Self-locking electrode assembly usable with an implantable medical device

An implantable medical device, comprising:

• a pulse generator;
• a lead assembly coupled to said pulse generator;
• and an electrode assembly coupled to said lead assembly, wherein the electrode assembly comprises a spine and a plurality of electrodes protruding from the spine, and wherein at least two electrodes protrude from the spine in opposing directions and define a nerve-receiving channel;
• wherein, when said electrode assembly is not coupled to a nerve and said electrodes are in a relaxed state position, said nerve receiving channel comprises a cross-sectional area that is substantially less than a cross-sectional area of a nerve to which the electrode assembly is adapted to be coupled;
• and wherein, when coupled to said nerve, each electrode wraps around and directly contacts at least 70% of the circumference of the nerve.

An electrode assembly usable with an implantable medical device, comprising:

• a spine;
• and a plurality of curved fingers protruding from said spine, wherein at least two fingers protrude from the spine in opposing directions and define a nerve-receiving channel, and wherein at least one of said fingers comprises an electrode that is adapted to electrically contact a nerve;
• wherein, when said electrode assembly is not coupled to the nerve and said fingers are in a relaxed state position, said nerve-receiving channel comprises a cross-sectional area that is substantially less than a cross-sectional area of a nerve to which the electrode assembly is adapted to be coupled;
• and wherein, when coupled to said nerve, all of said fingers contact the nerve on a partial outer surface of the nerve, said partial outer surface extending circumferentially at least approximately 40% of the circumference of the nerve.