Patent ID: 8160722

Claim:
A medical device system to be subcutaneously placed at a target site posterior to a heart of a patient, comprising: an electrode; a lead having a lead body extending from a proximal end to a distal end and defining a lead axis, the electrode being positioned along the lead; a fixation mechanism positioned along the lead body proximal to the electrode; and a plurality of fixation members extending from the fixation mechanism, each of the plurality of fixation members being pliant and forming a fixation member proximal end and a fixation member distal end, each of the plurality of fixation members having: a first position corresponding to the fixation member distal end being positioned generally against the lead body during subcutaneous placement of the electrode; a second position corresponding to the fixation member distal end being positioned away from the lead at an acute angle to the lead axis toward the proximal end of the lead to fixedly engage the electrode at the target site, each of said plurality of fixation members being resiliently biased toward the second position; and a third position corresponding to the fixation member distal end being positioned away from the lead at an acute angle to the lead axis toward the distal end of the lead.