Methods for stimulating a dorsal root ganglion

• US 10,159,838 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TC1 LLC (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated), Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford Management Co.), St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.A.R.L.
• Inventors: Kim, Daniel H., Imran, Mir A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bosques, Edelmira
• Application Number:
  US15/290,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20170095666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 60489001
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1003 Spinal column
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/06 Body-piercing guide needles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0558 Anchoring or fixation means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0568 with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36067 Movement disorders, e.g. tremor or Parkinson disease stimulating motor muscle A61N1/36003
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency

Abstract

Some embodiments of the present invention provide stimulation systems and components for selective stimulation and/or neuromodulation of one or more dorsal root ganglia through implantation of an electrode on, in or around a dorsal root ganglia. Some other embodiments of the present invention provide methods for selective neurostimulation of one or more dorsal root ganglia as well as techniques for applying neurostimulation to the spinal cord. Still other embodiments of the present invention provide stimulation systems and components for selective stimulation and/or neuromodulation of one or more dorsal root ganglia through implantation of an electrode on, in or around a dorsal root ganglia in combination with a pharmacological agent.

Claims

1. A method of treating chronic pain in a patient by stimulating a first dorsal root ganglion on a first spinal level of a vertebral column, comprising:

implanting an elongated probe within the patient, wherein the implanting comprises advancing a distal end of the elongated probe from a position lateral to the vertebral column and outside of an epidural space of the vertebral column through a vertebral foramen to position one or more electrodes of the probe adjacent to the first dorsal root ganglion such that a portion of the probe immediately proximal to the one or more electrodes is disposed alongside a spinal nerve root exiting the vertebral foramen; and

operating pulse generating circuitry implanted in the patient to provide electrical pulses to selectively stimulate the first dorsal root ganglion to treat the chronic pain of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the implanting comprises:

obtaining a fluoroscopic image of the vertebral foramen associated with the first spinal level; and

adjusting the position of the elongated probe based on the fluoroscopic image.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the implanting comprising:

accessing the vertebral foramen of the first spinal level with an implant tool for implanting the elongated probe.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the operating pulse generating circuitry applies electrical pulses without stimulation of a ventral root immediately adjacent to the first dorsal root ganglion.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein after the implanting step at least one electrode of the one or more electrodes of the elongated probe is on, in or about the first dorsal root ganglion.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the elongated probe is a stimulation lead.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising connecting the stimulation lead to an implantable pulse generator that encloses the pulse generating circuitry implanted in the patient.