Patent ID: 7949408

Claim:
A system for providing a medical electrical stimulation to bodily tissue of a patient, the system comprising: a lead assembly including: a lead body having a distal section and a proximal section, a needle tip formed of an electrically conductive material and defining a proximal segment, an intermediate segment, and a distal segment tapering in outer diameter from the intermediate segment, wherein the proximal segment of the needle tip includes a post having a first diameter, and further wherein the intermediate segment extends distally from the post at a second diameter greater than the first diameter to form an abutment surface as a radial face of the intermediate segment, wherein the distal section of the lead body is connected to the proximal segment of the needle tip to establish an electrically conductive connection; and a cannula having a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen; wherein the lead body is slidably disposed within the lumen and the distal end of the cannula is releasably connected to the needle tip adjacent the abutment surface such that upon final assembly the distal segment of the needle tip extends distal the distal end of the cannula to define a needle probe, and the distal end of the cannula selectively bears against the abutment surface.