Patent ID: 8019438

Claim:
An electrode delivery system configured to deliver an electrode into a coronary vein, the electrode delivery system comprising: a support structure having a proximal end and a distal end; a stent deployable from a first collapsed configuration to a second expanded configuration, the stent disposed about the distal end of the support structure, the support structure being adapted to be removed from the stent to deploy the stent within the coronary vein, the stent sized to receive at least a portion of a lead carrying the electrode; a tether attached to the stent, the tether having a first portion extending distal to the stent, the first portion having a proximal region coupled to the stent and a distal region, the tether having a second portion coupled to the distal region of the first portion and extending proximally from the distal region through the stent such that the lead can be advanced along the tether into the stent while the tether remains attached to the stent such that an electrode on the lead can be positioned at a desired location relative to the coronary vein; and a removable sheath disposed around the stent and sized to retain the stent in the first collapsed configuration, wherein, in the second configuration, the stent frictionally engages the coronary vein to anchor the tether.