An implantable medical device ("IMD") configured in accordance with an example embodiment of the invention generally includes a housing, a connector header block coupled to the housing, a dielectric sheath located around at least a portion of the housing and/or around at least a portion of the header block, and a telemetry antenna located within the dielectric sheath. The antenna is configured to support far field telemetry with an external device such as a programmer. In one example embodiment,...

A telemetry antenna for an implantable medical device includes one or more portions having a non-linear configuration. In some embodiments, the non-linear configuration provides an antenna having a greater antenna length than the linear lengthwise dimension of the antenna structure. In some embodiments, the non-linear configuration is a serpentine pattern.

Improved telemetry antennas and methods of fabrication for an implantable medical device (IMD) for use in uplink telemetry (UT) and downlink telemetry (DT) transmissions between the IMD and an external medical device (EMD) are disclosed. A first telemetry antenna element is supported to extend in a first direction along a minor side of the IMD housing by a first header segment, and a second antenna element is supported to extend in a second direction along a second minor side of the IMD housing ...