Catheter

• US 20040210290A1
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omar Omar Pasha
• Original Assignee: Omar Omar Pasha, OMT GmbH
• Inventors: Omar-Pasha, Omar
• Granted Patent: US 9,446,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0044 Spinal cord
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00678 upper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00714 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals

Abstract

A flexible catheter includes two electrical contacts in a distal region of the catheter and a distal aperture of a hose line. The electrical contacts are connected to a high frequency pulse generator for applying pulsed radio frequency energy for nerve stimulation. A temperature sensor is located in the distal region of the catheter. The flexible catheter is inserted into a region in the spinal canal and the pulsed radio frequency generator is operated, thereby applying pulsed radio frequency energy to a localized region to be treated. The temperature at the distal region of the catheter can also be monitored, and the pulsed radio frequency energy is applied in dependance on the monitored temperature. Further, a position of the catheter is probed by applying a test stimulation signal via the electrical contacts.

Claims

1. A catheter comprising:

at least two electrical contacts in a distal region of the catheter; and

leads of the electrical contacts being located inside the catheter;

two of the leads having a connection for a high frequency pulse generator for nerve stimulation;

the catheter being flexible.

2. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, the catheter being an one of a spinal and an epidural catheter.

3. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a distal aperture of at least one hose line being located between two of the contacts.

4. A catheter as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a distal aperture of at least one hose line being located between two of the contacts.

5. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer diameter of the catheter is less than or equal 1.7 mm.

6. A catheter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the outer diameter of the catheter is less or equal 1.7 mm.

7. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, the catheter further comprising:

a temperature sensor in the distal region of the catheter, leads of the temperature sensor being located inside the catheter.

8. A catheter as claimed in claim 2, the catheter further comprising:

a temperature sensor in the distal region of the catheter, leads of the temperature sensor being located inside the catheter.

11. A catheter as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

a distal aperture of at least one hose line being located between two of the contacts.

12. A catheter as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a distal aperture of at least one hose line being located between two of the contacts.

9. A catheter comprising:

at least two electrical contacts in a distal region of the catheter;

leads of the electrical contacts being located inside the catheter;

a temperature sensor in the distal region of the catheter, leads of the temperature sensor being located inside the catheter;

the catheter being flexible.

10. A catheter as claimed in claim 9, the catheter being one of a spinal and an epidural catheter.

13. A catheter as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a distal aperture of at least one hose line being located between two of the contacts.

14. A catheter as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

a distal aperture of at least one hose line being located between two of the contacts.

15. A catheter comprising:

at least two electrical contacts in a distal region of the catheter;

leads of the electrical contacts being located inside the catheter;

a transducer;

the electrical contacts being connected via the leads to the transducer, and the transducer being adapted to be subcutaneously implanted and being adapted to transmit high frequency pulses for nerve stimulation onto the leads; and

a port in a proximal area of the catheter;

the port being adapted to be subcutaneously implanted;

the catheter being flexible.

16. A catheter as claimed in claim 15, the catheter being one of a spinal and an epidural catheter.

17. A catheter as claimed in claim 15, the catheter further comprising:

a temperature sensor in the distal region of the catheter, leads of the temperature sensor being located inside the catheter.

18. A catheter as claimed in claim 17, wherein the transducer is adapted to receive a signal effected by the temperature sensor.

19. A catheter as claimed in claim 15, further comprising an injection chamber for the catheter being located at the port.

20. A method for applying pulsed radio frequency energy to a region of a spinal canal, comprising the steps of:

inserting a flexible epidural catheter into said region, said catheter having at least two electrical contacts in a distal region of the catheter;

operating a pulsed radio frequency generator;

the pulsed radio frequency generator being coupled to the electrical contacts;

thereby applying pulsed radio frequency energy via said electrical contacts to at least one of the spinal cord or spinal nerves;

whereby in said region at least one of the spinal cord or spinal nerves is treated.

21. A flexible endoscopic probe, comprising:

at least one electrical contact in a distal region of the probe;

a connection for a high frequency pulse generator for nerve stimulation; and

at least one conductor running inside the probe;

the conductor connecting said at least one contact to said connection.

22. A method for treatment of a nervous system by applying pulsed radio frequency energy, comprising the steps of:

inserting a flexible lead into one of an epidural space, a spinal space, a paravertebral space, an intercerebral region and a ganglion of the head and a ganglion of the neck, said lead having at least one first electrical contact in a distal region of the lead;

operating a pulsed radio frequency generator;

the pulsed radio frequency generator being coupled to said first electrical contact;

thereby applying pulsed radio frequency energy via said first electrical contact to a localized region to be treated;

whereby in said localized region at least one of a nerve, a nerve root, a nerve ganglion, a part of the spinal cord and a part of the brain is treated.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22,

wherein said flexible lead forms a part of a flexible probe having a second lead and a second electrical contact;

and

wherein said radio frequency energy is applied between said first and second contacts.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising the step of:

probing a position of the lead relative to said localized region by applying a test stimulation signal via said electrical contact to said localized region and thereby probing a sensual response to the test stimulation signal;

thereby gaining information about the position of the lead relative to the at least one of a nerve, a nerve root, a nerve ganglion, a part of the spinal cord and a part of the brain which is to be treated.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24,

wherein said flexible lead forms a part of a flexible probe having a second lead and a second electrical contact;

and

wherein said test stimulation signal is applied between said first and second contacts.

26. A method as claimed in claim 22,

wherein the lead further comprises a temperature sensor at the distal region of the lead, leads of the temperature sensor being located inside the lead;

the method further comprising the step of;

monitoring a temperature using the temperature sensor at the distal region of the lead;

wherein in the step of operating the pulsed radio frequency generator, the pulsed radio frequency energy is applied depending in a predetermined way on the monitored temperature.

27. A method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

displacing the lead to a second localized region; and

then

repeating the step of operating the pulsed radio frequency generator;

whereby in said second localized region at least one of a nerve, a nerve root, a nerve ganglion, a part of the spinal cord and a part of the brain is treated.

28. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said lead passes through an endoscopic probe.