Patent ID: 8406896

Claim:
An implantable lead comprising: an isodiametric lead body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal length; a plurality of electrodes disposed on the distal end of the lead body; a plurality of terminals disposed on the proximal end of the lead body; a plurality of conductors disposed in the lead body, each conductor electrically coupling at least one of the electrodes to at least one of the terminals; the lead body comprising a single-piece conductor-carrying element extending along at least a portion of the longitudinal length of the lead body, the conductor-carrying element having a diameter, a first end, and an opposing second end, the conductor-carrying element defining a plurality of conductor lumens extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the plurality of conductors extend along the plurality of conductor lumens from the first end of the conductor-carrying element to the second end of the conductor-carrying element with one end of each of the plurality of conductors extending outwardly from the first end, and at least one outer layer disposed over the conductor-carrying element, the at least one outer layer having an outer diameter; wherein at least one of the electrodes or at least one of the terminals comprises a multi-element contact assembly disposed at the first end of the conductor-carrying element, the multi-element contact assembly comprising at least one conductive inner element having a diameter, an interior surface, and an exterior surface, and at least one conductive outer element having a diameter, the at least one outer element disposed over the inner element; wherein for one of the plurality of conductors the end of the conductor extending outwardly from the first end of the conductor-carrying element is electrically coupled to one of the multi-element contact assemblies with the extended end of the conductor positioned against the exterior surface of the at least one inner element, and wherein the at least one outer element comprises a region that is in contact with the at least one inner element; wherein the diameter of the conductor-carrying element is equal to the diameter of the inner element; wherein the outer diameter of the at least one outer layer of the lead body is equal to the diameter of the outer element.