic element in a connector to align the lead within a connector lumen of the connector.

Abstract: An operating room cable assembly for an electrical stimulation system that includes a lead connector having a housing, a lead lumen extending inwardly from a first opening in the housing and configured and arranged to receive a portion of a lead or lead extension, and a contact assembly disposed within the housing and configured and arranged to move relative to the housing. The contact assembly is configured and arranged to move to a load position and is biased to return to a lock position. The contact assembly includes of contacts that are configured and arranged to engage a portion of any lead or lead extension within the lead lumen when the contact assembly is in the lock position and to disengage from the portion of the lead or lead extension within the lead lumen when the contact assembly is in the load position.

Abstract: An operating-room cable-assembly for an electrical-stimulation system includes a lead connector with a lead passageway defined in a housing. Contacts disposed in the housing engage terminals of a lead when the lead is operationally-inserted into the lead passageway. A first biased tab is disposed in a first tab lumen defined in the housing. The first biased tab has a first end exposed to an outer surface of the housing and an opposing second end exposed to the lead passageway. The first biased tab moves to an unlock position and is biased to return to a lock position. When in the lock position, the first biased tab is biased to exert a force against an inserted lead sufficient to resist axial movement of the lead relative to the lead connector.

Abstract: A lead assembly includes a lead or lead extension having terminals and a mechanical stop fixed to the lead or lead extension and located distally to the plurality of terminals. The lead assembly also includes a connector having a connector housing, a connector block disposed within the connector housing, a port defined at the distal surface of the connector housing, a lumen extending from the port for receiving a portion the lead or lead extension, and contacts disposed within the connector housing. The outer diameter of the mechanical stop is larger than the lumen diameter within the connector block to halt further insertion of the lead or lead extension into the connector housing. Additionally or alternatively, a visually distinctive marking can be applied to the lead or lead extension to indicate alignment between the terminals of the lead and the contacts of the connector.

Abstract: A lead anchor includes a flexible housing having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the flexible housing defining a lead lumen forming a continuous passageway through the flexible housing. The lead anchor also includes a compressible retention ring disposed within the flexible housing and around a portion of the lead lumen. The retention ring defines an uncompressed position in which the retention ring has an elongate shape, with a major axis and a minor axis, to hold a portion of a lead received within the lead lumen. The retention ring further defines a compressed position achieved by compressing opposite ends of the major axis of the retention ring to transition the retention ring to a more circular shape that allows the lead to slidingly pass through the retention ring. Upon release of the compression, the retention ring returns to the uncompressed position.

Abstract: A stimulation lead includes a lead body; terminals disposed along the proximal end portion of the lead body; electrodes disposed along the distal end portion of the lead body, the electrodes including segmented electrodes. Each of the segmented electrodes includes a base and at least one finned arrangement radially extending from the base. Each of the finned arrangement includes elongated segments, each of the elongated segments extending along at least 50% of a length of a dimension of the base. Each finned arrangement also includes curved segments, where a first curved segment connects a first end portion of a first elongated segment to a first end portion of an intermediate elongated segment and a second curved segment connects a second end portion of a second elongated segment to a second end portion of an intermediate elongated segment. The lead also includes conductors electrically coupling the terminals to the electrodes.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes an elongated connector housing defining a port at the second end of the connector housing for receiving a proximal end of a lead or lead extension; a lumen that extends from the port along at least a portion of the length of the connector housing; connector contacts axially spaced-apart and disposed along the lumen; and non-conductive spacers disposed between adjacent connector contacts, at least one of the non-conductive spacers includes a first region. One or more additional features are included to resist bending of the connector assembly. One such feature is a non-conductive first insert disposed between adjacent connector contacts to maintains a minimum distance between the adjacent connector contacts. Another feature is a stiffening element disposed within apertures in the spacers and connecting two or more of the spacers.

Abstract: A connector assembly includes a connector housing having longitudinal axis and a port for receiving a proximal end of a lead having terminals electrically insulated from one another. A lumen extends along the longitudinal axis. Contacts are disposed in the housing and electrically insulated from one another. The contacts couple to the terminals when the proximal end is received within the lumen. The contact includes a contact ring and ball-spring assemblies distributed around the contact ring. Each ball-spring assembly includes a housing coupled to the contract ring, a biasing member disposed within the ball-spring housing, and a conductive ball disposed at least partially within the ball-spring housing. The ball-spring housing defines an opening that is smaller than a diameter of the ball and the biasing member urges the ball towards the opening so that a portion of the ball extends out of the opening in the ball-spring housing.