Patent ID: 8649878

Claim:
A medical lead configured to provide electrical stimulation to body tissue, the medical lead comprising: a) at least one conductor band composed of a hydrophilic thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, the conductor band having a conductor band lumen extending along a conductor band length from a conductor band proximal end to a conductor band distal end; and b) at least one insulated conductor wire having a conductor wire length extending from a proximal region of the lead, through the conductor band lumen to a distal region of the lead; c) wherein the at least one conductor wire is provided with a notch in its insulation to thereby expose an uninsulated conductor wire length with at least a portion of the notch being radially aligned with the conductor band, and d) a heat treated heat shrink tubing covering the at least one conductor band to thereby force the conductor band into an intimate electrically conductive contact relationship with at least a portion of the uninsulated conductor wire length at the notch somewhere between the conductor band proximal and distal ends thereof.