Neurostimulation system and method for rostro-caudally steering current using longitudinal ideal multipole configurations

• US 10,207,113 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2016
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Dongchul, Zhu, Changfang
• Primary Examiner(s): Dietrich, Joseph M
• Application Number:
  US15/201,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20160310744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36185 Selection of the electrode configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware

Abstract

A system for an electrical neurostimulator coupled to a plurality of electrodes. The system comprises a user-controlled input device configured for generating directional control signals. The system further comprises control circuitry configured for sequentially defining a plurality of different ideal bipole/tripole configurations relative to the plurality of electrodes in response to the directional control signals, generating a plurality of stimulation parameter sets respectively corresponding to the plurality of ideal bipole/tripole configurations, each stimulation parameter set defining relative amplitude values for the plurality of electrodes that emulate the respective ideal bipole/tripole configuration, and instructing the electrical neurostimulator to convey electrical energy to the plurality of electrodes in accordance with the plurality of stimulation parameter sets.

Claims

1. A system for an electrical neurostimulator coupled to a plurality of electrodes, comprising:

a user-controlled input device configured for generating directional control signals; and

control circuitry configured for sequentially defining a plurality of different target configurations relative to the plurality of electrodes in response to the directional control signals, generating a plurality of stimulation parameter sets respectively corresponding to the plurality of different target configurations, each stimulation parameter set defining relative amplitude values for the plurality of electrodes that emulate the respective target configuration, and instructing the electrical neurostimulator to convey electrical energy to the plurality of electrodes in accordance with the plurality of stimulation parameter sets, wherein each of the plurality of different target configurations includes at least one pole that can be emulated as a fractionalized current value on the plurality of electrodes, and each of the plurality of different target configurations differs from other ones of the plurality of different target configurations in at least one value selected from the group of values consisting of;

a value for a number of poles, a polarity value for at least one of the poles;

a value defining a spatial relationship between at least two of the poles; and

a value defining relative intensities of the poles.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one sequence of the different target configurations begins with one of a tripole configuration and a bipole configuration and ends with the other of the tripole configuration and the bipole configuration.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one of the tripole configuration and the bipole configuration is a tripole configuration, and the other of the tripole configuration and the bipole configuration is an bipole configuration.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the one of the tripole configuration and the bipole configuration is a bipole configuration, and the other of the tripole configuration and the bipole configuration is a tripole configuration.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein a cathode at the beginning and end of the one sequence of different target configurations has the same position relative to the plurality of electrodes.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the control circuitry is configured for maintaining the same position of the cathode relative to the plurality of electrodes throughout the one sequence of different target configurations.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein a cathode at the beginning and end of the one sequence of different target configurations has different positions relative to the plurality of electrodes.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the control circuitry is configured for incrementally changing the position of the cathode relative to the plurality of electrodes in one direction throughout the one sequence of different target configurations.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different target configurations comprise a tripole configuration having a cathode and two anodes that are aligned along an axis.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different target configurations comprise a tripole configuration having a cathode and two anodes that are misaligned along an axis.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the user-controlled input device comprises one or more of a graphical arrow, a joystick, a touchpad, a button pad, a group of keyboard arrow keys, a mouse, a roller ball tracking device, and horizontal and vertical rocker-type arm switches for generating the directional control signals.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical neurostimulator delivers a current to at least one of the plurality of electrodes, the delivered current being independent of a current delivered to other electrodes in the plurality of electrodes.

13. A system for an electrical neurostimulator coupled to a plurality of electrodes, comprising:

a user-controlled input device configured for generating directional control signals; and

control circuitry configured for sequentially defining a plurality of different target configurations relative to the plurality of electrodes in response to the directional control signals, generating a plurality of stimulation parameter sets respectively corresponding to the plurality of different target configurations, each stimulation parameter set defining relative amplitude values for the plurality of electrodes that emulate the respective target configuration, and instructing the electrical neurostimulator to convey electrical energy to the plurality of electrodes in accordance with the plurality of stimulation parameter sets,

wherein one sequence of the different target configurations begins with one of a narrow bipole configuration and a wide bipole configuration and ends with the other of the narrow bipole configuration and the wide bipole configuration.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one of the narrow bipole configuration and the wide bipole configuration is a narrow bipole configuration, and the other the narrow bipole configuration and the wide bipole configuration is a wide bipole configuration.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the one of the narrow bipole configuration and the wide bipole configuration is a wide bipole configuration, and the other the narrow bipole configuration and the wide bipole configuration is a narrow bipole configuration.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein a cathode at the beginning and end of the one sequence of different target configurations has the same position relative to the plurality of electrodes.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the control circuitry is configured for maintaining the same position of the cathode relative to the plurality of electrodes throughout the one sequence of different target configurations.

18. A system for an electrical neurostimulator coupled to a plurality of electrodes, comprising:

a user-controlled input device configured for generating directional control signals; and

control circuitry configured for sequentially defining a plurality of different target configurations relative to the plurality of electrodes in response to the directional control signals, generating a plurality of stimulation parameter sets respectively corresponding to the plurality of target configurations, each stimulation parameter set defining relative amplitude values for the plurality of electrodes that emulate the respective target configuration, and instructing the electrical neurostimulator to convey electrical energy to the plurality of electrodes in accordance with the plurality of stimulation parameter sets,

wherein the control circuitry is configured for sequentially defining the different target configurations in the following order;

a narrow tripole configuration, a narrow upper bipole configuration, a wide upper bipole configuration, a wide tripole configuration, a wide lower bipole configuration, a narrow lower bipole configuration, and back to the narrow tripole configuration.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is configured for maintaining the same position of a cathode relative to the plurality of electrodes between the narrow tripole configuration and the wide upper bipole configuration, incrementally changing the position of the cathode relative to the plurality of electrodes in one direction between the wide upper bipole configuration and the wide lower bipole configuration, and maintaining the same position of the cathode relative to the plurality of electrodes between the wide lower bipole configuration and the narrow tripole configuration.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the control circuitry is configured for maintaining the same position of a cathode relative to the plurality of electrodes between the wide tripole configuration and the narrow lower bipole configuration, incrementally changing the position of the cathode relative to the plurality of electrodes in one direction between the narrow lower bipole configuration and the narrow upper bipole configuration, and maintaining the same position of the cathode relative to the plurality of electrodes between the narrow upper bipole configuration and the wide tripole configuration.