Electrical stimulation leads and systems with elongate anchoring elements and methods of making and using

1. A stimulation lead anchoring system, comprising:

a lead anchor comprising an anchor body, wherein the anchor body comprises a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, a longitudinal length, and a lead lumen that extends longitudinally along the anchor body and is configured and arranged to receive a portion of an electrical stimulation lead; and

a removable inner core comprising a core body, wherein the core body comprises a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, a longitudinal length, and an inner lumen that extends longitudinally along the core body,

wherein the lead anchor and removable inner core are configured and arranged to expand the anchor body into an expanded configuration when a portion of the core body is inserted into the lead lumen of the anchor body to facilitate receiving the portion of the electrical stimulation lead into the lead lumen of the lead anchor and the inner lumen of the removable inner core and slidably positioning the lead anchor at a selected position along the electrical stimulation lead, wherein the anchor body is configured and arranged to engage the portion of the electrical stimulation lead in the lead lumen upon withdrawal of the core body of the removable inner core from the lead lumen of the anchor body.

2. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal length of the core body is at least as long as the longitudinal length of the anchor body.

3. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , wherein the core body further comprises a slit that extends along the longitudinal length of the core body.

4. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , wherein the anchor body is configured and arranged to compress the portion of the electrical stimulation lead in the lead lumen upon withdrawal of the core body of the removable inner core from the lead lumen of the anchor body.

5. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , wherein the lead anchor further comprises at least one suture tab that radially extends from the anchor body.

6. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , wherein the lead anchor further comprises at least two ridges that radially extend from the anchor body and that define at least one suture region between the at least two ridges.

7. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , wherein the lead anchor further comprises at least one suture trough or groove in the anchor body.

8. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , wherein the lead anchor further comprises a flange that radially extends from either the proximal end portion or distal end portion of the anchor body.

9. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , wherein the removable inner core further comprises a flange that radially extends from the proximal end portion of the core body.

10. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 9 , further comprising a tool comprising:

a rail component, wherein the rail component comprises at least one channel, wherein at least one portion of the at least one channel of the rail component has a diameter that is at least as large as an outer diameter of the core body and is smaller than an outer diameter of the flange of the removable inner core; and

a slide component configured and arranged to slide along the rail component, wherein the slide component comprises at least one channel, wherein at least one portion of the at least one channel of the slide component has a diameter that is at least as large as the outer diameter of the core body and is smaller than an outer diameter of at least one portion of the lead anchor.

11. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 9 , further comprising a tool comprising:

a rail component, wherein the rail component comprises at least one channel, wherein at least one portion of the at least one channel of the rail component has a diameter that is at least as large as an outer diameter of the core body and is smaller than an outer diameter of at least one portion of the lead anchor; and

a slide component configured and arranged to slide along the rail component, wherein the slide component comprises at least one channel, wherein at least one portion of the at least one channel of the slide component has a diameter that is at least as large as the outer diameter of the core body and is smaller than an outer diameter of the flange of the removable inner core.

12. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , further comprising a tool comprising:

a rail component, wherein the rail component comprises at least one channel, wherein at least one portion of the at least one channel of the rail component has a diameter that is at least as large as an outer diameter of the core body and is smaller than an outer diameter of at least one portion of the lead anchor; and

a slide component configured and arranged to slide along the rail component, wherein the removable inner core is integral to, or non-removably attached to, the slide component.

13. The stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , further comprising the electrical stimulation lead.

14. A method of anchoring an electrical stimulation lead with the stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , the method comprising:

inserting the portion of the electrical stimulation lead in the lead lumen of the anchor body of the lead anchor and the inner lumen of the core body of the removable inner core while a portion of the core body of the removable inner core is disposed within the lead lumen of the anchor body of the lead anchor;

withdrawing the core body of the removable inner core from the lead lumen of the anchor body of the lead anchor so that the lead anchor engages the electrical stimulation lead; and

removing the removable inner core from the electrical stimulation lead.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the lead anchor further comprises a flange that radially extends from the proximal or distal end portion of the anchor body, wherein withdrawing the core body of the removable inner core from the lead lumen of the anchor body of the lead anchor comprises applying a force against the flange of the lead anchor.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the removable inner core further comprises a flange that radially extends from the proximal end portion of the core body, wherein withdrawing the core body of the removable inner core from the lead lumen of the anchor body of the lead anchor comprises applying a force against the flange of the removable inner core.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

inserting another portion of the core body into the lead lumen of the anchor body;

repositioning the lead anchor and removable inner core on the electrical stimulation lead to another position on the electrical stimulation lead while the other portion of the core body is disposed within the lead lumen of the anchor body; and

withdrawing the core body of the removable inner core from the lead lumen of the anchor body of the lead anchor so that the lead anchor engages the electrical stimulation lead at the other position on the electrical stimulation lead.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

inserting another portion of the core body into the lead lumen of the anchor body; and

removing the lead anchor and removable inner core from the electrical stimulation lead while the other portion of the core body is disposed within the lead lumen of the anchor body.

19. A method of employing the stimulation lead anchoring system of claim 1 , the method comprising:

inserting a portion of the core body into the lead lumen of the anchor body; and

removing the lead anchor and removable inner core from, or repositioning the lead anchor and removable inner core on, the electrical stimulation lead while the portion of the core body is disposed within the lead lumen of the anchor body.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the lead anchor further comprises a flange that radially extends from the proximal or distal end portion of the anchor body, wherein inserting the core body into the lead lumen of the anchor body comprises applying a force against the flange of the lead anchor.