Deep brain stimulation current steering with split electrodes

An implantable stimulation lead, comprising:

• a lead body having a longitudinal surface, a proximal end and a distal end;
• and
• a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body, the plurality of electrodes comprising:
• a tip electrode disposed at, and covering, the distal end of the lead body,
• a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least three segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead body at a first longitudinal position along the lead body, and
• a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least three segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead body at a second longitudinal position along the lead body;
• wherein each of the plurality of electrodes is configured and arranged to be individually coupleable to different stimulation channels of a control module and to be independently programmable to provide current steering and wherein the first and second sets of segmented electrodes have a same number of segmented electrodes.

An implantable stimulation lead, comprising:

• a lead body having a longitudinal surface, a proximal end and a distal end;
• and
• a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body, the plurality of electrodes comprising:
• a tip electrode disposed at, and covering, the distal end of the lead body,
• a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least three segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead body at a first longitudinal position along the lead body, and
• a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least three segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead body at a second longitudinal position along the lead body, wherein the segmented electrodes of the first set are staggered with respect to the segmented electrodes of the second set along the longitudinal surface of the lead body;
• wherein each of the plurality of electrodes is configured and arranged to be individually coupleable to different stimulation channels of a control module and to be independently programmable to provide current steering and wherein the first and second sets of segmented electrodes have a same number of segmented electrodes.