Patent ID: 8532788

Claim:
A method of fabricating a neurostimulation lead, comprising: forming a lead body of insulative material, the insulative material enclosing a plurality of conductors extending along a substantial portion of a length of the lead body; providing a plurality of electrodes on a distal end of the lead body; providing a plurality of terminals on a proximal end of the lead body, the plurality of terminals being electrically connected to the plurality of electrodes through the plurality of conductors; and adapting the proximal end of the lead body to possess a modified amount of column strength by providing a flexible metal longitudinal stiffener within the lead body with the stiffener having at least a first and second region with the first region being solid walled and the second region having at least one spiral cut, the stiffener causing the neurostimulation lead to exhibit a greatest amount of column strength adjacent to the proximal end of the lead body and to transition to a lower column strength toward a medial portion of the lead body.