Patent ID: 6978180

Claim:
A method of implanting an electrical stimulation lead on, in, or near target nerve tissue in a person's brain stem, comprising: selecting an electrical stimulation lead adapted for implantation on, in, or near the brain stem for electrical stimulation of target nerve tissue in the brain stem, the lead comprising a plurality of electrodes adapted to be positioned on, in, or near the target nerve tissue in the brain stem and to deliver electrical stimulation energy to the target nerve tissue in the brain stem, the lead comprising an inner channel configured to accommodate a removable stylet; inserting a needle into the person's epidural space at a desired vertebral level; inserting a guide wire through the needle and into the epidural space; removing the needle from the epidural space, leaving the guide wire in position; inserting an introducer over the guide wire and into the epidural space; positioning the introducer posteriorly in a desired location within the epidural space at the level of the foramen magnum; removing the guide wire from the epidural space, leaving the introducer in position; inserting the electrical stimulation lead including the removable stylet through the introducer and into the epidural space overlying the medulla; positioning the electrical stimulation lead on, in, or near the targeted nerve tissue in the brain stem; and removing the stylet from the electrical stimulation lead, leaving the lead in position on, in, or near the target nerve tissue in the brain stem for electrical stimulation of the target nerve tissue in the brain stem.