Medical lead with stiffening coil

1. An implantable lead for a medical device comprising:

a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end;

an electrical connector coupled to the proximal end of the lead body;

an electrode coupled to the distal end of the lead body;

an electrically conductive conductor coil extending between the proximal and the distal end of the lead body, the conductor coil wound in a first winding direction under tension; and

a plastic ribbon wound around the conductor coil in a second winding direction opposite to the first winding direction without releasing the tension of the conductor coil, the plastic ribbon forming a stiffening coil.

2. An implantable lead for a medical device comprising:

a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end;

an electrical connector coupled to the proximal end of the lead body;

an electrode coupled to the distal end of the lead body;

an electrically conductive conductor coil extending between the proximal and the distal end of the lead body, the conductor coil wound in a first winding direction under tension; and

a plastic ribbon wound around the conductor coil in a second winding direction opposite to the first winding direction without releasing the tension of the conductor coil, the plastic ribbon forming a stiffening coil; and

the plastic ribbon made of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE).

3. The implantable lead of claim 2 , the plastic ribbon having a cross-sectional aspect ratio of about 10 to 1.

4. The implantable lead of claim 2 , wherein the wire of the conductor coil includes a polyimide coating layer.

5. The implantable lead of claim 2 , wherein the electrode comprises an active fixator.

6. The implantable lead of claim 5 , wherein the active fixator includes a helical screw.

7. The implantable lead of claim 2 , wherein the electrode comprises a retractable helical fixator.

8. An implantable lead for a medical device comprising:

a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end;

an electrical connector coupled to the proximal end of the lead body;

an electrode coupled to the distal end of the lead body;

an electrically conductive conductor coil extending between the proximal and the distal end of the lead body, the conductor coil wound in a first winding direction under tension; and

a plastic ribbon wound around the conductor coil in a second winding direction opposite to the first winding direction without releasing the tension of the conductor coil, the plastic ribbon forming a stiffening coil; and

the plastic ribbon made of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), the plastic ribbon reducing a diameter of the conductor coil by about 5% from a relaxed state to a stressed state.

9. An implantable lead for a medical device comprising:

a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end;

an electrical connector coupled to the proximal end of the lead body;

an electrode coupled to the distal end of the lead body;

an electrically conductive conductor coil extending between the proximal and the distal end of the lead body, the conductor coil wound in a first winding direction under tension; and

a plastic ribbon wound around the conductor coil in a second winding direction opposite to the first winding direction without releasing the tension of the conductor coil, the plastic ribbon forming a stiffening coil; and

the plastic ribbon made of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), the plastic ribbon reducing a diameter of the conductor coil from about 0.40 mm at a relaxed state to about 0.38 mm in a stressed state.

10. An implantable lead for a medical device comprising:

a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end;

an electrical connector coupled to the proximal end of the lead body;

an electrode coupled to the distal end of the lead body;

an electrically conductive conductor coil extending between the proximal and the distal end of the lead body, the conductor coil wound in a first winding direction under tension; and

a plastic ribbon wound around the conductor coil in a second winding direction opposite to the first winding direction without releasing the tension of the conductor coil, the plastic ribbon forming a stiffening coil;

the plastic ribbon made of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE); and

further comprising a core extending between the proximal end and the distal end of the body, the conductor coil wound around the core.

11. The implantable lead of claim 10 , wherein the core comprises Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE).

12. The implantable lead of claim 11 , wherein the plastic ribbon increases the torsional stiffness of the lead body by about 300%.

13. An implantable lead for a medical device comprising:

a lead body having a longitudinal lumen, a proximal end and a distal end;

a fiber core comprising Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) within the longitudinal lumen of the lead body;

an electrically conductive conductor coil extending between the proximal and the distal end of the lead body, the conductor coil wound in a first winding direction over the fiber core; and

a plastic ribbon wound around the conductor coil in a second winding direction opposite to the first winding direction, the plastic ribbon keeping the conductor coil under stress and increasing the torsional stiffness of the lead body by about 300%.

14. The implantable lead of claim 13 , further comprising a layer of polyimide coating over the wire of the conductor coil.

15. The implantable lead of claim 13 , further comprising an electrode with an active fixator coupled to the distal end of the lead body.

16. The implantable lead of claim 15 , wherein the active fixator is a helical screw.