Patent ID: 8386054

Claim:
A modular system for providing electrical stimulation to a patient's body, comprising: a first implantable modular paddle electrode section comprising a first electrode body having a first electrode front end, a first electrode back end opposite said first electrode front end, a first electrode top surface, and a first electrode bottom surface, said first electrode back end having a contour comprising concave and convex portions, and a lead extending from said first implantable modular paddle electrode configured for connection to an implantable medical device to transfer an electrical signal between said implantable medical device and said plurality of electrical contacts; and a second implantable modular paddle electrode section comprising a second electrode body having a second electrode front end, a second electrode back end opposite said second electrode front end, a second electrode top surface, and a second electrode bottom surface, said second electrode front end having a contour comprising concave and convex portions that are complementary to the concave and convex portions of said first electrode back end, and are configured to, from an initially disengaged configuration, removably engage with the concave and convex portions of said first electrode back end so that said first implantable modular electrode section becomes detachably connected to said second implantable modular electrode section, and so that advancing said second implantable modular electrode section through a patient's body will cause advancement of said first implantable modular electrode through said patient's body, said second implantable modular paddle electrode further comprising a lead-receiving channel configured to removably hold said lead extending from said first implantable modular paddle electrode so as to prevent unintentional separation of said first implantable modular paddle electrode from said second implantable modular paddle electrode, and configured to allow disengagement of said lead extending from said first implantable modular paddle electrode.