Patent ID: 8619002

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a header assembly for an implantable medical device, the header assembly configured to provide an electrical connection for a lead extending away from the header assembly, comprising: an antenna configured to be coupled to an electronic circuit within a housing of the implantable medical device, the electronic circuit configured for radio frequency communication using the antenna; and a dielectric material comprising one or more of polytetrafluoroethylene, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetheretherketone, or a thermoplastic polyurethane, the dielectric material configured to isolate the antenna from tissue of a patient when the header assembly is implanted in the patient, and to dispose at least a portion of the antenna within the dielectric material at a specified distance from a surface of the header assembly, the dielectric material comprising a trench filled with a silicone material when the antenna is positioned within the trench, the trench configured to retain at least a portion of the antenna at a specified depth from the surface of the header assembly.