Patent ID: 7146224

Claim:
An implantable medical device comprising: (a) a pulse generator capable of generating stimulation pulses, wherein the stimulation pulses have a pulse amplitude; and (b) an implantable lead having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the lead comprising: (i) a lead body; (ii) a first set of electrodes coupled to the lead body, the first set of electrodes including at least three electrodes in electrical communication with the pulse generator; and (iii) a second set of electrodes coupled to the lead body, the second set of electrodes including at least first, second and third electrodes in electrical communication with the pulse generator, wherein the first and second electrodes are positioned on opposite sides of an imaginary longitudinal axis of the lead body that passes through the center of the third electrode, and wherein the second set of electrodes are located at or nearer to the proximal portion of the lead relative to the location of the first set of electrodes; and wherein a first distance between the distal most electrode of the second set of electrodes and the proximal most electrode of the first set of electrodes is at least three centimeters.