Patent ID: 7912555

Claim:
An implantable medical electrical lead comprising: a lead body extending between lead proximal and distal ends; P proximal connector elements formed in a connector array in a proximal segment of the lead body; P stimulation electrodes arranged in an electrode array extending proximally from the lead distal end through a distal segment of the lead body; P lead conductors extending between the P connector elements and the P stimulation electrodes; and a plurality of M tine elements formed in a tine element array extending through a segment of the lead proximal to the electrode array, each tine element comprising N flexible, pliant tines, each tine having a tine width and thickness and extending through a tine length from an attached tine end to a free tine end, the attached tine end attached to the lead body from a tine attachment site and supporting the tine extending outwardly of the lead body and proximally toward the lead proximal end, whereby the M×N tines are adapted to be folded inward against the lead body when fitted into and constrained by a lumen of an introducer without overlapping one another and deploy outward to engage body tissue when the introducer is withdrawn proximally and release the tines to inhibit axial dislodgement of the P stimulation electrodes, wherein the plurality of M tine elements are separate from and axially displaced from each of the P stimulation electrodes, and wherein the tine attachment sites of each of the M tine elements are disposed in a common circumference of the lead body, and the tine attachment sites of adjoining tine elements along the lead body are radially offset from one another around the common circumference such that the tine free ends of the tines of each adjacent tine element engage against body tissue at radially and axially separated points along the tine element array.