Patent ID: 8831744

Claim:
A method of fabricating a stimulation lead for applying electrical pulses to tissues of a patient, the method comprising: providing a flex film component, the flex film component being an elongated planar strip having a top planar surface and a bottom planar surface, the flex film component further that includes a first plurality of electrical traces extending from a proximal portion to a distal portion of the flex film component; shaping the flex film component to comprise a plurality of bends along a substantial length of the lead body; enclosing the flex film component in an elastic insulative material to form a lead body; providing a plurality of electrodes on a first end of the lead body; providing a plurality of terminals on a second end of the lead body, wherein the plurality of electrodes are electrically coupled to the plurality of terminals through the first plurality of electrical traces of the flex film component, wherein the stimulation lead is adapted to elastically elongate under application of stretching forces to the lead body without disconnection of the electrical connections between the plurality of electrodes and the plurality of terminals through the first plurality of electrical traces of the flex film component.