Transvenous phrenic nerve stimulation system

A method of implanting a stimulation lead at a target venous location in a patient in a small vein branched off from a large vein, the method comprising:

• maneuvering a guide catheter having a distal curve through a brachiocephalic vein and into an ostium of a left pericardiophrenic vein that branches off of the brachiocephalic vein,
• maneuvering a guidewire through the brachiocephalic vein and into the ostium of the left pericardiophrenic vein that branches off of the brachiocephalic vein,
• passing the stimulation lead over the guidewire and through the guide catheter having the distal curve to maneuver the stimulation lead through the brachiocephalic vein and into the ostium of the left pericardiophrenic vein, the stimulation lead having a proximal end and a distal end, and
• positioning the distal end of the stimulation lead near the target venous location within the left pericardiophrenic vein, wherein the target venous location is proximate to a left phrenic nerve,
• wherein the stimulation lead has at least one shaped section comprising a plurality of bend curves, wherein at least one bend curve of the plurality of bend curves is shaped to deflect around a radius such that, when the distal end of the stimulation lead is positioned near the target venous location, a bias force exerted against a wall of the left pericardiophrenic vein stabilizes the stimulation lead in the left pericardiophrenic vein.