Patent ID: 7908018

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: A flexible electrode body having an upper end an opposed lower end and defining a first opening and a second opening; a shaped deformable introducer wire having an upper portion and an opposed lower portion, wherein the upper portion of the introducer wire is substantially straight and the lower portion of the introducer wire is configured as a helix, and wherein the electrode body has a relaxed configuration and is resiliently deformable to pass through a cannula and at least partially resume the relaxed configuration when placed within a patient's tissue; a means for removably attaching the electrode to the introducer wire such that the introducer wire can embed the flexible electrode body in a three-dimensional configuration within the patient's tissue and can then be removed from the patient's tissue, leaving the electrode body in situ; and at least one electrode, wherein the electrode comprises: an electrode pad at the lower end of the electrode body, a connector pad at the upper end of the electrode body, and a conductor directly electrically connecting said electrode pad and said conductor pad, said conductor pad being enclosed within said body; wherein the first opening body in said electrode body is positioned in registry with said electrode pad so as to expose said electrode pad to the patient's tissue, and wherein the second opening in said electrode body is positioned in registry with said connector pad so as to expose said connector pad for connection to external electronics.