Implantable medical lead assemblies with improved flexibility and extensibility and having a substantially two-dimensional nature

摘要

Implantable medical leads assemblies that are flexible and extensible in a controllable manner with a substantially two-dimensional profile to fit between adjacent tissue layers and to facilitate subject body movements. In particular, implantable medical leads advantageously are able to permit and withstand multiple degree of freedom that are useful for use in the neck region of a subject body and other regions of any subject's body that may benefit from increased flexibility and extensibility. Preferably, features of medical leads are utilized to permit extensibility and are based upon the provision of shaped features that controllably permit lead extension under low load, but that maintain a desired shape under no load. The shaped lead portions provide extensibility to the lead as the shapes elastically deform under load.