Patent ID: 8250754

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a medical electrical lead, the method comprising: manufacturing a tubular electrode sub-assembly by: masking an outer surface of an electrode with a masking structure provided over the outer surface of the electrode, delivering a flowable liner material comprising a hardenable organic polymer into an interior of the electrode while masking the outer surface of the electrode with the masking structure, wherein the flowable liner material fills interstices of the electrode and forms an outer liner surface proximate the masking structure, removing a portion of the flowable liner material from the interior of the electrode by inserting a mandrel into the interior of the electrode; hardening the flowable liner material to form a hardened liner material after inserting the mandrel into the interior of the electrode, removing the mandrel from the interior of the electrode after hardening the flowable liner material, wherein the hardened liner material forms an inner liner surface within the interior of the electrode, removing the masking structure from the outer surface of the electrode after hardening the flowable liner material, wherein the hardened liner material forms an outer liner surface in the interstices of the electrode, and wherein the masked portion of the outer surface of the electrode is exposed after removing the masking structure; positioning the tubular electrode sub-assembly over an external surface of a lead body after manufacturing the tubular electrode sub-assembly such that the inner liner surface faces the external surface of the lead body, wherein the lead body defines a longitudinal axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the lead body, and wherein the longitudinal axis extends through the tubular electrode sub-assembly; attaching the tubular electrode sub-assembly to the external surface of the lead body at one or more selected attachment sites, wherein the one or more selected attachment sites occupy only a portion of an inner liner surface; and electrically connecting a conductive element located within an interior of the lead body to the electrode of the tubular electrode sub-assembly.