Method and apparatus for selective control of nerve fibers
First Claim
1. A method of reducing pain sensations resulting from the propagation of body-generated action potentials towards the central nervous system through small-diameter sensory fibers in a nerve bundle, without unduly reducing other sensations resulting from the propagation of body-generated action potentials towards the central nervous system through large-diameter sensory fibers in said nerve bundle, comprising:
- applying to said nerve bundle at least one electrode device capable, upon actuation, of generating unidirectional action potentials to be propagated through both the small-diameter and large-diameter sensory fibers in said nerve bundle away from said central nervous system; and
actuating said electrode device to generate said unidirectional action potentials to produce collision blocks with respect to said body-generated action potentials propagated through said small-diameter fibers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus particularly useful for pain control by selectively blocking the propagation of body-generated action potentials travelling through a nerve bundle by using a tripolar electrode device to generate unidirectional action potentials to serve as collision blocks with the body-generated action potentials representing pain sensations in the small-diameter sensory fibers. In the described preferred embodiments there are a plurality of electrode devices spaced along the length of the nerve bundle which are sequentially actuated with delays corresponding to the velocity of propagation of the body-generated action potentials through the large-diameter fibers to produce a “green wave” effect which minimizes undesired anodal blocking of the large-diameter fibers while maximizing the collision blocking of the small-diameter fibers.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of reducing pain sensations resulting from the propagation of body-generated action potentials towards the central nervous system through small-diameter sensory fibers in a nerve bundle, without unduly reducing other sensations resulting from the propagation of body-generated action potentials towards the central nervous system through large-diameter sensory fibers in said nerve bundle, comprising:
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applying to said nerve bundle at least one electrode device capable, upon actuation, of generating unidirectional action potentials to be propagated through both the small-diameter and large-diameter sensory fibers in said nerve bundle away from said central nervous system; and
actuating said electrode device to generate said unidirectional action potentials to produce collision blocks with respect to said body-generated action potentials propagated through said small-diameter fibers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of selectively suppressing the propagation of body-generated action potentials propagated in a predetermined direction at a first velocity through a first group of nerve fibers in a nerve bundle without unduly suppressing the propagation of body-generated action potentials propagated in said predetermined direction at a different velocity through a second group of nerve fibers in said nerve bundle, comprising:
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applying a plurality of electrode devices to, and spaced along the length of, the nerve bundle, each electrode device being capable of outputting, when actuated, unidirectional electrode-generated action potentials producing collision blocks with respect to the body-generated action potentials propagated through said second type of nerve fibers;
and sequentially actuating said electrode devices with delays timed to said first velocity to produce a “
green wave”
of anodal blocks minimizing undesired blocking of said body-generated action potentials propagated through said first group of nerve fibers, while maximizing the generation rate of said unidirectional electrode-generated action potentials producing collision blocks with respect to the body-generated action potentials propagated through said second type of nerve fibers. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of selectively controlling nerve fibers in a nerve bundle having fibers of different diameters propagating action potentials at velocities corresponding to their respective diameters, comprising:
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applying a plurality of electrode devices to, and spaced along the length of, the nerve bundle, each electrode device being capable of producing, when actuated, unidirectional electrode-generated action potentials;
and sequentially actuating said electrode devices with delays timed to the velocity of propagation of action potentials through the fibers of one of said diameters. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20)
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17. Apparatus for selectively blocking pain sensations resulting from the propagation of body-generated action potentials towards the central nervous system through small-diameter sensory fibers in a nerve bundle, without unduly reducing other sensations resulting from the propagation of body-generated action potentials towards the central nervous system through large-diameter sensory fibers in said nerve bundle, comprising:
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an electrical device to be applied to said nerve bundle and having at least one electrode device capable, upon actuation, of generating unidirectional action potentials to be propagated through both the small-diameter and large-diameter sensory fibers in said nerve bundle away from said central nervous system;
and a stimulator for actuating said electrode device to generate said unidirectional action potentials to produce collision blocks of the body-generated action potentials in said small-diameter sensory fibers.
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21. Apparatus for selectively suppressing the propagation of body-generated action potentials propagated at a first velocity through a first type of nerve fibers in a nerve bundle without unduly suppressing the propagation of body-generated action potentials propagated at a different velocity through a second type of nerve fibers in said nerve bundle, comprising:
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spacing a plurality of electrodes to be spaced along the length of the nerve bundle, each capable of producing, when actuated, unidirectional electrode-generated action potentials and a selective anodal block of the latter action potentials propagated through said first type of nerve fibers to a greater extent than those propagated through said second type of nerve fibers;
and a stimulator for sequentially actuating said electrode devices with delays timed to said first velocity to produce a “
green wave”
of anodal blocks minimizing undesired blocking of said body-generated action potentials propagated through said first group of nerve fibers, while maximizing the generation rate of said unidirectional electrode-generated action potentials producing collision blocks with respect to the body-generated action potentials propagated through said second type of nerve fibers. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31)
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28. Apparatus for selectively controlling nerve fibers in a nerve bundle having fibers of different diameters propagating action potentials at velocities corresponding to their respective diameters, comprising:
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a plurality of electrode devices to be applied to, and spaced along the length of, the nerve bundle, each electrode device being capable of producing, when actuated, unidirectional electrode-generated action potentials;
and a stimulator for sequentially actuating said electrode devices with delays timed to the velocity of propagation of action potentials through the fibers of one of said diameters.
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Specification