US Patent 7946980 Modular, zone-specific medical electrical lead design

A medical electrical lead configured to be coupled to a pulse generator in a cardiac rhythm management system. The lead comprises a proximal terminal connector configured for coupling the lead to the pulse generator, and a plurality of longitudinally arranged lead segments each configured to exhibit one or more predetermined physical characteristics based on the implantation location for the respective segment. The lead segments may be pre-fabricated as separate modules optimized for the operating environment and/or delivery requirements of the respective segments. The pre-fabricated modules are longitudinally arranged and joined to form the lead.