Patent ID: 8340782

Claim:
A method for forming an implantable lead, the method comprising: forming an elongated conductor into a plurality of units, the plurality of units comprising a first conductor segment extending in a first direction from a beginning point to a first position, a second conductor segment extending in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction from the first position to a second position, and a third conductor segment extending in the first direction from the second position to an endpoint, wherein the conductor segments are arranged so as to form a plurality of single-coil regions and a plurality of multi-coil regions, wherein the plurality of single-coil regions and the plurality of multi-coil regions are arranged in an axially alternating configuration with each individual single-coil region of the plurality of single-coil regions abutted by at least one multi-coil region of the plurality of multi-coil regions, wherein the single-coil regions have a first stiffness and the multi-coil regions have a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness; disposing a plurality of discontinuous, axially-spaced apart support elements over the conductor to increase stiffness solely along selected regions of the conductor, wherein for each of the plurality of single-coil regions one of the support elements is disposed over the single-coil region to decrease differences in stiffness between the single-coil region and the at least one multi-coil region abutting the single-coil region; disposing the conductor in an elongated outer layer; coupling a first end of the conductor to an electrode; and coupling a second end of the conductor to a terminal.