Patent ID: 7502652

Claim:
An implant for electrically stimulating a target body tissue in a subject, the implant, once implanted, providing a conductive pathway for at least a portion of the electrical current flowing between surface cathodic and anodic electrodes positioned in spaced relationship on the subject's skin and transmitting the portion of the electrical current to the target body tissue, the implant comprising: a passive electrical conductor of sufficient length to extend, once implanted, from subcutaneous tissue located below the surface cathodic electrode to the target body tissue, the electrical conductor having a pick-up end and a stimulating end and being insulated between its ends, the pick-up end forming an electrical termination having a sufficient surface area to allow a portion of the electrical current to flow through the conductor, in preference to flowing through body tissue between the surface cathodic and anodic electrodes, such that the target body tissue is stimulated, and the stimulating end forming an electrical termination to deliver the portion of the electrical current to the target body tissue, the implant being configured to provide electrical conductivity between body tissue and the conductor to allow the portion of the electrical current to flow, wherein the implant is configured to pick up the portion of the electrical current via resistive coupling.