Patent ID: 8565896

Claim:
Apparatus comprising an electrode assembly, which comprises: one or more electrode contact surfaces; and a cuff, to which the electrode contact surfaces are fixed, and which: (a) comprises an electrically insulating material, (b) has a longitudinal axis, (c) is configured to assume open and closed positions, and (d) when in the closed position, is shaped so as to define: (i) a plurality of planar cross sections perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, distributed continuously along an entire length of the cuff along the longitudinal axis, such that the perpendicular cross sections define respective inner closed curves surrounding the longitudinal axis, which inner closed curves define and enclose respective inner cross-sectional regions, wherein an intersection of the cross-sectional regions, if the cross-sectional regions were to be superimposed while preserving orientation and position of the cross-sectional regions with respect to the cuff, would define a combined inner cross-sectional region, which, if extended along the entire length of the cuff, would define a combined innermost volume, and (ii) a plurality of recesses that are recessed radially outwardly from the combined innermost volume, each of which recesses extends along the longitudinal axis of the cuff and has a greatest length, measured in parallel with the longitudinal axis, that is less than 50% of the entire length of the cuff, wherein the inner closed curves enclose respective areas, each of which areas is greater than an area of the combined inner cross-sectional region.