Determining nerve location relative to electrodes
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- applying electrical stimulation to a nerve of a patient via each of a plurality of implantable electrodes arranged in at least one row and at different axial positions along an axial length of a lead, the lead and the plurality of implantable electrodes having an orientation transverse to the nerve and crossing proximate to the nerve to position one or more of the plurality of implantable electrodes in proximity to the nerve, wherein each of the plurality of implantable electrodes is coupled to an implantable electrical stimulator configured to generate the electrical stimulation to deliver stimulation therapy via at least some of the plurality of implantable electrodes;
determining, respective intensity threshold levels for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes, the respective intensity threshold levels for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes including a first intensity threshold level corresponding to at least one of a perception stimulation threshold or a paresthesia stimulation threshold and a second intensity threshold level corresponding to an upper stimulation threshold of the nerve for electrical stimulation delivered by that respective electrode of the plurality of implantable electrodes, the determining comprising adjusting intensities of the electrical stimulation applied via each of the plurality of implantable electrodes to the first intensity threshold level corresponding to the at least one of the perception stimulation threshold or the paresthesia stimulation threshold and the second intensity threshold level corresponding to the upper stimulation threshold of the nerve; and
mapping a location of the nerve relative to each of the plurality of implantable electrodes based at least in part on the respective intensity threshold levels determined for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes.
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Abstract
An implantable nerve stimulator is implanted in a patient near a nerve target. The implantable nerve stimulator has a plurality of electrodes through which stimulation is provided to the nerve target. The relative location of the nerve target and the electrodes may be determined by applying stimulation to the nerves via each of the electrodes, determining an effect of the stimulation for each of the electrodes, and mapping a location of the nerve relative to the electrodes based on the effect of the stimulation for each of the electrodes.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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applying electrical stimulation to a nerve of a patient via each of a plurality of implantable electrodes arranged in at least one row and at different axial positions along an axial length of a lead, the lead and the plurality of implantable electrodes having an orientation transverse to the nerve and crossing proximate to the nerve to position one or more of the plurality of implantable electrodes in proximity to the nerve, wherein each of the plurality of implantable electrodes is coupled to an implantable electrical stimulator configured to generate the electrical stimulation to deliver stimulation therapy via at least some of the plurality of implantable electrodes; determining, respective intensity threshold levels for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes, the respective intensity threshold levels for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes including a first intensity threshold level corresponding to at least one of a perception stimulation threshold or a paresthesia stimulation threshold and a second intensity threshold level corresponding to an upper stimulation threshold of the nerve for electrical stimulation delivered by that respective electrode of the plurality of implantable electrodes, the determining comprising adjusting intensities of the electrical stimulation applied via each of the plurality of implantable electrodes to the first intensity threshold level corresponding to the at least one of the perception stimulation threshold or the paresthesia stimulation threshold and the second intensity threshold level corresponding to the upper stimulation threshold of the nerve; and mapping a location of the nerve relative to each of the plurality of implantable electrodes based at least in part on the respective intensity threshold levels determined for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system comprising:
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an implantable lead; a plurality of implantable electrodes arranged in at least one row and at different axial positions along an axial length of the implantable lead, the lead and the plurality of implantable electrodes having an orientation transverse to a nerve of a patient and crossing proximate to the nerve to position one or more of the plurality of implantable electrodes in proximity to the nerve; an implantable electrical stimulator connected to the plurality of implantable electrodes and configured to generate electrical stimulation to deliver stimulation therapy via at least some of the plurality of implantable electrodes; and a processor configured to control the implantable electrical stimulator to; apply electrical stimulation to the nerve of the patient via each of the plurality of implantable electrodes; determine, respective intensity threshold levels for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes, the respective intensity threshold levels for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes including a first intensity threshold level corresponding to at least one of a perception stimulation threshold or a paresthesia stimulation threshold and a second intensity threshold level corresponding to an upper stimulation threshold of the nerve for electrical stimulation delivered by that respective electrode of the plurality of implantable electrodes, the determination comprising adjusting intensities of the electrical stimulation applied via each of the plurality of implantable electrodes to the first intensity threshold level corresponding to the at least one of the perception stimulation threshold or the paresthesia stimulation threshold and the second intensity threshold level corresponding to an upper stimulation threshold of the nerve; and map a location of the nerve relative to each of the plurality of implantable electrodes based at least in part on the respective intensity threshold levels determined for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:
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control an implantable electrical stimulator to apply electrical stimulation to a nerve of a patient via each of a plurality of implantable electrodes arranged in at least one row and at different axial positions along an axial length of a lead, the lead and the plurality of implantable electrodes having an orientation transverse to the nerve and crossing proximate to the nerve to position one or more of the plurality of implantable electrodes in proximity to the nerve, wherein each of the plurality of implantable electrodes is coupled to an implantable stimulation generator configured to generate the electrical stimulation to deliver stimulation therapy via at least some of the plurality of implantable electrodes; determine, respective intensity threshold levels for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes, the respective intensity threshold levels for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes including a first intensity threshold level corresponding to at least one of a perception stimulation threshold or a paresthesia stimulation threshold and a second intensity threshold level corresponding to an upper stimulation threshold of the nerve for electrical stimulation delivered by that respective electrode of the plurality of implantable electrodes, the determination comprising adjusting intensities of the electrical stimulation applied via each of the plurality of implantable electrodes to the first intensity threshold level corresponding to the at least one of the perception stimulation threshold or the paresthesia stimulation threshold and the second intensity threshold level corresponding to the upper stimulation threshold of the nerve; and
map a location of the nerve relative to each of the plurality of implantable electrodes based at least in part on the respective intensity threshold levels determined for each of the plurality of implantable electrodes.
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Specification