CPC A61N 1/0548 (2013.01) [A61B 17/3468 (2013.01); A61N 1/3601 (2013.01); A61N 1/37518 (2017.08)] | 15 Claims |
1. A method of implanting a lead, the method comprising:
inserting a needle through tissue near a chin of a patient and through a tongue of the patient;
inserting an introducer through an opening created by the needle;
inserting the lead through the introducer, the lead comprising one or more fixation members, an elongated member, and one or more electrodes in a distal portion of the elongated member such that the one or more electrodes are implanted proximate to one or more motor points of a protrusor muscle within the tongue of the patient, wherein inserting the lead comprises inserting the lead to have a shape of one of a helix, a compound helix, a wave shape, or saw-tooth shape, or to have a loop in the lead; and
deploying at least one fixation member of the one or more fixation members, wherein the at least one fixation member, when deployed, defines a peak between a first connection point on a first collar of a plurality of collars on the lead and a second connection point on a second collar of the plurality of collars on the lead, and wherein the peak is a point of the at least one fixation member that is furthest from the elongated member upon the deployment of the at least one fixation member.
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