Patent ID: 8818526

Claim:
An electrical stimulation lead assembly comprising: a lead configured and arranged for insertion into a body of a patient, the lead comprising a lead body having a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, an outer surface, and a longitudinal length, at least one lumen extending along the longitudinal length of the lead body, the at least one lumen configured and arranged to receive a stylet, a plurality of electrodes disposed along the distal end portion of the lead body external to the at least one lumen, a plurality of terminals disposed along the proximal end portion of the lead body external to the at least one lumen, and a plurality of conductors disposed in the lead body external to the at least one lumen, each conductor electrically coupling at least one of the plurality of electrodes to at least one of the plurality of terminals; and at least one safety element disposed in the at least one lumen, the at least one safety element configured and arranged to reduce damage to patient tissue adjacent to the lead body due to heating, induced electrical signals, or both when the lead is exposed to radio frequency irradiation by drawing heat inwardly from the outer surface of the lead body; wherein the at least one safety element is configured and arranged to draw heat inwardly from the outer surface of the lead body by actively altering heat conduction within the lead body.