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Devices, systems, and methods for recording, and/or stimulation, and/or blocking of a nerve make use of a molded cuff electrode. An electrically conductive surface is coupled to an inside surface of the cuff's elastic body. The electrically conductive surface and the body assume a coiled configurati

Devices, systems, and methods for recording, and/or stimulation, and/or blocking of a nerve make use of a molded cuff electrode. An electrically conductive surface is coupled to an inside surface of the cuff's elastic body. The electrically conductive surface and the body assume a coiled configuration in its natural state. An applicator tool having a body and a slider are used to implant the cuff electrode about a nerve.

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We claim: 1. A system for placement of an implantable cuff electrode about a biological tissue, the system comprising: an elastic body comprising a single layer of elastomeric material, the elastic body having an elastic memory to form a normally coiled configuration extending as a spiral having an

We claim: 1. A system for placement of an implantable cuff electrode about a biological tissue, the system comprising: an elastic body comprising a single layer of elastomeric material, the elastic body having an elastic memory to form a normally coiled configuration extending as a spiral having an inner diameter and a range of about 450 degrees to about 560 degrees, the elastic body being configured to be elastically uncoiled to increase the inner diameter in response to an uncoiling force, at least one electrically conductive surface coupled to an inside surface of the elastic body, an applicator body having a handle, the applicator body comprising an open ended inverted trough for fitment over a portion of the biological tissue, the inverted trough sized and configured to apply the uncoiling force to the elastic body and maintain the elastic body and electrically conductive surface in an uncoiled configuration for placement about the biological tissue, the applicator body including a slider carried on the applicator body and moveable along the axis of the applicator body between a forward position and an aft position, the slider being capable of axially sliding the elastic body off the open ended inverted trough and onto the biological tissue, a linkage mechanism coupled to the handle and the slider to affect axial movement of the slider fore and aft, and the elastic body and electrically conductive surface being capable of assuming the normally coiled configuration after placement onto the biological tissue allowing intimate contact between the electrically conductive surface on the inside surface of the elastic body and the biological tissue surrounded. 2. The system of claim 1: wherein the at least one electrically conductive surface measures at least one mm of length along the axis of the biological tissue and at least one mm of width along the circumference of the biological tissue. 3. The system of claim 1: wherein the elastic memory of the cuff electrode is capable of exerting a maximum pressure about a nerve of about 20 mm Hg. 4. The system of claim 1: wherein the at least one electrically conductive surface is capable of making circumferential contact substantially about the entire periphery of the biological tissue. 5. The system of claim 1: wherein the at least one electrically conductive surface is capable of making contact substantially along only a length of the biological tissue and around only a portion of the circumference of the biological tissue. 6. The system of claim 1: wherein the elastic memory of the cuff electrode is adaptive to post-operative swelling by allowing the coiled configuration to expand and contract about a periphery of the biological tissue. 7. The system of claim 1: wherein the elastic body and electrically conductive surface are capable of assuming the normally coiled configuration after placement onto at least one nerve. 8. The system of claim 1: wherein the electrically conductive surface is segmented into isolated segments along the axis of the biological tissue or around the circumference of the biological tissue. 9. The system of claim 1: wherein the electrically conductive surface comprises a thin film of metal deposited on a liquid crystal polymer substrate. 10. The system of claim 1: wherein the cuff electrode includes three electrically conductive surfaces. 11. The system of claim 10: wherein the three electrically conductive surfaces are individually electrically controllable. 12. The system of claim 1: wherein the elastic body further includes a strain relief boot. 13. A system for neuronal recording and/or stimulating and/or blocking, the system comprising: an implantable lead comprising an encapsulated wire element having a proximal end and a distal end, a stimulation pulse generator coupled to the proximal end of the wire element, a cuff electrode coupled to the distal end of the wire element, the cuff electrode comprising an elastic body comprising a single layer of elastomeric material, the elastic body having an elastic memory, and at least one electrically conductive surface coupled to the wire element and an inside surface of the elastic body, the elastic body having an elastic memory to form a normally coiled configuration extending as a spiral having an inner diameter and a range of about 450 degrees to about 560 degrees, the elastic body being configured to be elastically uncoiled to increase the inner diameter in response to an uncoiling force, an applicator body having a handle, the applicator body comprising an open ended inverted trough for fitment over a portion of the biological tissue, the inverted trough sized and configured to apply the uncoiling force to the elastic body and maintain the elastic body and electrically conductive surface in an uncoiled configuration for placement about the biological tissue, the applicator body including a slider carried on the applicator body and moveable along the axis of the applicator body between a forward position and an aft position, the slider being capable of axially sliding the elastic body off the open ended inverted trough and onto the biological tissue, a linkage mechanism coupled to the handle and the slider to affect axial movement of the slider fore and aft, the elastic body and electrically conductive surface being capable of assuming the normally coiled configuration after placement onto the biological tissue allowing intimate contact between the electrically conductive surface on the inside surface of the elastic body and the biological tissue surrounded, and wherein the proximal end of the lead is coupled to a stimulation pulse generator. 14. The system according to claim 13: wherein the stimulation pulse generator generates electrical waveforms capable of depolarizing a nerve across its entire cross section or selectively over just a portion of the nerve cross section. 15. The system according to claim 13: wherein the stimulation pulse generator generates a high frequency electrical waveform at a range of about 5 kHz to about 30 kHz. 16. The system according to claim 13: wherein the elastic body further includes a strain relief boot.