CPC A61N 1/0558 (2013.01) [A61B 17/3468 (2013.01); A61N 1/0502 (2013.01); A61N 1/0551 (2013.01); A61N 1/36017 (2013.01); A61N 1/36071 (2013.01); A61N 1/37205 (2013.01); A61N 1/3787 (2013.01); A61N 1/37211 (2013.01)] | 13 Claims |
1. An introducer system for positioning, testing, and deploying a lead for percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation, the system comprising:
an electrical stimulus generator unit;
a needle assembly including an outer sheath having an outer circumference and defining a lumen, an inner sheath carried completely within the lumen during positioning and testing, and a plurality of test electrodes positioned along the outer circumference and electrically communicating with the stimulus generator unit;
a self-anchoring open-coiled helical stimulation lead carried within the inner sheath and having a conductive distal anchor, said anchor comprising an integrated electrode, and a proximal end in communication with the stimulus generator unit,
a deployment mechanism cooperating relative to the lead and the needle assembly to deploy the lead out of the needle assembly at a selected position identified by at least one of the plurality of test electrodes during positioning and testing of the system; and
wherein the self-anchoring lead remains confined within the needle assembly prior to deployment of the self-anchoring open-coiled helical stimulation lead and the distal anchor remains deployed in tissue after deployment of the self-anchoring open-coiled helical stimulation lead.
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