Patent ID: 7917230

Claim:
A medical electrical lead for stimulating a nerve, wherein the lead is adapted to be delivered to a stimulation site within a vessel adjacent the nerve to be stimulated, the lead comprising: a lead body including a proximal end adapted to be connected to a pulse generator, and a distal portion including a distal end; a plurality of conductors extending within the lead body from the proximal end thereof toward the distal end thereof; a plurality of individual ring electrodes longitudinally spaced along a length of the distal portion of the lead body and each coupled to one of the plurality of conductors; and a lead anchor having a first end secured to the distal portion of the lead body at a first location and a second end secured to the distal portion of the lead body at a second location distal to the first location, the lead anchor adapted to expand from a radially collapsed configuration to a preformed, radially expanded configuration, wherein the lead anchor has a first length between the first and second ends when in the radially collapsed configuration and a second length between the first and second ends when in the radially expanded configuration, the first length being greater than the second length, and wherein the plurality of individual ring electrodes are located between the first and second locations, and wherein the length of the distal portion of the lead body including the plurality of individual ring electrodes extends along and contacts an exterior of the lead anchor from the first end to the second end thereof such that in the radially expanded configuration the lead anchor is adapted to urge the length of the distal portion of the lead body against at least one vessel wall of a vessel in which the lead is deployed so as to secure and stabilize the distal portion of the lead within the vessel.