Systems and methods for forming an end of an elongated member of an electrical stimulation system

A method for forming a lead or lead extension comprising an arrangement of a plurality of elongated conductors disposed in a body of the lead or lead extension, each of the elongated conductors extending from a proximal end of the arrangement to a distal end of the arrangement, the method comprising:

• ablating a plurality of spaced-apart transverse channels in at least one of the proximal end or the distal end of the body;
• ablating an access hole into each of the plurality of transverse channels defined in the body, each of the access holes individually exposing one of the elongated conductors such that the remaining elongated conductors are not exposed;
• disposing C-shaped contacts over each of the access holes such that each C-shaped contact is disposed in a different one of the plurality of transverse channels;
• electrically coupling the C-shaped contacts to at least one of the elongated conductors;
• closing each of the C-shaped contacts so that the two opposing ends of the C-shaped contacts are adjacent to one another;
• and
• for each of the C-shaped contacts, coupling the two opposing ends together such that the C-shaped contact forms a continuous path around the arrangement over the at least one access hole over which the C-shaped contact is disposed.